There are wide open spaces in Bigfoot, Texas. It’s a tiny town just south of San Antonio, somewhere where the Hill Country becomes South Texas. Unlike other day trips, where you can relish in winery tours, unique art and days spent antiquing, this 24-square-mile, unincorporated town offers few and quieter amenities with a complicated legacy.
Founded in 1865 along Farm Roads 462 and 472, it’s named after a Hall of Fame Texas Ranger, William A. A. “Big Foot” Wallace, who was born in Virginia in1817 and later made his way to Texas during the Texas war with Mexico for independence.
A headstone at the Bigfoot Wallace Museum in Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Though some might be tempted to mistake the town’s connection to the mythical creature Bigfoot – hello, Sasquatch hunters – rest assured, there have been no earnest Bigfoot sighting in this rural town. Instead, you’ll find country roads, distant farms, dove hunting, living history, and access to country-style tourists attractions that are on the road to places like Poteet, Cotulla and more.
A “bigfoot sighting” at a trailer park near Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Have there been Bigfoot sightings in Bigfoot, Texas?
Despite its namesake, the town hasn’t been a hotspot for Sasquatch sightings. However, according to WoodApe.org’s Bigfoot Tracker map, a hunter reported an early morning sighting of Bigfoot on December 17, 2012, in North Pearsall, just 23 minutes from the tiny unincorporated community.
“I was scouting my hunting lease and I saw a bunch of deer bolting across the path. I assumed it was some coyotes chasing them but what I saw next scared me more than anything I have ever seen,” the hunter has said.
The hunter described seeing “what looked like a big gorilla” chasing through herds of deer and said he heard an “incredibly loud scream” just days before the sighting. He also states that his game camera had been completely ripped off of its bracket, with the only existing image of whatever dismantled it being completely obscured.
Exterior of the Bigfoot post office. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
What is Bigfoot, Texas known for?
Bigfoot has always been a small town and has a population of only 480, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There were fewer than 146 residents in 1900, and by 1903 only a third of those people remained after the business section of the city burned down.
By the 50s and 60s, the unincorporated town grew to more than 200 people, thanks to the development of the Bigfoot oilfield, according to the Texas State Historical Association. But, located off center from the major railroads, it never truly flourished.
The exterior of the Bigfoot Wallace Museum, which is the home of an exact replica of the the building where Texans signed the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos near College Station. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Exterior of the Bigfoot Wallace Museum. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
I knew I had finally hit Bigfoot when the rural country roads suddenly travelled back in time, covered by swaths of mossy trees, I saw a giant old-looking 1950’s looking schoolhouse building, marked by a single tombstone. It was once the burial place of Wallace, before his remains were turned over to the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.
The Bigfoot Wallace Museum is the town’s main attraction. Wallace is a complicated historical figure. Though hailed in his time as a hero of the Texas frontier, he moved to Texas from Virginia to target Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals to avenge the death of his family members who were killed in the Goliad Massacre of 1836. To some, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Texas Ranger remains a hero but he is know for tracking down enslaved Black people seeking their freedom in Mexico, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
And his brutal justice has also led to an urban legend the continues to spook people to this day.
A small sign outpost at the Bigfoot Wallace Museaum in Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
There are several stories explaining how William Alexander Anderson Wallace acquired his nickname. Most of these accounts consider his large stature, but they differ in detail; some claim he simply had large feet, while others suggest he adopted the name from a Native American known for his 14-inch footprints who shared the same moniker. Regardless of the origin, the name became well-established, and in 1883, the town was named in his honor.
Today, a museum is dedicated to his life and includes a replica of a cabin he once lived in, antique wagons, buggies and historical clothing items.
The Bigfoot Wallace Museum is only open on weekday mornings and one Saturday a month, by appointment, so you’ll have to pick up the phone or get lucky if you’re planning a day trip.
open highways and plenty of history await those looking for a day trip in Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Where is Bigfoot, Texas?
Situated in the brushy farmland of Frio County, Bigfoot was once a developing settlement along the Texas frontier, but it is now a quiet community located near the intersection of Texas 173 and Interstate 35. It is just minutes from larger towns such as Pearsall, known for its ties to George Strait’s family, as well as Devine and Poteet. As you drive into town, you’ll pass through tree-lined ranchlands and expansive grazing fields.
Bigfoot, Texas, is a rural outpost in South Texas. The unincorporated community is part of a broader production belt of farmers and ranchers. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
An abandoned building in Bigfoot, Texas, appears to have once sold ice, beers and other goods, before coming into ruin. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
You can drive through the town without encountering another person, making it an ideal spot for those who appreciate tranquility and find comfort in rural landscapes. It is a place where you can pull off the highway and take a scenic photo.
In its open spaces and expansive, flat skyline, I – and I know how cheesy this sounds – could hear myself think.
The Poteet Country Winery is a fun visit for those travelling to Bigfoot, Texas. The tiny town is located roughly 25 minutes from Poteet, making the it a perfect day trip to take in some history and visit near by attractions. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Things to do in Bigfoot
The Bigfoot Wallace Museum is the major attraction in the town, providing a direct connection to the man after whom the town is named, despite his controversial and racist history.
You can stroll through old graveyards and find clues about prominent people who once lived in the town or look for old structures that survived the town’s devastating fires.
Devine Acres Farm is a 15-minute drive from Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Devine Acres Farm is a 15-minute drive from Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Bigfoot is also near towns like Devine and Poteet. The former is home to the Halloweentown-esque Devine Acres Farm, which has a pumpkin patch during this time of year and is a place to grab a drink and food while listening to live music. It also has a Christmas tree farm.
In Poteet, there is the Poteet County Winery, located about 24 miles north of Bigfoot. It’s a big working farm and ranch with free wine tastings. Try its signature strawberry wine and explore the unique windmill art at the entrance of the winery.
Devine Acres Farm is a 15-minute drive from Bigfoot, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
A chicken fried steak, baked potato, side salad and slice of lemon meringue pie from the Triple C Steakhouse in Devine, located 15 minutes from Bigfoot. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Where to eat in Bigfoot, Texas?
Bigfoot is so tiny that there are no restaurants in town, but I had lunch in Devine at the Triple C Steakhouse, where I had the chicken fried steak with gravy, a baked potato, a side salad, and a slice of lemon meringue pie with a fat layer of meringue.
This article originally published at Tiny Texas town near San Antonio offers wide-open quiet escapes.