How German immigrants created a famed Texas beer garden 160 years ago

In a city like Austin, where old buildings are torn down and replaced by new ones seemingly overnight, it’s hard to imagine a business surviving for more than a decade, let alone for almost 160 years. But that’s exactly what Scholz Garten has done.

According to the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), German immigrant August Scholz first purchased the property at 1607 San Jacinto Blvd. in 1862 for a mere $2,400. Four years later he built a saloon and beer garden on the property and called it Scholz Garden (originally spelled with a D.) It quickly became a hub for a burgeoning German community in Central Texas and a growing Austin population. Almost 160 years later and the thriving beer garden has lived a long life in the Capital City.

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