McDade, TX

Located along Highway 290 about nine miles east of Elgin, McDade is a quiet, spread-out community in Bastrop County with deep historic roots. The town was founded in the late 1800s as a stop along the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, quickly growing around local cotton farming and a well-known pottery works. Today, the old downtown streets and surrounding acreage offer a peaceful, rural setting for anyone looking for open space and a slower pace of life.

ATTRDarrylpearson / CC BY-SA 4.0

Community life centers largely around the small local schools and longtime traditions, most notably the McDade Watermelon Festival, which brings neighbors together every July for parades, barbecue, and live music. While the area feels tucked away in the Central Texas countryside, Highway 290 provides a direct route into Elgin, Giddings, and Austin for daily commutes, errands, and weekend outings.