Central allandale By Jackie Potts

Marble Falls

The very name evokes iconographic images of the Texas Hill Country. Founded in 1887 by General Adam R. Johnson, Marble Falls is named for a twenty-foot fall over marble ledges high above the Colorado River. Of its many assets, the town's location stands out as its biggest draw. Residents enjoy the serenity of the Hill Country in a small town setting (the current population stands at 6,480), and the advantages inherent to having two large cities nearby. (Austin is a short forty-seven miles to the east, San Antonio lies 85 miles to the south.) Further, Marble Falls is rooted in the heart of the Highland Lakes, the largest chain of lakes in Texas. Miles of waterways and area rock formations didn't just suggest the name, they continue to define the very nature and character of the place.

According to the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce, "it was here that the famed pink granite of the State Capitol Building was quarried, a donation from progressive area citizens in exchange for a rail connection with Austin." Today, the rock of the region continues to fascinate. Enchanted Rock State Park (where you can climb the second-largest granite dome in the United States), and Longhorn Cavern State Park, as rich in geological formations as the Texas folklore associated with them, are both just a short drive away, while Granite Mountain looms over the western edge of town.

Lake-lover? You'll feel right at home here. Centrally located amongst the Highland Lakes of Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls, Travis and Austin, just about every conceivable water sport can be enjoyed without having to head out of town. Golfer? There are seven all-year courses within a twenty-mile radius, including "fifty-four holes of Robert Trent Jones' finest work at Horseshoe Bay." Tennis facilities, swimming pools and horseback trails only begin to round out the picture. There's the Marble Falls Rodeo Association, the Hill Country Community Theater, several area vineyards, including Fall Creek, Flat Creek and Lost Creek, a first-run theater, restaurants that include the "world-famous" Bluebonnet Café, and an historic downtown shopping district along Main Street featuring more restaurants, antique and gift shops.

Marble Falls students are educated within the family of public schools run by the Marble Falls Independent School District. Easy to remember, the schools are Marble Falls Primary School, Marble Falls Elementary, Marble Falls Middle School, and Marble Falls High School. Private schools include Faith Academy of Marble Falls and St. Peter's Lutheran School. Higher education is taught at Texas Tech University Hill Country, Highland Lakes.

The City of Marble Falls provides water and wastewater services to the Marble Falls community. Residential and commercial customers also receive curbside garbage pickup services that the City of Marble Falls contracts out to BFI Waste. Utility accounts cover all City services and are presented to customers in one convenient bill.

Home prices range from the $70s to the $100s, unless you're looking for lakeside living for which you'll have to pay extra. For example, residences in the gated community of Meadowlakes on Lake Marble Falls begin at $110,000 but can go as high as $700,000 for waterfront sites, while luxury homes in Horseshoe Bay along Lake LBJ start at $200,000. Home styles range from 1920s-built cottages and ranch houses to contemporary dwellings built from the '70s up to present day. According to Suann Adkins, longtime Marble Falls real estate agent, "New areas are popping up everywhere." No wonder, considering that the rapidly growing metropolitan areas of San Antonio and Austin continue to expand in the direction of Marble Falls. According to recent economic and growth reports, within a 10-mile radius, the area's population is expected to jump from its current 24,426 residents to 29,454 in 2010. "We've got a Home Depot, a Hampton Inn, a Chili's. For a small town in the Hill Country, we have a lot of amenities associated with larger cities, but in a more relaxed atmosphere," Adkins says.

Schools Marble Falls Independent School District Marble Falls Elementary Marble Falls Middle School Marble Falls High School

Amenities Enchanted Rock State Park Longhorn Cavern State Park Horseshoe Bay Blue Bonnet Café Marble Falls Rodeo Association

Resources Search articles mentioning Crestview in the Austin American-Statesman's archives. Find area restaurants on Austin360

Zone: NW
MLS Area: LN

Zip Code 78642

Foundation Park is near the Liberty Hill Junior High School and features baseball fields, walking, jogging tracks and a playscape. There are basketball courts and soccer fields near Sundance Ranch.