The wooden dance floor of Gruene Hall looks as smoothly worn as a well-worked saddle.

Cowboys, farmers, and other folks have been scootin' their boots across the pine plank floor ever since cotton planter Henry D. Gruene (pronounced "green") built the rambling structure between San Antonio and Austin in 1878. A small town quickly grew up around the hall and then almost disappeared as the cotton declined and the cowboys moved on.

A century later, Pat Molak and Mary Jane Nalley started buying buildings and opening businesses, bringing the hall and the historic town of Gruene back to life. Since its resurrection in the 1980s, Gruene Hall has given up-and-coming Austin-area stars such as George Strait, Hal Ketchum, and Lyle Lovett the chance to break into the Texas music spotlight before becoming national celebrities.

Near Fredericksburg, another hall-- and a thirsty farmer--helped revive a second Hill Country town. Local legend says Hondo Crouch was driving through Luckenbach in the 1970s when he stopped for a cold beer. The place was closed, so Hondo, along with a couple of cohorts, bought the whole town--post office, dance hall, and beer joint--lock, stock, and bottles.

Hondo's hankering for a drink and good music resulted in the Luckenbach Dance Hall, one of the state's most famous boot-scooting locations. Storied in song by Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Jerry Jeff Walker, Luckenbach now gives musicians such as Jay Sims, Danny Terry, and Claude "Butch" Morgan a place to hang their hats.