Eye on Texas - L brings you La Grange Texas, with the sound of ZZ Top in the background. The town of close to 5000 was founded during the Spanish period of American history, then settled in 1837 during the Republic of Texas period. The town is influenced by German and Czech settlers.
On January 17, 1849, Heinrich Ludwig Kreische, a recent German immigrant, purchased 172 acres (70 ha) of land which included the tomb. He built a three-story house and, in 1860, began building a brewery. By 1879, it was the third-largest brewing operation in Texas, with its flagship product being "Kreische's Bluff Beer." Kreische maintained the tomb for the rest of his life, but the tomb and Kreische Brewery began to deteriorate after his death in 1882. The brewery closed in 1884.
Representation in popular culture[edit]
- ZZ Top attracted international attention to La Grange with its classic rock song "La Grange" (1973), which referred to "that shack outside La Grange".
- La Grange's attractions inspired the hit stage musical play in 1979, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, as well as the 1982 movie based on that play.
- The town is also mentioned in the song "Northeast Texas Women" by Willis Alan Ramsey.
- Charlie Robison mentions La Grange in his song "My Hometown" ("We worked 80 hours makin' time-and-a-half, but La Grange was too damn hot").
- A local playwright composed a musical featuring La Grange in "Heart of the Tin Trunk".
end with ZZ Top guitar licks and growl.....just outside La Grange........
