Bertram & Burnet, in the Texas Hill Country

Setting out from Georgetown (north of Austin) on Day 3, I was once again facing cloudy skies that made the Texas Hill Country seem just a bit less beautiful than they actually are. Heading west on Texas Route 29, my first stop…

… was the small town of Burnet, Texas. I took a quick five-minute walk around downtown…

…and the most interesting thing I found was the Bertram Globe Theater. Those people, and the box-office, are painted on plywood.

Restoration efforts at the Globe Theater have been taking shape for a couple of years now. The Globe’s Facebook Page has pictures that show all the work that’s already been done, from tearing down the partially-collapsed roof, to installing new windows and re-installing the old neon sign. Even though, as of early 2011, the building is still just an empty shell, there are occasional music events and pot-luck dinners held inside.

Bertram’s biggest event of the year is the Oatmeal Festival. Originally meant as a spoof of chili cook-offs (of which there are plenty in Texas), the Oatmeal Festival has turned into a worthy event. If you’re visiting in early September, you’ll want to check it out. Here is a website that has details. By the way, oatmeal was chosen as the festival’s focal point, due to the nearby town of Oatmeal, about five miles away on FM-243.

After touring Bertram, keep driving west on TX-29. The next town is…

Burnet

Sheriff Wallace W. Riddell still stands watch over the town and county of Burnet, just as he did during his 39 years in office. Behind his statue is the Burnet County Courthouse…

… which is surrounded by a collection of small businesses. Somehow, I get the feeling that Seidensticker’s Men’s Store isn’t exactly “almost new”.

Also near the courthouse, you’ll find a recent addition to Burnet, the History Plaza Clock. The pathway leading up to the clock is inscribed with events from Burnet’s history.

Drivelapse Video

Here’s the time-lapse, dash-cam video of the drive from Georgetown to Burnet, Texas, via TX-29:

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