Mason Texas | Places to Stay in Maxon Texas | Activities in Mason Texas | Hunting in Mason, Texas
You may envision a quaint little town in the Hill Country of Texas as having a limited number of fun activities to do. However, Mason, Texas, is known as The Gem of the Hill Country of Texas for more than just a large sparkling Topaz that was discovered there.
Mason has a wealth of history and culture. There are enjoyable activities right in the heart of Mason, plus an assortment of fun things only a beautiful drive away. Here are a few of the fun activities you can look forward to in Mason – a little Texas town with a lot to do.
Our first activity is The Odeon Theatre. Presenting an aura of Roaring 20s nostalgia, The Odeon has provided local residents and visitors with an assortment of entertainment since 1928. The first showing was the German silent film Metropolis.
Possibly the most famous picture ever shown at the Odeon Theatre was a movie based on a book written by one of Mason's own. A special premiere of Disney's Old Yeller, the book written by Fred Gipson, was held in 1957. Each October, Mason celebrates its most famous author with Old Yeller Days.
Unfortunately, the place many Mason residents enjoyed was nearly lost in 1994. There were plans to convert the old Theatre into a new venture for something that would be perceived as a more practical use. However, Mason residents banded together to form the Odeon Preservation Association.
The association purchased the Theatre and gave her a facelift. The Odeon Theatre now shows regular first-run movies, famous classics, plus has special dance, music and live stage performances. Throughout the calendar year, there is always an engaging activity happening at the Odeon Theatre.
Our next activity is something you should put on your schedule, even if you're only passing through Mason, Texas. No trip to the Texas Hill Country would be complete without a tour of the beautiful Seaquist House.
Sitting north of the Mason County Courthouse is a powerfully expressive landmark, a tribute to 19th century Hill Country eloquence. The Reverend Thomas Broad began building a spacious two-story home on the shores of Comanche Creek in 1887.
Broad only lived in the home for a short period. He sold the home to a banker from New York. Edward Reynolds immediately entrusted a German architect named Richard Grosse with the task of making changes to the existing home and expanding it as well.
An entire third-story was added to the home, and locals referred to as the Reynolds Mansion. Grosse's efforts transformed a small mansion into a breathtaking three-story masterpiece, reminiscent of the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style.
A number of wraparound porches were added to give the home a stunning visual appeal. Reynolds and his family lived there for 20 years before selling it to its present-day namesake, Oscar Seaquist.
Seaquist made additional improvements, including changing the wooden pillars supporting the porches to stone. Oscar Seaquist died in 1933, but he bequeathed the home to his wife, Ada. Ada Seaquist would be the sole owner of the Seaquist House until her death in 1972.
She never allowed the fantastic architectural masterpiece to go into disrepair despite periods of illness. The widow would occasionally rent out rooms in the home to local residents to fund necessary maintenance.
Some of Mason's elder residents can boast of having lived in the eloquent mansion. Garner and Clara Seaquist owned the home after their mother's death up until 2015. The Seaquist House Foundation maintains the home, now a part of the National Registry of Historic Places.
The foundation provides guided and private tours, a special activity in Mason that should be on every Mason visitor's schedule of activities.
Our next activity may not initially appeal to everyone, but it's something everyone who visits or lives in Mason should try at least once. Just outside of town on State Highway 29 exists one of the largest bat nurseries in the United States.
Between May and October, visitors can witness the spectacle of an estimated four million female bats in one cave. Visitors speak of the experience as breathtaking, probably in more ways than one.
Nearly all the female bats arrive at the Eckert James River Bat Cave pregnant. By late June to mid-July, each has one pup. These millions of newborn bats learn to fly in about five weeks. The exodus for the return trip to Mexico begins in late October.
While they don't all leave on the same day, there are nights when it's said that the exiting throng of bats blankets the brightest moonlit sky. Even if you tend to find the idea of bats on the creepy side, visiting the Eckert James River Bat Cave is one activity that should not be missed.
One nice thing about Mason, Texas is its central location to four major Texas cities. Mason is only about two-hours away from San Antonio and the state capital in Austin. It takes between three and four hours for a leisurely drive to Dallas or Houston.
The activity of getting there by itself is special. The beautiful Texas Hill Country provides a spectacularly beautiful driving experience to any of the four. Once there, each has a wealth of cultural and entertainment opportunities.
These are just a few activities you can enjoy in and around Mason. There is also the natural beauty of the surrounding area, prime for just getting away from the bustle. Mason still has all the charm of a small Texas town, but no one could argue that there's a lot to do.