Traveling down Highway 290, 10 miles west of Fredericksburg, Texas, its impossible to miss the 124 acre ranch known as Smile on Spring Creek. Instead of an X, 25-foot-tall limestone letters affixed by rebar to a steep berm that spell out SMILE, mark the spot.
The one-of-a-kind property that fronts on Old Harper Road and HWY 290 W provides peaceful, elbow room minutes from Fredericksburgs charming, revitalized downtown provides plenty of reasons to smile. A rare mix of natural beauty, abundant water, and history with touches of wonder and whimsy exist within its low-fenced boundaries
Acreage & Water
The land, which has been chemical-free and not hunted for more than 20 years, gently undulates. It includes uplands and the deeper richer soil found in the bottomland surrounding Spring Creek and a second unnamed spring-fed creek. Both banks of Spring Creek, one of Gillespie Countys major yea...
The land, which has been chemical-free and not hunted for more than 20 years, gently undulates. It includes uplands and the deeper richer soil found in the bottomland surrounding Spring Creek and a second unnamed spring-fed creek. Both banks of Spring Creek, one of Gillespie Countys major year-round creeks, run through the property for about 350 yards, so access is completely private.
The unnamed creek is within the watershed of the 2 acre stocked pond. The pond, which is supplied by a strong spring, did not dry up during 2023s searing drought.
Improvements
The Schneer family settled this land with a one-room rock house in the 1850s. After a Comanche attack destroyed the structure, the family built a one-room wood structure that they lived in until a two-story limestone home was completed in 1904. In 1990, the limestone home was restored and expanded with a 5,000 sqft stone-clad addition that keeps the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Alongside a 300-year-old live oak, the home is embellished with a gingerbread trim, a double-decker front porch and a metal roof that stands as a symbol of resilience.
The home has three to five bedrooms depending on the new owner's needs. The house is completed with modern amenities, including a spa bath, galley-style kitchen and fireplace with an inset stone, that complements the original floors, beadboard, cabinetry and rough-hewn limestone walls that have stood the test of time. The outdoor areas also feature native materials for the pool deck, retaining walls and picnic area.
The guest houses are a short stroll from the main house and pool.
The Little Rock was constructed from the remains of the original one-room home destroyed in the Comanche raid. The historic dwelling includes a kitchenette and a rock fireplace.
The reconstructed Dog Trot Cabin that provided shelter to pioneers near Brenham, TX in the 1790s features a breezeway that separates The North Cabin, one-bedroom and bath, from the South Cabin, one-bedroom, one-bath and a kitchen.
The Frame House is a one-bedroom, one-bath house that could be repurposed as a private gym or yoga studio, an arts and crafts room or perhaps even a computer or media room.
The property also features a 30' x 50' metal storage building and horse stalls for those who enjoy equestrian pursuits.
Fredericksburg, TX