Taylor-Made: Day Tripping to a Central Texas Neighbor
By FRED AFFLERBACH
For decades, Taylor residents would drive 40 miles to Bell County for shopping, dining and entertainment. Now it’s time to return the favor. Award-winning barbecue, a chocolate factory, a brewpub, a museum celebrating Texas Gov. Dan Moody’s life—antiques and boutiques, it’s all here in downtown Taylor, population 17,000.
Come hungry. Come thirsty. Come with shopping bags or a pickup. And come with an open mind because you will discover some little-known Texas history.
“This isn’t just a little, sleepy village. There were things that happened here that made a difference. Taylor was for so many years the largest and most prominent town in the county,” says Susan Komandosky, chair of the advisory staff down at the Moody Museum. “That’s why you’ll see lots of beautiful old Victorian homes here.”
Those Victorian homes, along with some churches and historic business buildings, are easily found using a free walking guide available at the Taylor Chamber of Commerce or online. And on the corner of Main and Second streets, you’ll likely bump into a bronze statue of Bill Pickett, the first black cowboy to gain national recognition.
Pickett was born near Taylor in Williamson County. After sharing howdy-dos with Pickett, take two steps to the side and enter the Texas Beer Company, a brewpub that in 2015 opened in a historic building, now serving fresh lagers, pilsners and more for thirsty locals and visitors.
So for a taste of authentic, small-town Texas charm, point the car south on Texas 95. There’s lots of parking and smiles waiting. Both are free.
Moody Museum
Five guilty verdicts of Ku Klux Klan members in 1923 drew national attention and catapulted Taylor native Dan Moody to the Governor’s Mansion. Klansmen dragged a young World War I veteran out of his car, beat him, chained him to a pole in downtown Taylor, poured hot tar on him and left him for dead. But the man survived, and a young district attorney named Dan Moody won his verdicts, the first successful prosecution of Klansmen in the nation.
This is the story you’ll hear at the Moody Museum, a carefully maintained 1880s Victorian, two-story home where Moody was born and raised. Vintage furniture, clothing and memorabilia bring a bygone era back to life. Displays also recognize folks from Taylor who made their mark on the world. Actor Rip Torn. Elmer “Pet” Brown, a world-champion wrestler. Dr. James Dickey, a black physician who for decades fought for access to healthcare and education for blacks in Taylor.
Moody Museum
114 W. Ninth St., Taylor
MoodyMuseum.com | 512-365-3863 or 512-796-4401
Louie Mueller Barbecue
Some things can’t be rushed: The slow pace of life in small towns. Texas barbecue. And the line at Louie Mueller’s. Expect to spend about an hour waiting. An hour well spent. The peppery brisket is the star of the show here. The pit master coats the meat with salt and pepper, then puts the brisket to bed in a brick pit at 10 the night before. Post oak coals and time do the rest.
Louie Mueller’s is not a barbecue restaurant; it’s a barbecue joint. The menu is scrawled on butcher paper and taped to the wall. The brisket, sausage and ribs are sold by the pound or link. Don’t fret about the wait. Use the time to explore the main dining room—a shrine to the history of this venerable institution. Taylor lies within what is called the Barbecue Belt, a collection of small towns east of Austin that has garnered national attention for specializing in slow-smoked meat in rustic surroundings. And the buckle in that belt, thanks to Louie Mueller, lies in Taylor.
Louie Mueller Barbecue
206 W. Second St., Taylor
LouieMuellerBBQ.com | 512-352-6206
SRSLY Chocolate
Bob and Robin Williamson are new kids on the block in Taylor’s bustling downtown—and they’re stirring up some sweet stuff. The couple has opened SRSLY Chocolate, a craft chocolatier where they do it all, from bean to bar.
Working in the back of their retail store, Bob says this is where the magic happens: grinding beans for 72 hours, mixing flavors, chilling and molding, then wrapping by hand.
They offer a monthly workshop that makes a great date night for couples. At the end of the evening, beginners head home with chocolate they just made and the skills to make more.
You can buy SRSLY Chocolate at their Taylor store, various retailers or online. But with so many choices, you may have a difficult time choosing a flavor. Pecan, mesquite, sea salt and almond flavors are just a few delicious options.
When it comes to saying which is his favorite, Bob craftily demurs. He says he “loves all his children the same.”
SRSLY Chocolate
117 E. Third St., Taylor
SRSLYChocolate.com | 850-270-8572
