The early Austin County Courthouse above was built in 1854 but unfortunately burned on April 5, 1960. Demolition workers discovered the clock tower bell, which had fallen through five floors during the fire, was cracked but still intact. Restored by the Bellville Historical Society, the bell is proudly displayed at the eastern side of the current Austin County Courthouse. The Square remains as it was laid out in 1846, and many of the historic buildings have been transformed into an incredible collection of unique shops containing just about anything you might look for on a shopping trip.

The Austin County Jailhouse was built in 1896 by FB&WS Hull Builders of Dallas under contract to Pauly Jail Building Company of St. Louis, Missouri. It's located a half block off the town square. Rising three stories, the structure embodies a cruciform plan with a fourth floor tower projecting from the axial intersection. A rusticated ashlarbase of limestone supports walls of dark red, hardburned brick accented with subtle brick delineations and also contrasting limestone. The fourth floor gallows was used only once on March 14, 1901 when Gus Davis was hanged for the murder of Herman Schlunz. In 1976, the Austin County Jail building was awarded a Texas Historical Commission Medallion and was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The structure has been turned into a Museum by the Historical Society and is currently undergoing further restoration.

 
Bellville Masonic Lodge Building. The petition to form a Masonic lodge in Bellville was initiated by members of Chappell Hill Lodge No. 67.  Bellville Lodge No. 223 was chartered in 1858 and lodge members erected a two-story building at this site. The first floor was used at various times as a church, a community center and one of the first schools in Bellville. Zimri Hunt, an early Bellville lawyer, served as first Worshipful Master. Early members of the Bellville Masonic Lodge were active in political, business, educational, and religious affairs of the community. For reasons unknown, the first building was replaced in 1886 with the present structure which, since 1985 has been the home of the Bellville Historical Society. Restoration has been completed and the building is used for Historical Society meetings.

The twelve-sided Turnverein Pavilion was built on 1897 by Joachim Hintz, a German immigrant carpenter. It's name is derived from Turnverein Gut Heil, an organized group of dance enthusiasts. In constant use for banquets, antiques shows, reunions and more, the beloved Pavilion has been fully restored and still plays an important role in the social life of Bellville.

There are lots of places to get good food in Bellville and the surrounding area if you don't fill up on chuchwagon grub. You'll find award-winning barbecue, Mexican, Chinese and Italian cuisine as well as excellent steaks & burgers and good old-fashioned home-town cooking. You'll also find that the area is home to numerous wonderful bed & breakfasts so you can take your time to see all Bellville has to offer in one visit if you're coming from afar.

Bellville is named after Thomas and James Bell who immigrated from Florida in 1822 and settled in Bellville as some of Stephen F. Austin’s earliest Texas colonists. They donated over 145 acres to Austin County, and Bellville, the county seat, was platted in 1846 by district surveyor Mr. D. Charles Amthor to center around the Courthouse and town square.
     Churches, a log cabin, and a wooden courthouse were the first public structures in Bellville. Most of the early residents were farmers, and the town grew slowly until the arrival of the railroad in 1880. The railroad created a market outlet for cotton and other agricultural products, as well as providing transportation to Houston, Galveston, and other major destinations. This brought a rapid increase in population and business development. Within three years, the population of Bellville rose from approximately 300 to an astounding 1,000 residents.
     Bellville is a city rich in local Texas history. The many markers in the area chronicle incidents from the early days of Texas, both as a republic and later as a state.

The E.O. Finn Building is situated on land originally granted by the Mexican government to Austin County pioneer John Nichols. This vernacular Italianate commercial building was constructed in 1896 by E. Oscar Finn and John Thomas Colleton. E.O. Finn, a native of Germany, first came to this country with his parents in 1869. A master mechanic and a smith of buggies and wagons, Finn built this structure to serve as a sales shop for his products on the first floor with living quarters for his family on the upper story. The E.O. Finn building, or Carriage House as it is also known, features paired Italianate windows and cast iron columns and balustrade. A four-sided, suspended wooden balcony on the second floor living quarters encircles the interior showroom. A dumbwaiter, a well inside the building for drinking water, and a roof cistern for collecting rainwater piped to the bathroom were all quite modern for it’s day. The structure is a reminder of Bellville's early commercial development and was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1982.

The historical Cumings Crypt is burial ground for Rebecca Cumings and her three brothers, James, John and William who settled here from Virginia in 1821. As members of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old 300” colony, they received 20,000 acres in return for building and operating a mill on nearby Mill Creek. Legend has it that Rebecca was the sweetheart of William Barrett Travis, who died at the Alamo. Fifteen members of the Cumings family are buried in this vault, which has been turned into a small public park.

The singing society Pine Concordia Gesang-Verein was originally organized in the home of Fritz Schlecht, at Piney (3.5 miles east) in 1860. Members included Fritz Brandes, Heinrich and Gustav Koch, Joseph and Theo Menke, Herman Mueller, Fritz Schultz and director Emil Koch.
     The original Concordia Hall was built at Piney in 1877 but was leveled by the hurricane of 1900. Members salvaged timbers from the old building and erected this hall on Tesch Street the same year.
     The structure boasts a stage which made it popular for dramatic presentations and recitals. The organization’s name was changed to Bellville Concordia in 1938 and in 1997 was purchased by the Lions Club of Bellville, who completed restoration of the hall. Today it remains a favorite venue for a variety of functions and gatherings.

The Bellville Golf Course boasts a challenging, scenic 9-hole golf course (par 72-18 holes) where you can spot the occasional deer as you enjoy the country air and singing birds, and as a bonus play the course without a 1-box “lineup”.

Bellville is blessed with an abundance of wide open countryside and walking or cycling through the picturesque byways is extremely popular. The city maintains three scenic parks within the city limits, each with playgrounds, picnic areas & restroom facilities for the enjoyment of everyone.

Visit the Bellville Chamber of Commerce for more information.