The video above takes you on a drive through Martindale, Texas, a small town of just over 1,000 people sitting about 7 miles east of San Marcos and roughly 33 miles south of Austin. It's one of those Texas towns that catches your eye the moment you roll through — the main street is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the old storefronts have a look that's drawn film crews out here over the years. If you've never heard of Martindale, this is a good introduction to what makes the place worth a stop.
What Is There to Do in Martindale, Texas?
Martindale's history stretches back to the 1850s, when its proximity to the San Marcos River made it a desirable spot to settle. The main strip still has old buildings from its days as a hub for farm implements, furniture, cotton seed, and hybrid seed corn. You can spot the town's grist mill and gin heritage in the architecture. Current buildings along the strip include the Martindale Municipal Court, City Hall, and the police department. There's also Harper's Store, which deals in antiques, and the Headwaters Plant Boutique and Martindale River Cafe are moving into the area. For events, Martindale puts on an Independence Day Parade every 4th of July that wraps up with a town picnic. There's a big grassy area where they set up live music as the sun goes down, with picnic tables pushed up against a red brick building — a genuinely good time if you can make it out.
Where Can You Find Live Music in Martindale?
The biggest development for live music in Martindale is a venue called Duets, and it's quickly becoming a reason to make the drive. Here are the spots covered in the video:
- Duets — Located inside the old Martindale Motor Company building dating back to 1924, Duets hosts ticketed live music events with familiar Texas acts and bands coming down from Austin. There's room for dancing, and the food is solid. David Bridwell caught The Schindlers performing there on one visit.
- Liberty Tree Tavern (Elgin) — While not in Martindale itself, this was the destination after the Martindale tour. Liberty Tree Tavern runs Rider's Wednesdays, hosted by Elely Buck Davis, where musicians swap songs with each other for the crowd. David Bridwell sat in and traded tunes with Elely on the night captured in the video.
A Small Town With Real Character
Martindale doesn't try to be something it's not. It's a quiet place with deep roots and a handful of genuine reasons to pull off the highway. The fact that a spot like Duets is bringing quality live music into a restored 1924 motor company building says a lot about the direction things are heading. If you're driving between Austin, San Marcos, or Lockhart and want to see a piece of Texas that still looks and feels like it did decades ago — with some good music mixed in — Martindale is worth your time.