Posted: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 08:31 AM - 6,752 Readers

By: Lewis Carlson

West Travis County has thrived since the Mansfield Dam was completed in 1941. Although few residents west of Austin had electricity at that time, many lived in small communities, some dating back to the last half of the 19th century. The communities were Mud, Hudson Bend, Lakewood, Teck and Bee Cave. Many of their residents had migrated from central and southern states such as Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee, where, before leaving for Texas, they had written “GTT” on their doors (Gone to Texas). Thousands more came from Western Europe, and especially Germany. They thought they were moving to an area that some land speculator called Paradise, and at first glance the Hill Country did indeed seem to be the Promised Land. Fish filled the rivers, the forests teemed with wild game and lush fields of grass appeared ideal for their livestock. Droughts, however, became all too common and the thin layer of topsoil did not replenish itself after the first season or two, and the only domestic animals that seemed to thrive were goats.


These settlers were a hardy people, especially the women. Although, in the late 19th century, their life expectancy did not extend much beyond 30. Theirs was also a lonely existence of nurturing large families in the face of a hostile environment and sometimes marauding Indians. Yet, the surviving frontier women were extraordinarily resilient and the names of their families—Lohman, Bohls, Beck, Stewart, Fritag and Hudson can still be found on street signs and in regional directories.
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The Mansfield Dam turned the Colorado River into Lake Travis and dramatically changed life in west Travis County. The dam brought electricity, maintained flood control and provided extensive recreational amenities and opportunities for vacation homes on or near Lake Travis, some of which provided the first houses when the City of Lakeway became a reality in 1963.