The video above takes you through the small town of Rogers, TX, a community of just over a thousand people sitting about 75 miles northeast of Austin and roughly 12 miles southeast of Temple. It's part of the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metro area, with US Route 190 running right through the middle of town. David Bridwell stopped through Rogers on his way to play music at a distillery in the nearby Little River Academy area, and he took the time to drive through the downtown strip and grab some food while he was at it.
A Quick History of Rogers, Texas
Rogers was founded in the late 1800s and named after John D. Rogers, a director of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. The town's roots run deep in agriculture — by 1918, Rogers was shipping more cotton than any other town in the entire state of Texas. Cotton and cattle were the backbone of the local economy for years. The population has held steady at around a thousand people for decades now, and the downtown strip along US Route 190 still has that old small-town feel. You'll see some historic buildings mixed in with a few active businesses — a gallery and home decor shop, a tattoo parlor, Tex-Mex restaurants, a gas station, a liquor store, and city hall. There are also some empty storefronts, which is pretty common for small Central Texas towns that have stayed this size over the years.
What Is There to Do Near Rogers, TX?
One of the more well-known attractions near Rogers is the Walker Honey Farm, which started back in 1930 as a way for the family to get by during the Great Depression. These days they produce a lot more than just honey — they also operate the Dancing Bee Winery on the property. Down on the main strip, there are a couple of Tex-Mex spots worth checking out. Taqueria El Mexico got a visit during this trip and was a solid stop for a meal.
Just outside of Rogers in the Little River Academy area, David Bridwell played a set at Wilson Valley Mercantile, which is a distillery and tasting room located on a family ranch. It's the kind of place where you can enjoy live music in a relaxed, rural setting while sampling what they're making on-site.
Here are a couple of spots mentioned in the video worth knowing about:
- Wilson Valley Mercantile — A distillery and tasting room on a family ranch near Little River Academy, hosting live music alongside craft spirits
- Taqueria El Mexico — A Tex-Mex restaurant along the US Route 190 strip in downtown Rogers, good for a casual meal while passing through
- Dancing Bee Winery — A winery at the Walker Honey Farm property near Rogers, with a history going back to the 1930s
Rogers isn't a destination most people have on their radar, but if you're driving through Central Texas on US 190 or heading between Temple and points east, it's worth slowing down for a plate of food and a look around. The town has real character and a history that's easy to appreciate once you know what you're looking at.