Built south of Blanco by German immigrants in 1879, Twin Sisters Hall continues to host public dances on the first Saturday of the month and to serve as a community center. Owned by its members, the hall holds an annual Raise the Roof Cook-Off & Festival to pay off loans for maintenance projects. On Dec. 4-6, it holds the annual Festival of Texas Fiddling. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod

Historic dance hall season starts heating up when the weather starts cooling down. Most of the old dance halls rely on Mother Nature to supply the air conditioning for boot scootin’ during Oktoberfest festivities. 

Jean Spivey, executive director of Texas Dance Hall Preservation, says there are several historic dance halls around Austin, and many of them are over 100 years old and still providing family fun on a Saturday night. 

She estimates that at one time there were more than 1,000 dance halls in Texas serving mostly rural communities. The numbers have been reduced to around 400 still active that are more than 50 years old. At least four of the halls are for sale: Schroeder in Goliad and Kendalia, Sisterdale, and Sengelmann in Schulenburg. 

There were once more than 1,000 rural dance halls spread across Texas. It is estimated that around 400 of the historic dance halls survive. At least four of the halls are for sale, including the Kendalia Halle outside of Boerne. Built in 1903, it went on the market in 2024. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod

There are many reasons for the decline in historic dance halls. In many cases, the survival of the dance hall is a labor of love for the owners. The halls are often operated by volunteers who get burned out or age out of the hard work of putting on a dance. The Gen Z dancers don’t tend to be beer drinkers, so don’t support the bar sales like their parents did. And simply, maintaining these old buildings isn’t cheap. 

That’s why TDHP recently awarded matching grants totaling $46,163 to La Bahia Turn Verein Hall (Burton), El Maton National Hall (El Maton), Luckenbach Dance Hall (Luckenbach), SPJST Lodge 92 National Hall (Fort Worth), and SPJST Lodge 25 (Ennis). The 2026 grants support essential structural repairs, plumbing overhauls, and dance floor preservation. 

How can you help? Visit one of the historic dance halls listed at texasdancehall.org. On Nov. 14, TDHP will sponsor a bus trip to three dance halls in DeWitt County. It’s a rare opportunity to see these architecturally and culturally significant historic places, with the final stop at the octagonal Lindenau Rifle Club Hall for an evening dance. 

Some of the most resilient rural dance halls are the locally owned SPJST Lodges (Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas or Special Place Just South of Town). Founded in 1854 in St. Louis, MO, by Czechoslovakian immigrants, the organization continues as a financial institution. The fraternity came to Texas in 1897 and the group in Fayetteville was Lodge #1. It continues to host special events throughout the year. To find a public dance at a SPJST hall near you, go to spjst.org/lodge. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod

1,825th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/day-trips.

This article appears in September 25 • 2026.

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Gerald E. McLeod joined the Chronicle staff in November 1980 as a graphic designer. In April 1991 he began writing the “Day Trips” column. Besides the weekly travel column, he contributed “101 Swimming Holes,” “Guide to Central Texas Barbecue,” and “Guide to the Texas Hill Country.” His first 200 columns have been published in Day Trips Vol. I and Day Trips Vol. II.