Tomball TX

TOMBALL - GERMAN ROOTS

Tomball, Texas — a thriving town first settled by German immigrants in the mid-1800s. A great place for bier and bratwurst!

A few glimpses of Tomball — a town shaped by German heritage, railroads, and community traditions.

Gazebo in the Railroad Depot Plaza with trees, flowers, and pedestrian walkways.

Railroad Depot Plaza Gazebo - click to enlarge

Tomball, our closest small town, has always been a source of good food, drink and entertainment.

The Railroad Depot Plaza is a lovely calm spot for most of the year, but becomes a hive of activity during the annual German Heritage Festival. There are live entertainers, wonderful things to eat and drink, and great antique stores. It's a great place for lunch venues and good coffee shops.

Restored bright red railroad caboose from the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad.

Restored Railroad Caboose - click to enlarge

Tomball is on the line connecting Houston to Dallas and the north, so also shares the long and ever-changing love affair that Texas has with trains and the railroad.

Pictured here is a lovingly restored Caboose from the heyday of the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad. It is a part of Tomball's small, yet fascinating, railroad museum.

Mule‑drawn covered wagon arriving during the Sam Houston Trail Ride.

Mule Teams arriving - click to enlarge

Every year, Tomball is also host to the Sam Houston Trail Riders Association. Trailriders from all over Texas and other states stop off in the town on their way to the world famous Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Visting Tomball when The Riders arrive, with their wonderful horses and mule teams, is a way to really see them away from the craziness of the Rodeo.

Common Buckeye butterfly resting on a stone platform.

A Common Buckeye butterfly - click to enlarge

As with most small Texas towns, you are never far away from the countryside and nature. ...and, sometimes nature will also come to town.

This beautiful little visitor to the station platform in Railroad Depot Plaza is a Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). They are sensitive to the cold, so they probably appreciate the warm winters in southeast Texas.