Once dubbed the “Switzerland of Texas,” Bandera’s transformation from an agricultural hub to a Hill Country tourist destination will be explored in a free public presentation Thursday evening.
Rebecca Norton, executive director of the Frontier Times Museum, will present The Switzerland of Texas on Thursday, July 3, at 5:30 p.m. at Bandera Middle School.
The event is part of the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America, currently on display in the school cafeteria.
Norton’s slideshow talk will trace the origins of Bandera’s tourism industry, from the early days of Medina Lake to the rise of dude ranches and Bandera’s branding as the “Cowboy Capital of the World.”
She draws from extensive research conducted for two Images of America books published by Arcadia Publishing—Medina Lake, co-authored with Lakehills resident Karen Ripley, and Bandera County, which Norton authored.
Her presentation includes historic photographs, brochures, and promotional materials from the 20th century, including rare images from the 1940s and 1950s, a heyday for local dude ranches.
Norton credits J. Marvin Hunter, founder of both the Frontier Times Museum and Bandera New Era newspaper, as an early proponent of tourism in the area.
In his autobiography, Hunter wrote that despite Bandera’s “ratty” appearance in 1921, its picturesque setting made it a natural resort destination for visitors seeking beauty, health, and spiritual renewal.
Even before Medina Lake filled in 1914—two years after the dam’s completion—tourists were arriving to see the engineering marvel, then the largest dam in Texas and the fourth largest in the nation.
Businesses quickly followed, with marinas, restaurants, and lakeside resorts sprouting up to serve visitors eager to fish, hunt, or enjoy boat rides.
Later, when local ranchers faced economic challenges, many began opening their properties to paying guests.
These “dude ranches” marketed an immersive cowboy experience to urban dwellers, complete with horseback riding, livestock chores, and western-themed entertainment.
The success of these ranches helped solidify Bandera’s image as a tourist town and a center of cowboy culture.
Thursday’s presentation will be held on the cafeteria stage at Bandera Middle School, 1005 Cherry St. For more information, visit www.frontiertimesmuseum. org or call 830-796-3864.
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