New Braunfels, TX

New Braunfels, Texas, was founded in 1845 by the German prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, who named the city after his hometown. The prince arranged for hundreds of German citizens to immigrate to the city; today New Braunfels boasts a large German community. The population of New Braunfels has historically grown at a rate of 5 to 7 percent each year. The city is now home to 51,804 residents with a population density of approximately 1,786 people per square mile.

The quaint city lies along the Balcones Fault and covers 29 square miles. The lovely climate and natural artesian springs in New Braunfels, plus its proxmity to the Guadalupe River and Natural Bridge Caverns, make it a top tourist attraction in the region.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The city consists of nine neighborhoods. Median home prices are approximately 30 percent lower than the national average.

• Garden Ridge
• Hunter
• Walnut Avenue / Landa Street
• County Line Road / Walnut Avenue
• Gruene
• Schumannsville
• City Center
• Union Avenue / Torrey Street
• State Loop 337 / San Antonio Street

Homeowners occupy 65 percent of the housing units in New Braunfels. Because of the number of tourist attractions in the area, New Braunfels offers a variety of seasonal housing options for vacation use.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The New Braunfels community is well educated, with 15 percent of residents holding a bachelor's or a graduate degree. Residents enjoy higher income levels in comparison to the rest of the United States.

Major industries of New Braunfels include engineering, finance, aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, construction, technology, and health care. The city is home to McKenna hospital, boasting state-of-the-art medical care.

FOR VISITORS

New Braunfels is the location of several world-famous attractions.

• Landa Park contains the headwaters of the Comal River, where hundreds of cold-water springs bubble up from the Edwards Aquifer.
• Comal River and Guadalupe River--and the surrounding Texas Hill Country--provide New Braunfels residents and visitors with a variety of recreational options, including swimming, camping, boating, scuba diving, tubing, kayaking, and fishing.
• Natural Bridge Caverns draw visitors annually with their raw, natural beauty. In addition to tours, this national historic site allows visitors to pan for precious stones and to take a leap from the infamous Watchtower, one of the largest outdoor climbing towers and zip lines in the state.
• Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch features wild animals roaming freely over the Texas countryside, while visitors can feed, view, and photograph them from the comfort of their automobiles.
• Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort spans over 65 acres and contains the world's first surfing machine. The resort offers 7 water playgrounds, 3 uphill water coasters, over 3 miles of tubing, and 17 water slides.

BEST BETS

• The Gruene Historic District is located along the shore of the Guadalupe River. The site features restored structures dating from 1872, including a school, a general store, a cotton gin, a post office, a lumberyard, and Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall still operating in Texas.
• The Sophienburg Museumeducates visitors about the early days of New Braunfels and chronicles the city's development.
• The Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture displays the artistry of Biedermeier furniture, just as it was handcrafted by the original German cabinetmakers.

EVENTS

• Wurstfest is a ten-day German sausage festival held every November in Landa Park.
• Historic Gruene Market Days are on the third weekend of each month from February to November. Crafters sell handmade art, jewelry, pottery, and sculpture.
• Christmas Markets are held on the first weekend in December and wouldn't be complete without a visit from Cowboy Kringle and the traditional town lighting ceremony.

EDUCATION

Located within 15 miles of New Braunfels are three colleges and technical schools:

• Central Texas Technology Center
• Texas Lutheran University
• Texas State University

There are ten more colleges and universities within a 30-minute drive.

SPORTS TEAMS

Although New Braunfels has no professional sports teams, residents enjoy major and minor league professional sports in nearby San Antonio.

• NBA Basketball: San Antonio Spurs
• WNBA Basketball: San Antonio Silver Stars
• AHL Hockey: San Antonio Rampage
• TL Baseball: San Antonio Missions

LOCAL MEDIA

The city's only newspaper is the Herald-Zeitung.

New Braunfels has only one radio station operating within its city limits: KNBT-FM (92.1).

GETTING AROUND

Although 97 percent of residents drive to work, New Braunfels offers no public transportation system for daily commutes.