Holland Springs
Burnet, Burnet County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Indians had probably visited these clear, cool springs for centuries when, in 1847, Henry E. McCulloch established a Ranger camp here, on Hamilton Creek. A year later, Samuel E. Holland (1826-1917), a Georgian, decided while visiting the camp that this lush valley was an ideal setting for a farm and home. He thus bought 1,280 acres here to become the first permanent settler in what was later Burnet County. In 1849 McCulloch's Ranger camp gave way to Fort Croghan. This site eventually developed, through the efforts of Holland, into a busy pioneer community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Long a watering place for Native peoples, these cool springs on Hamilton Creek drew Henry E. McCulloch's Texas Ranger camp in 1847. A visiting Georgian, Samuel E. Holland, judged the valley ideal for a home and bought 1,280 acres to become the first permanent settler in what became Burnet County. The Ranger post gave way to Fort Croghan in 1849, and Holland's efforts grew the site into a thriving pioneer community.
Why it matters
Holland Springs marks the pivot from Ranger frontier outpost to permanent settlement in the Texas Hill Country.
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Related people
- · Henry E. McCulloch
- · Samuel E. Holland
Themes & tags
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