Elgin, Texas

Elgin is a small town just East of Austin. The easy commute to Austin allows residents to enjoy all that Austin has to offer while still providing that small town southern charm. Elgin is known as the Sausage Capital of Texas. Meyers Elgin Sausage was founded in 1949 and Southside Market and BBQ has been making their famous Elgin Hot Sausage for over 125 years! Elgin has also been known as the Brick Capital of South Texas because of the 3 brickyards operating there in the mid-twentieth century. Two of those brickyards are still in operation today.

History

The city of Elgin was put on the map by the Colorado River flood of 1869. That caused a re-routing of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, which established a stop in Elgin. It continued to be a thriving depot stop for years, and some local heritage can be observed in the preserved brick buildings of its downtown historic district. The Elgin Depot Museum houses artifacts and exhibits detailing the origins of the town and its ties to the growth of the railroad industry. The Elgin Heritage Walking Tour delves into the history of the entire district and 67 buildings, most of which were built during the early 1900s. Elgin has also been a frequent Hollywood film location for such films as The Great Waldo Pepper, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, A Perfect World, Varsity Blues, and 2003’s The Alamo.

Events

Elgin provides numerous activities for the community to enjoy. To name a few:

• Elgin Flea Market Days
• Sip, Shop, & Stroll
• Music & Movies in the Park
• Western Days
• Beach Party at the Park
• Community Wide Garage Sale
• Hogeye Festival
• Holiday by the Tracks
• Lighted Christmas Parade

And the larger scale events and attractions of Austin are just a short drive away!