About this tour
Bellville has been the seat of Austin County since a referendum settled the question in 1846 — a county carved from the very heart of Stephen F. Austin's original colony. The town grew up around its courthouse square, and while the beloved 1888 courthouse was lost to fire in 1960 and replaced by a boldly modern building, the square around it still holds the jail, the Masonic hall, early churches, and old homes that trace Bellville's growth from a frontier county seat into a prosperous small town. This short walk loops the square and the blocks just off it, following the courthouse, its lockups, and the civic buildings that grew up alongside it. Wear comfortable shoes — the whole route stays close to the square.