Tours

HERITAGE MUSEUM TOUR

602 Main Street
512-237-4545
Want to see a bit more of Smithville's history?  Containing artifacts and photos from Smithville’s early days, the Smithville Heritage Museum is itself a piece of history.   Built in 1908, the Victorian structure was donated to the Smithville Heritage Society.   The second story contains exhibits that are furnished with memorabilia that reflect early life in the community.  The first floor also has memorabilia, but the back room is used for meetings.
In the backyard, a climate-controlled building keeps the archives of books and photos.   Members of the Historical Society usually can be found archiving information on Tuesdays from 10-11:30 a.m. in the backyard building.  Guided tours are available by appointment.
 

MOVIE SIGHT TOURS

With over 40 film productions in town, including the movie that started it all - "Hope Floats," the Cannes France Palm D'or winner, "Tree of Life," "Beneath the Darkness" which utilized many students and our school system facilities, the quirky "Artois The Goat," award winning "National Selection," and the controversial "Doonby."
Smithville is known as a "movie town" in the industry and among fans, and was named as the first Film Friendly Town in Texas by the Texas Film Commission. Directors and producers love Smithville's "can do" attitude.
Here's a tour you can take at your leisure.
The Chamber has created a full color 11"x17" color-coded map of all the movie locations with briefs of some of the more well-known ones. Just ask for a copy at the Chamber office o other locations around town to take your own self-paced tour.
PRINTABLE BROCHURE 11" x 17" full color
Please remember to be courteous at the private locations.
 

BUS TOURS

bus-white-treesBUSS SMITHVILLE!  (yes, this is a pun!)
The Chamber has numerous items of interest for those who travel on bus tours.  Call ahead so we can plan the best tour based on your interests.  Our best days for giving tours are Wednesday and Thursday, but we'll work with you.
Just give us a call at 512-237-2313 or e-mail for details to chamber@smithvilletx.org.  Please put "BUS TOUR REQUEST" in the subject line of the email.
 

LCRA RAILCAR FACILITY TOUR

LCRARailcarFacility_2424LCRA’s Smithville Rail Fleet Maintenance Facility is located on 100 E. South Second St.   The employees maintain more than 1,500 railcars that haul coal year-round from Wyoming to the Fayette Power Plant in nearby La Grange.
As the coal trains approach the dumping station at FPP, Rail Fleet personnel being an inspection and tag any cars they believe should not be returned to service before maintenance.   They repair cars damaged in derailments and perform preventative maintenance inspections on the railcars every time they are brought to the shop.
To see the staff at work, call 512-237-2466.
 

HISTORIC RIDING and STROLLING TOUR

This brochure covers the Historic Residential District of Smithville in it's "riding" tour and, on the other side, Main Street for a nice walking tour with corresponding numbers in the building window.   Filled with facts regarding the buildings and uses of an earlier time, it’s well worth getting a copy.
The brochure was first created in a collaborative effort of the Smithville Heritage Society, the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce, The Smithville Times, franLan Multimedia, volunteers and the Texas Brazos Trail.
Copies may be found at the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce, Main St. & First St.; The Smithville Times, 303 Main; and at various downtown merchants.