Day Trips: Pontotoc

Former Old West ghost town becomes scenic wine destination


San Fernando Academy still dominates the village of Pontotoc even though only parts of two rock walls remain standing. The town sprouted at what was the intersection of military roads from Fort Mason and San Saba. A series of unfortunate events turned the community into a ghost town with pioneer-built ruins serving as headstones.

Take a spring day to drive northwest from Llano on TX-71 through the valley with granite outcroppings. Make a circle back to Austin on country roads to TX-29 or TX-16. The highways pass through Fredonia, Katemcy, and Grit, but few of the villages have the history of Pontotoc.


Settlers arrived in the valley after the threat of attack had been removed in the 1850s. In 1883, the academy opened in a thriving Pontotoc.

It all began to fall apart in 1887.

A series of summer droughts killed the crops and brutal winters took the rest. Then typhoid fever required the opening of a second cemetery. By the time the school closed in 1890, the village was in a death spiral. A fire in 1947 was the last straw.


Carl and Frances Money have revitalized the settlement with their Pontotoc Vineyard. Dotson & Cervantes winery has a tasting room in the old post office and Akashic Vineyard Winery will soon occupy the barber shop.

Pontotoc is a little less than two hours from Austin and 20 miles northwest of the barbecue in Llano. Actual times and distances may vary.


1,283rd in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 40312, South Austin, TX 78704.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Day Trips
Day Trips: Healing Uvalde Mural Project, Uvalde
Day Trips: Healing Uvalde Mural Project, Uvalde
Uvalde mural project helps the community remember and heal

Gerald E. McLeod, May 23, 2025

Day Trips: Texas Surf Museum, Galveston
Day Trips: Texas Surf Museum, Galveston
New Gulf Coast museum rides the Texas surfing scene

Gerald E. McLeod, May 16, 2025

KEYWORDS FOR THIS STORY

San Fernando Academy, Texas vineyards, Pontotoc, Texas

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle