Caldwell County Museum
Many people agree that Lockhart is the barbecue capital of Texas, and many think that Charles Kreuz was to the first to serve the famous Texas specialty. But that honor goes to S.B. Swearingen, who in 1875, “was perhaps the first man in Lockhart to begin the regular sale of barbecued meats.” Kreuz did, however, purchase the City Meat Market in 1900 for $200, changing its name to Kreuz Market and specializing in selling groceries and fresh cuts of meat barbecued to perfection – and eaten, according to legend, off of brown paper… with no utensils or sauce. Today, “Q hunters” can still get meats cooked to the lofty standards Charles Kreuz set more than a century ago, or they can choose from a handful of other joints with names like Kreuz, Black’s, Smitty's, and Chisholm Trail. Fill your belly before heading over to the Caldwell County Museum for a glimpse into the region’s past.