Step one foot into Mason’s charming Town Square and you quickly see why this community has earned the nickname, Gem of Hill Country. The Town Square feels like modern fun meets the Old West. Storefronts feature classic “false-front” roof lines, bright colors and intricate details that will have you wondering if you landed on the set of a John Wayne movie! Explore shops, restaurants and cafes, the historic Odeon Theater, and other sites along this charming center of town. Pick up “A Walking Tour of Mason’s Courthouse Square” from the Mason County Chamber of Commerce and see 46 notable sites that reflect this fascinating community’s heritage.
Make your way to Post Oak Hill for a self-guided tour of the grounds and last remaining building of Fort Mason, the military outpost that gives the county its name. The site is managed by the Texas Historical Society, and is a window into the area’s frontier past. View what remains of the fort, established in 1851, and enjoy sweeping views of the town below. Fort Mason was established as a front-line defense for the territory. It was the home fort for military leaders like Albert Sidney Johnston, George H. Thomas, Earl Van Dorn and Robert E. Lee. Abandoned in the 1870s, Fort Mason was restored by a group of local citizens in 1975.
A visit to Mason isn’t complete without gazing on the town’s famed Old Yeller statue, which sits in front of the M. Beven Eckert Memorial Library, itself a charming site to visit. Few young adult novels are as emotionally moving as Old Yeller, the 1956 story of a boy growing up in Texas’s pioneer country and his loyal dog. The wildly popular best seller was also made into a Walt Disney film in 1957. Mason native Fred Gipson wrote the novel, along with several others. The life-sized bronze monument was created by renowned Texas sculptor Garland Weeks.
While exploring Mason’s Town Square, be sure to stop by the Museum on the Square, a compact version of its partner institution, the Mason County Historical Museum, located a few blocks away. Enjoy a user-friendly chronological romp through the area’s development, dating back to its prehistory and continuing to its modern agricultural economy. Learn about key events that shaped the community, including the Mason County War—known as one of the top 10 feuds in Texas. The largest blue topaz ever found in North America is on display here. Don’t forget to stop the gift shop for your memorabilia.
From a mastodon tusk to soldier’s brass buttons to images of the first schools and churches in the area and lots more, the Mason County Historical Museum documents the history of this Hill Country community. Located southwest of the Town Square in a two-story historic stone building, the museum is home to the majority of Mason’s historic artifacts.
You’ll be wowed at the sight of lovely and grand Seaquist House, a magnificent Victorian residence that is one of the best examples of Italianate architecture in the region. Schedule a tour and learn why this house is so special. There are 22 rooms, 15 fireplaces, a third-floor ballroom and game room, a wine cellar and a three-story water tower with shower room. Begun in 1887 here along the banks of Comanche Creek , the asymmetrical sandstone mansion was further improved by later owners who added wrap-around porches, hand cut and carved stone, stained glass and turret towers. It remains one of the Mason’s major local landmarks.
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