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When visiting a new town, it makes sense to beeline for Main Street. Whether or not the central thoroughfare is called as such, it likely represents the community's commercial core, historical backbone, and cultural rallying point. With these concepts in mind, the following ten Texan towns have particularly memorable main streets. From the avant-garde stylings of Marfa to the glamor of Georgetown, to the waterfront wonder of places like Port Isabel and Galveston, these places are shaped by the past, invigorated by the present, and poised for bright futures.

Marfa

Marfa, a sleepy Chihuahuan plateau town, gives a glimpse into rural life while also tantalizing tourists with unexplained floating orbs above the fields at night (i.e. The Marfa Lights), and its eccentric artistic flare (spearheaded by grand-scale visionary Donald Judd). A stroll down Marfa's Main Street, which is to say, Highland Street, passes Marfa Burritos (as featured on Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown), the eye-catching Hotel Saint George (featuring the LaVenture bar/restaurant), no less than seven art galleries or museums (including one of the Chinati Foundation buildings), the defunct and weathered (but preserved) Palace Theater, and the stately Presidio County Courthouse. All along the way, there are quirky embellishments and enticing off-shoots. The ultimate vibe is one of space, serenity, curiosity, and history.

Alpine

Just up the road from Marfa, the small city of Alpine has a charming and authentic Main Street (i.e. Holland Avenue), but it needs a little love right now. Last May, a fire broke out between 5th and 6th Street (right in the heart of the Historic District), enveloping several beloved businesses before it was finally extinguished. Nonetheless, the people of Alpine have banded together to restore their town to its former glory, and the local creatives have decorated the back alleys of the charred block with beautiful murals.

Proceeding east along Alpine's main drag, one notices the Amtrak station - an unexpected asset given Alpine's geographical isolation. From there, the "Greetings from Alpine" mural engulfs the entire west wall of Vise Coffee, which itself bumps up against the independent movie theatre, which dominoes into a couple of boutique shops and a cute bookstore before being bookended by another hip cafe on the corner of 4th. All the while, if you peek down to parallel Murphy Street, the colors and anachronistic textures of its commercial cluster will give you a follow up target for your walking tour.

Austin

Alright, so Austin has well-eclipsed its "town" status, and there is more than one "main street" to consider in this state capital, but its historic Sixth Street is as stimulating as it is polarizing. So, it must be mentioned. It is filled with abandoned (albeit creatively decorated) buildings but also a 海角社区-class cluster of nightlife venues inhabited by swarms of comedy, music, and cocktail-starved tourists. Visitors who want to avoid the crowds can stroll in from the east by day to soak in and photograph the calm before the storm and then return to the nightly action for dinner and a show. Regardless if you love it or hate it, Sixth Street is designated as a Historic District on the National Register, and like the Vegas Strip or Broadway in Nashville, it is well-worth experiencing at least once in your life.

Georgetown

As Austin continues to oscillate in popularity, many folks have shifted north to the satellite community of Georgetown. It doesn't just have one magnetic main street; it has an entire town square that is universally beloved. The square is centered around the historic Williamson County Courthouse with a historical marker reminding of the Ku Klux Klan-related trials held at the courthouse in the 1920s. Leading from the town square, Main Street, 8th, Austin Ave, and 7th streets tie together museums, antiques, boutiques, wineries, breweries, and cocktail joints (some of which allow for cross-contamination as part of a social district setup), and art and music shops - all of which occupy eclectic and aesthetically-pleasing facades. Georgetown's Square, especially on the weekend, is a crowded affair, but somehow, there's always space inside, and the pace outside remains patient and friendly.

Fredericksburg

The timeless heritage town of Fredericksburg has a Main Street that is equal parts history, architectural whimsy, and engagement. Settled by German immigrants in the mid-1800s, the core of Fredericksburg marries Hill Country serenity with a dash of European sensibility. The National Historic District supports several significant historical landmarks (such as the Pioneer Museum, National Museum of the Pacific War, and Gillespie County Historical Society/Museum). It also has copious amounts of restaurants (from German grub to Tex-Mex and BBQ), brewpubs and tasting rooms. There are more than 50 wineries in the vicinity, and over 150 unique shops and art galleries (no franchises or chains allowed here).

