Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange, Texas
The Fayette County courthouse in LaGrange, TX, proudly adorned with a tall clock tower, could be seen for miles around when it first opened in 1891. The Romanesque Revival style building was designed by prominent Texas architect J. Riely Gordon, who also designed the Bexar County courthouse in San Antonio, TX. Standing tall and majestic on the courthouse square, this beautiful historic building was fully restored in 2005 and is still a working courthouse.
Picturesque LaGrange, located midway between Houston and Austin, along the Colorado River, has for years been a popular stopping off place for travelers going between the two cities. This colorful farming community has a heavy German and Czech heritage because of the many Europeans who settled here in the 1800s. In fact, LaGrange boasts some of the best kolache bakeries in Texas.
Another legendary attraction at LaGrange was the notorious chicken ranch, a long-time brothel that attracted customers from all over the state. After operating for decades, it closed when Houston television crusader Marvin Zindler demanded that state officials shut it down in the 1970s. The story of the chicken ranch evolved into a Broadway musical, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and later a Hollywood movie of the same name starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. Local residents were not pleased about the movie and the film was shot in another Texas town.
Even though today a modern highway bypasses the LaGrange business district, many travelers stop by to visit the courthouse square with its quaint shops, bakeries, home-style restaurants and the impressive Fayette County courthouse.
The Fayette County courthouse was featured in the PBS documentary, The Golden Age of Texas Courthouses, produced by Texas Foundation for the Arts.
Produced by Kim Lykins and Jim Bailey
Directed by Jim Bailey, Sunset Productions
Edited by Mike Snow, Fast Cut Films
La Grange in La Grange, TX. (Fayette County's 175th Anniversary Celebration 09/21/2013)
In celebration of Fayette County, Texas' 175th birthday, there was live music by various local artists, food and drink vendors, speeches and demonstrations of blacksmithing, working an old style loom, a beard contest, etc. No La Grange, TX celebration would be complete without the song La Grange, originally performed by the group ZZ Top. This video was captured towards the end of the night on the courthouse lawn as local band, Black Cat Choir, played their own rendition of the song that was written after our town.
Fayette County Jail - La Grange, TX
In this Tripp Flashback from WAY back, our heroes stay overnight at the Historic (and haunted) Fayette County Jail in the lovely town of La Grange, TX and encounter some weird shit. One of them actually gets pushed over (supposedly).
And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and LIKE our FB Page! Go, do it now! We'll wait.
Fayette County Courthouse
Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange, Texas. One of my favorite Courthouses of the Historic Texas buildings.
Fayette County Fair LaGrange TX
Amya Rodriguez cover for Better Dig 2 ~ Little Big Town
Texas County Courts
TCOLE 1000 Learning Objective 4.3.4., Lesson plan dated Jan 2013
Episode 407 - Segment 3
LaGrange, Texas. Kreische Brewery and The Chicken Ranch
La Grange Texas
La Grange is a city in Fayette County, Texas, near the Colorado River. It is located about halfway between Houston and Austin on Highway 71. The 2010 census estimated the city had a population of 4,923. La Grange is the county seat of Fayette County. La Grange was the site of an early crossing of the Colorado River along La Bahía Road during the Mexican period. The earliest residents (evidence dates them back to 1527) were Tonkawa and Comanche Indians who pursued the great herds of buffalo.
For more videos of other Texas areas:
San Antonio Area:
The Alamo San Antonio
Air Force Security Forces Museum
US Air Force Airman Heritage Museum
US Army Medical Directorate Museum
Fort Hood:
3rd Cavalry Museum
1st Cavalry Division Museum Part 1
1st Cavalry Division Museum Part 2
1st Cavalry Division Museum Part 3
Other Areas:
Fire Museum of Texas - Beaumont
Santa Fe Depot - Temple
Antique Capital of East Texas
Cadillac Ranch
Historic Hico Texas
Larry’s Old time Trade Days
Fort Bliss Museum & Old Ironside Museum
Littlest Skyscraper Wichita Falls Texas
For more of our travel videos, please go to
Please email us at FreeTravelWithUs@gmail.com with any helpful suggestions on how we can do a better job documenting our travels and getting the word out about our website. Thanks!
If you are enjoying the videos, please help us continue by letting your friends know about them and subscribe to our channel so we can meet the new “1,000” subscriber requirements.
The Octaburger. La Grange Texas
5-12-17
Flooding recovery efforts in La Grange comes with BBQ | 9/2017
In La Grange recovery efforts continued Monday with two well-known barbecue restaurants in town filling a need by filling plates. Hot meals are making a difference, but sustaining the recovery effort remains a concern. FOX 7's Rudy Koski has the story.
For local news, weather, sports and more visit FOX7Austin.com.
HGH100410-Findings2.wmv
FIndings from our investigation of the Old Fayette County Jail in La Grange, TX
A feathered feeding frenzy at the Fayette County Fair in Washington Court House Ohio. 7/19/2014
Me and Lori Wehner visited the fayette county fair on the last day and while we were walking around we seen a tent that had alot of different animals to view. I seen that there was a large cage with alot of parakeets inside. The sign on the outside said that for $1.00 you could go inside and let them eat from a stick that you hold out in your hand, that is covered with seeds. As soon as I stuck my arm out my hand was covered! As you can see there is a yellow one that would not give up his spot. LOL!!! When this other parakeet started biting around my thumb I thought Lori's next! LOL!!! As I was coming out I turned and gave the man another dollar, Lori thought I was going back in. :) Much to her surprise I was paying for her. LOL!!! Thats another video. :);)
LaGRANGE TX.avi
May 25th,11 I watcd storms come from nothing and google mapped the area and found it to be LaGrange tx......further searching found this weird factory .....went for a walk to the front door and looked up at the sky.......never have I witnessed a sky above this factory or what ever it is....this video does nothing for the sky view you have to google map it for yourself.........googled the address and nothing significant came up....... requires a further search
Chicken Ranch Brothel remains, LaGrange, Texas.
The brothel was closed down in 1973, and parts were removed. This is all that remains of the actual Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. for that person who is asking.. here's a hint. theres. a map link on this flickr photo i took a while back
Off the Beaten Path - Fayette County Texas
Movie of Rosemary Winery.
TX: Slang for Crazy Episode 7: The Chicken Ranch of La Grange, TX
The Chicken Ranch outside of La Grange was one of the worst-kept secrets in the State of Texas. Political leaders from Austin, possibly a US President, and the football players of at least two major Texas Universities visited the site on the regular. So why did The Chicken Ranch, one of the most famous houses of ill-repute get taken down? It was all about politics.
Central Texas Sounds @ Fayette County Fair
86th Annual Fayette County Fair
La Grange, TX
August 31, 2013
Featuring a couple of Donnie Wavra Orchestra members
Restoring Texas's Historic Courthouses
Brantley Hightower, AIA, discusses the importance of preserving this important part of Texas's architectural legacy.
Harvey moves out and 10,000 National Guardsman move in to help | 8/2017
10,000 National Guardsmen from other states are on the way to Texas, according to Governor Abbott. They will provide support to what's already considered to be the largest guard Call Up in state history. FOX 7's Rudy Koski has the story.
For local news, weather, sports and more visit FOX7Austin.com.
Brandon Wilkerson-WR La Grange,TX Junior Season
Produced with CyberLink PowerDirector