Fredericksburg, TX 78624 - Gillespie County

Traveling down Highway 290, 10 miles west of Fredericksburg, Texas, its impossible to miss the 124 acre ranch known as Smile on Spring Creek. Instead of an X, 25-foot-tall limestone letters affixed by rebar to a steep berm that spell out SMILE, mark the spot.

The one-of-a-kind property that fronts on Old Harper Road and HWY 290 W provides peaceful, elbow room minutes from Fredericksburgs charming, revitalized downtown provides plenty of reasons to smile. A rare mix of natural beauty, abundant water, and history with touches of wonder and whimsy exist within its low-fenced boundaries

Acreage & Water

The land, which has been chemical-free and not hunted for more than 20 years, gently undulates. It includes uplands and the deeper richer soil found in the bottomland surrounding Spring Creek and a second unnamed spring-fed creek. Both banks of Spring Creek, one of Gillespie Countys major year-round creeks, run through the property for about 350 yards, so access is completely private.

The unnamed creek is within the watershed of the 2 acre stocked pond. The pond, which is supplied by a strong spring, did not dry up during 2023s searing drought.

Improvements

The Schneer family settled this land with a one-room rock house in the 1850s. After a Comanche attack destroyed the structure, the family built a one-room wood structure that they lived in until a two-story limestone home was completed in 1904. In 1990, the limestone home was restored and expanded with a 5,000 sqft stone-clad addition that keeps the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Alongside a 300-year-old live oak, the home is embellished with a gingerbread trim, a double-decker front porch and a metal roof that stands as a symbol of resilience.

The home has three to five bedrooms depending on the new owner's needs. The house is completed with modern amenities, including a spa bath, galley-style kitchen and fireplace with an inset stone, that complements the original floors, beadboard, cabinetry and rough-hewn limestone walls that have stood the test of time. The outdoor areas also feature native materials for the pool deck, retaining walls and picnic area.

The guest houses are a short stroll from the main house and pool.

The Little Rock was constructed from the remains of the original one-room home destroyed in the Comanche raid. The historic dwelling includes a kitchenette and a rock fireplace.

The reconstructed Dog Trot Cabin that provided shelter to pioneers near Brenham, TX in the 1790s features a breezeway that separates The North Cabin, one-bedroom and bath, from the South Cabin, one-bedroom, one-bath and a kitchen.

The Frame House is a one-bedroom, one-bath house that could be repurposed as a private gym or yoga studio, an arts and crafts room or perhaps even a computer or media room.

The property also features a 30' x 50' metal storage building and horse stalls for those who enjoy equestrian pursuits.