Port Isabel

Popping down to the very tip of Texas, Port Isabel is a popular and scenic spot on the Gulf of Mexico (aka Gulf of America), or rather, the Laguna Madre that precedes it. Though this waterfront enclave has barely over 5,000 permanent residents, it bustles with summer tourists hoping to escape the heat, indulge in some seafood, and get in touch with a very different side of Texas. The blocks pressed against Queen Isabella Boulevard constitute the main street. And unlike any other town in Texas, there is an authentic lighthouse in the center (now a Texas Historical Commission State Historic Site). Right across the street from Port Isabel Lighthouse, the exquisitely muralled (from 1906, mind you) Port Isabel Historical Museum showcases the region's natural, military, and maritime history. The best part of all is that at its eastern terminus, "main street" becomes the Queen Isabella Causeway, which carries motorists to the beaches and amusement parks of South Padre Island.

Nacogdoches

It makes sense that the oldest town in Texas (founded in 1779) would have a Main Street worth seeing. East Texas' Nacogdoches stands out in terms of its antiquitous aesthetic and restorative momentum. Nacogdoches' Main Street is paved with red bricks (at least, for its entire eastern portion) and flanked by historical, or otherwise noteworthy, architecture. From west to east, wanderers will find the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot Museum, local live music joint, Banita Creek Hall, the Charles Bright Visitor Center, Mast Hall (built in 1908, now a historical landmark), the Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, and just a block south, the Sterne-Hoya House Museum and Library. Each June, the tasty and communal Texas Blueberry Festival adds a bit of blue to the red-dominant scenery. Nacogdoches is part of both the Texas Main Street Program and Main Street America Program.

Bay City

Another accredited Texas Main Street and Main Street America is that of Bay City. This modest Gulf Coast city is within reach of multiple wildlife refuges and beaches, but its charming core is reason enough to visit. Bay City Main Street is recognized for its distinctive structures, locally-owned businesses, community sensibilities, and spacious, pedestrian-friendly feel. At the time of this article, the 9th annual Wild Game and Wine Camofest just rolled through, but that eccentric Texan flare exists year-round in Bay City, especially surrounding the Square. Shop for expertly crafted cowboy boots before dining on Gulf shrimp and good old-fashioned BBQ, or check out the Matagorda County Museum, the contrasting Matagorda County Courthouse (which hosts a pop-up market each month around its perimeter), get stocked up for your Gulf Coast adventures, or simply sift around for treasures at the antique mall.

Galveston

You know a main street is cool when it has a nickname. Well, Galveston's top spot has two: "Wall Street of the South," and "The Strand." The Strand Historic District runs parallel to the Galveston Channel, which gives shape to the broader Galveston Island of the Gulf Coast. Cruise Ships, ELISSA, the 1877 Tall Ship, and even the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum are all sporadically present in the sightline. But it is the shopping and dining prospects (The Strand is the primary source for both), and historically significant buildings (many with Victorian influence), that helped this memorable district to attain its federal designation. Check out the Galveston Railroad Museum, the Old Galveston Square (featuring La King's 1920's confectionery), and swing by Saengerfest Park to see what kind of music or movie night they have on.

Goliad

Let's think outside of the box for this last one. The small, rural, Southern Texan community of Goliad is the state's third oldest town (founded in 1749 by resettled Spanish missionaries) and the birthplace of Texas ranching. Defined by the meeting of the east-west Lloyd Bentsen Highway and north-south Jefferson Street, if we follow the latter down from the crossroads, several significant attractions emerge almost simultaneously. The El Camino de los Tejas Visitor Center and Museum is the first unit of the Goliad State Park & Historic Site that visitors will encounter. Next up is the Goliad Memorial Auditorium (both a state and national historic landmark) and the inspiring Mission Espiritu Santo, peering at each other from across the street. Crossing the San Antonio River, we reach the 18th-century stronghold, Presidio la Bahia State Historic Site, the Zaragoza Birthplace State Historic Site, and the statues that oversee the compound: Francita Alavez, aka the "Angel of Goliad" and General Ignacio Zaragoza himself. All the while, the two-mile Angels of Goliad Hike and Bike Trail can be accessed from anywhere along South Jefferson Street.

Final Thoughts

Moulded by Spanish influence and frontier-pushing pioneers, then expanded upon by the wide-reaching personalities of modern Texans, the main streets of these ten towns showcase some of the Lone Star State's best assets. Beacons of the desolate west, magnets of the pristine Gulf, or rural satellites of populous regions, each of these entries brings a different, unforgettable flavor of Texas to the table.