From a ghost town to golf, venture off the highway to enjoy growing town’s top stops

By Melissa Segrest

Along busy U.S. 290, 12 miles northeast of Austin, the ever-multiplying home and apartment rooftops of Manor may give the impression this town is a new commuter community. But Manor —  pronounced “MAY-ner” — has a rich 152-year history. It was named for James B. Manor, who settled on Gilleland Creek west of today’s downtown in the mid-1830s. In 1871, he deeded 200 acres to the Houston and Texas Central Railway line, making Manor a train stop on the way to Texas’ capital.

The town’s population grew from the mid-1880s through the 1920s, but the Great Depression slowed growth. Today, Manor is booming again: Thousands of houses have been built in the last two decades — most more affordable than those in pricier Austin — making Manor one of the nation’s fastest-growing suburbs. In 2000, the city had 1,204 residents; by 2020, including two large nearby subdivisions, that number had grown to 25,625.

Manor is expanding and adding community events to provide more family-friendly activities. New to the schedule are free spring and summer movie nights in Timmermann Park, 12616 Skimmer Run. The last scheduled movie this year is on Aug. 9. The annual Holidays in the Park will be Dec. 7. Also noteworthy: an annual Easter Egg Helicopter Drop, the ManorPalooza citywide celebration every May and a Fourth of July event with fireworks.

Designated a Film Friendly Community in Texas, Manor has been the setting for numerous movies and TV series, including the hit ’90s movie “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” with young actors Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio. The city’s iconic 1935 water tower stands in the background of some scenes.

WHAT TO DO

Crowe’s Nest Farm, 10300 Taylor Lane, is a popular educational working farm and wildlife rescue sanctuary that’s been operating for 41 years. Every year about 40,000 children, most part of school groups, visit the farm, but families and individuals are welcome, too. Tours feature exhibits, demonstrations (including cow-milking), a hayride to visit a bison herd, and self-guided exploration to see farm animals and Texas wildlife. Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, from October to mid-December and again March through July (weather permitting). Crowe’s Nest hosts a Spring Festival in April and a Fall Festival every Saturday-Sunday in October with additional events, including vendors and live music. Regular admission is $8 for students, $9 for adults and $8 for seniors. Group tours (reservations required) and memberships are available; private events can be booked for a fee. Get more information at crowesnestfarm.org, its Facebook page or 512-272-4418.

Halloween is just around the corner, and so is the J. Lorraine Ghost Town, 14219 Littig Road. It’s a spooky 5-acre destination of 28 abandoned-looking, Old West-style buildings. Features at the indoor/outdoor venue include a giant wooden-fence maze, two-story outdoor movie screen and a bar and grill. Children are welcome but must be supervised. The town is reserved every October for Scare for a Cure, a giant interactive haunt for ages 13 and older that raises funds for the Breast Cancer Resource Center and other area charities. Get information at scareforacure.org. The ghost town is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday year-round (unless booked for a private event). Check its Facebook page, call 512-922-2683 or go to ghosttownaustin.com before visiting.

ShadowGlen Golf Club, 12801 Lexington St., is an 18-hole course that is open to the public as well as club members. Golfers can take lessons; use putting and chipping greens plus a driving range; and visit the clubhouse with a pro shop, bar and grill overlooking the ninth hole. There’s also a golf cart drive-through mini bar at the ninth-hole green. The course is open daily, sunrise to sunset, except for Christmas. It costs $99 to play the course on a weekend. Prices drop to $55 for twilight rounds (play after 1 p.m.), seniors and military veterans Monday-Thursday. Individuals 17 and younger pay less to play, also. Get information at shadowglengolf.com or call 512-278-1304.

GRAB A BITE

Dining options ranked among Tripadvisor’s top restaurants include:

Café 290, 11011 U.S. 290 E., a fixture in Manor since 1947, is partially housed in a World War II-era Army barracks. It offers a large selection of American and regional foods, including numerous breakfast options. 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday; cafe290.com, 512-278-8780.

The Good Luck Grill, 14605 FM 973 N., offers casual dining with an extensive menu of all-American and Texas favorites. Customer favorites include the catfish, fried chicken sandwich and three-layer chocolate Jackpot Pie. There’s indoor and outdoor seating on a covered patio, and kids have plenty of room to play outdoors. 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily; goodluckgrill.com, 512-272-8777.

Casa Garcia’s, 12700 Lexington St., Suite 100; has traditional Tex-Mex and familiar Mexican dishes including taco plates, enchiladas, fajitas and a large breakfast menu. 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday; casagarcias.com, 737-600-8171.

TIPS FROM LOCALS

Parks worth visiting include Timmermann Park, 12616 Skimmer Run, according to the city’s tourism manager, Yalondra Valderrama Santana. It has a playscape, eight picnic tables under a covered pavilion, a winding walking path, and a fishing dock and pond. For a bigger park space, several Manor residents recommend Travis County’s 273-acre East Metropolitan Park, 18706 Blake Manor Road. It has a disc golf course, basketball court, fishing ponds, multiuse fields, a pool in summer and more; info at parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/east-metro.

Sources: Yalondra Valderrama Santana, Manor heritage and tourism manager; cityofmanor.org; Texas State Handbook Online; Historical Marker Database; Manor Chamber of Commerce website; Manor Historical Society Facebook page; Austin’s Eastern Frontier series, KUT.org; Tripadvisor.com; Kirk Lohmann, ShadowGlen Golf Club general manager; David Williams, Crowe’s Nest Farm executive director; Melanie Boston of J. Lorraine Ghost Town.