This photo was shared by Debbie Eckhardt Cox of the Adolph Eckhardt family – one with deep local

roots. Debbie is continuing the Eckhardt entrepreneurial tradition by starting her own small business,

Farm Fresh Creations of Fredericksburg in collaboration with her sister at Eckhardt Orchards.  Farm Fresh

Creations is a marketing and sales business to promote Fredericksburg peaches and all homemade

family products across Texas.

Debbie is not the only one here who is embarking on a new campaign to promote locally-grown/made

products. The Pioneer Museum’s summer exhibit, running through August, celebrates all the county

families engaged in growing Peaches called Preserving the Peach.

Peach cultivation in Gillespie County traces back to the mid-1800s with the arrival of German settlers

who began growing peaches, among other fruits, for personal use and local markets. Initially, the

region’s agriculture was dominated by row crops like corn, cotton, and peanuts, as well as cattle.

However, the economic hardships of the Great Depression in the 1930s, including plummeting

commodity prices, forced farmers to diversify their crops. Many turned to peaches, which proved well-

suited to the local climate and soil conditions.

The 1930s and 1940s saw a significant expansion of peach orchards. Families like the Eckhardts began

planting commercial peach orchards as early as 1920, with commercial operations ramping up by 1936.

Gillespie’s warm days, cool nights, and sandy soils with underlying red clay created ideal conditions for

peach growing, leading to a reputation for high-quality, flavorful peaches. By the late 1940s, the peach

industry had become a major part of Gillespie County’s agricultural economy. The price of peaches rose

during this period, attracting more growers and increasing production. In 1946, a group of local growers

formed the Gillespie County Fruit Growers Co-op to share expenses and market their crops more

efficiently. The co-op, which included about 20 growers (even President Lyndon B. Johnson was a

member), built Burg’s Corner in Stonewall as a central hub for grading and selling peaches.

As the reputation of Gillespie County peaches grew, so did agritourism. In 1961, the Stonewall Peach

Festival (now the Peach JAMboree) was established to celebrate the region’s peach heritage and

promote local growers. The festival quickly became a major annual event, drawing visitors from across

Texas and beyond.

The arrival of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s national prominence in the 1960s also boosted tourism in

the area, further increasing the visibility and demand for Gillespie County peaches. Orchards along

Gellerman Lane, west of Stonewall, became some of the largest concentrations of peach orchards in the

state.

Today, Gillespie County remains one of Texas’s leading peach-producing regions, with approximately

600 acres of commercial orchards and more than 20 varieties of peaches grown. The industry is

characterized by multi-generational family farms, such as Vogel Orchard, Burg’s Corner (formerly the co-

op site), and Eckhardt Orchards, each with decades of history and innovation.

Peach farming in Gillespie County is not without challenges. The crop is highly sensitive to

environmental factors such as warm winters, late freezes, hail, drought, and extreme temperatures.

Some years are more productive than others, and farmers often diversify with other crops to mitigate

risk. Innovations like high tunnels and advanced irrigation have helped growers adapt to climate

variability and continue producing high-quality fruit.

Gillespie County peaches are renowned for their flavor and quality, attracting both loyal locals and

tourists. The tradition of roadside stands, pick-your-own orchards, and direct-to-consumer sales remains

strong, preserving the county’s agricultural heritage and supporting its economy.

The history of the peach industry in Gillespie County is a story of adaptation, community collaboration,

and agricultural excellence. From humble family orchards to a celebrated regional brand, Gillespie

County peaches have become a symbol of Texas Hill Country’s resilience and flavor.

The photo is dated June 30, 1966.  Stonewall Peach Jamboree Peach Growers, left to right: Pete

Doebbler, Donald Eckhardt, Hill Country Peach Queen, Connie Kothmann of Mason.