Buy a Texas Town! Buildings and all. Can you imagine that? That was the headline a few years back. The Grove, Texas according to most travel sites is considered a ghost town. But technically it's considered a Historical Museum Town. At least according to the Smithsonian. Moody Anderson purchased the property 1972 and converted it to a museum, live music venue, wedding venue and a all around neat spot to spend your weekend. At one time it was a contender to be the next Luckenbach. Unfortunately he put the property up for sale a few years back and the land was purchased by the descendants of W.J. Dube. As of my visit, the place had not seen too much activity. The main building which houses the general store, bank, post office, and doctor's office still has the antiques and artifacts that Mr. Anderson spent years collecting and displaying but is no longer available for the public to enter and see. As you pull into the property the old sign shows a faded and removed hours of operation. A small note on the doors of the general store mention the sale of the property and that all visitors and photographers must have permission to be on the property.
The general store, post office, bank, and a doctor's office on the upper level are all housed in this one building.
The interior of the general store building. Old remnants of the Moody Anderson's decades long passion to collect history on this historic site. Under his ownership he had this as a museum.
Established in 1859, The Grove had significant growth well into the early part of the 1900's. By the 1940's the town saw a steep decline in population due to the construction of Fort Hood and a highway bypass. The town saw it's peak population at around 400 at the last turn of the century to only 65 in 2000.
Behind the old Sheriff's office. Champagne bottles and dust.
Behind the old Sheriff's office and jail. A piano more fitted for the saloon.
I would love to see this place open up as the museum again or it really would be a neat weekend getaway similar to Luckenbach. So much potential for these structures and you can tell Moody spent decades collecting and preserving the area. I don't know what the Dube family has in store for the property. I can't find anything online about their intentions. The sign posted on the door seemed a little too threatening to me and was dated years prior. I hope this site gets the respect and attention it deserves. I will definitely be making a returning trip. Rumor has it, the place fills up with bluebonnets in the spring!
The old saloon. at the time this property was a museum these buildings were open to explore. now locked up and sitting.
The stairs on the side of the building lead to what was the doctor's office. behind the building looked like room for stables and old photos showed horse buggys being displayed.
Blacksmith shop full of tools and items
an old abandoned home near the property. Strange to see two entrances. Perhaps a duplex style home for those who worked the surrounding farm land.
stomping the old cowboy boots on the wooden porch.
Lola parked on the side of the old general store.
Explorers in the rain