Region: Prairies and Lakes
This town, one of Texas' oldest settlements, was first called Mina. The name
was changed about 1837 to honor Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop, a
prominent Dutch nobleman—or so the colonists thought.
Actually, he was a flamboyant impostor named Philip Hendrik Nering Bogel,
born in Dutch Guiana to ordinary Dutch parents. Appointed a tax collector after
he and his parents returned to Holland, he was later accused of embezzlement and
fled the country.
Appearing in Texas as Baron de Bastrop in 1805, he obtained a colony grant,
established a freighting business and was appointed second alcalde of San
Antonio in 1810. He was a primary negotiator with the government of Mexico for
Stephen F. Austin's original Anglo-American colony, became an elected
representative to the Mexican state of Coahuila (which included Texas) and was
instrumental in establishing the port of Galveston. But the counterfeit baron's
enterprises resulted in little profit. At his death in 1827, he did not leave
enough funds for burial expenses; fellow legislators contributed the cost. It
wasn't until more than a century after his death that records in the Netherlands
shed light on his identity.
More than 130 historic structures in Bastrop are listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, with 31 displaying a Texas Medallion marker.
The Bastrop Advertiser, the oldest weekly newspaper in Texas, was
founded here in 1853. Main street is lined with century-old structures housing
shops and restaurants. The 1889 First National Bank Building serves as Bastrop's
Old Town Visitor Center, offering historic displays and a self-guided walking
tour brochure.
Main Street and Fisherman's Park on the scenic Colorado River offer great
places to picnic, fish and canoe. The historic Iron Bridge has been converted to
a park above the Colorado River. Bastrop has three 18-hole golf courses to
challenge golfers at all skill levels. Horseback riding also is available.
Bed-and-breakfast accommodations are offered in historic
buildings.