Main building at Kreische Brewery
Heinrich Kreische
Ruins of Kreische Brewery
Kreische brewery vault.
Monument to commemorate those killed during dawson and Meir expeditions. (Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0)
The flag that often flew atop nearby Monument Hill read “Frisch Auf!” Literally it meant “Freshen up!” but more practically, it meant fresh beer was available at the Kreische Brewery in LaGrange. Heinrich Kreische, a stonemason by training, built his brewery and began churning out his lager in the mid-1800s with money earned from designing and building the third Fayette County Courthouse in 1855. It was one of the first commercial breweries in Texas and remained one of the state’s most prosperous, until Kreische’s death in 1882.
Near the Kreische Brewery ruins is the burial vault and monument to the men who fell in 1843 during the Dawson and Mier Expeditions of the state’s quest for independence from Mexico.
Kreische Brewery State Historic Site
- Hours: Grounds open daily, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Visitor Center: Tuesday - Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Sunday, 1 - 4:30 p.m.
- Admission: Adults: $4, Children/Students/Seniors: $3
- 414 State Loop 92, La Grange, TX
- 979-968-5658
- Visit Website
- National Register of Historic Places
- A Texas Historical Commission Property
