McDade hosts quaint rural homes and Wild West history
McDade was first established over 150 years ago as a boomtown built along the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, with an infamous Wild West history marked by frequent skirmishes between outlaws, vigilantes, and lawmen. Today, it's known as a tight-knit Texas community where affordable rural homes sit close to the growing tech employers in Bastrop, and less than an hour's drive from Austin along U.S. Route 290. "People appreciate the quietness and the old-fashioned, small-town feel," says Sheila Cates, a Realtor with Rainey Real Estate, with 25 years of experience serving the Central Texas area. "It's also more affordable than other areas like Bastrop."
Ranch land and farmhouses for sale
Homebuyers searching in McDade can find ranch-style homes, cottages and modern farmhouses. Most homes offer straight driveways, since on-street parking can be difficult along the area's narrow residential streets. McDade's single-family homes are priced from $200,000 to $500,000, varying by square footage, remodel status and lot size. Numerous vacant lots are also available on the market, zoned for residential or commercial use. "There's quite a bit of land, though it's more known for ranch land than farmland," says Cates. McDade RV & Tiny Home Park is located along Columbus Street and accommodates short-term and long-term tenants and offers full hookups and high-speed internet.
The McDade Watermelon Festival is a popular Central Texas event
The McDade Watermelon Festival is a popular summer event that has brought visitors from around Central Texas for over 70 years. The festival takes place over a weekend in July and features a parade, a car show, a barbecue cook-off and a watermelon-eating contest. The festival has always been a way to raise funds for community needs, with the proceeds designated for organizations that work for the betterment of the community.
Gifted and Talented program for McDade area youth
The McDade Independent School District serves the area. Students can attend the K-6-serving McDade Elementary School, which receives a C rating from Niche, and McDade Middle/High School, which has a C-plus rating. The district offers a Gifted and Talented program for high-achieving students.
McDade Historical Museum and outdoor activities at Lake Bastrop
History buffs can enjoy the McDade Historical Museum, which showcases exhibits and artifacts that detail the community's extensive history as a Wild West railroad town. The museum is within the town's oldest building, the Old Rock Saloon, which was the site of several infamous confrontations between Texas outlaws and vigilantes back in the late 19th century. Lake Bastrop North Shore Park is 11 miles south of McDade and is popular for a wide variety of outdoor activities. Visitors can rent RV sites, climate-controlled tents, cabins and Airstreams for camping. Other activities here include swimming, kayaking, or fishing in the 900-acre Lake Bastrop, or exploring miles of trails for a bike ride or a nature hike.
Folks shop and dine in neighboring Elgin
McDade has very few local businesses in town, so residents often head to the neighboring town of Elgin to shop at supermarkets like H-E-B or Poco Loco Supermercado. Elgin is also home to the historic Southside Market & Barbeque, which stands as the oldest continuously operated barbecue restaurant in Texas. Locals stop by Southside Market to shop for pay-by-weight butcher meat and to order smoked Central Texas-style barbecue platters. Closer to McDade, residents can try Scales Café, a down-home diner that serves Southern comfort foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Austin is less than an hour away
Commuters can take Route 290 to reach Austin, about 35 miles west, while the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is 39 miles away. Bastrop is the county seat and home to employers and shopping centers just 15 miles south of McDade. Additionally, grocery stores and restaurants are available in Elgin, 11 miles west. Ascension Seton Bastrop is a nearby hospital, 18 miles south of town.
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Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
