On the high banks of the San Marcos River in Gonzales County sits a distinctive stone building in a unique state park where people have been gathering for a nearly 100 years. New Years I spent paining there in Palmetto State Park, a small property by Texas standards, but one packed with lots of nature, mystery and good vibes. The park is spread out over a bend in the river, which begins its journey to the Gulf with springs emerging from the Edwards Aquifer that skirts the eastern edge of the Hill Country. By the time the river’s 
waters reach Luling, they still have a distinctive blue-green color unlike many of the mud-stained streams that drain other parts of the region. In various spots. the San Marcos is good for tubing, fishing, birding, camping and painting. The river cuts deeply there through the park’s sandy soil. A concrete low water crossing allows the river to do what rivers do here from time to time – FLOOD – without tearing out expensive steel bridges.
The park property includes swampy acres where a variety of plants grow far outside their ordinary range. Prickly pear cactus bloom incongruently next to dwarf palmettos, like the West Texas desert meets the Florida wetlands. 
Owls, hawks and colorful birds thrive in the river bottom preserve. Deer, armadillos and – it is said by some – even an elusive cryptid (a cousin to bigfoot) hide and hunt in the thickets. The Texas parks department laid out easy-to-maneuver hiking trails that showcase that flora and fauna. It is quiet and serene along some stretches of those trails. You hear only the birds and critters rustling through the brush and deadfall. It is hard to believe you are only ten miles from a busy Buc-cees. You should visit this state park, preferably on a foggy morning.
Many visitors go there no doubt to see the structure built in the 1930s, called the “refrectory.” It was designed and built with federal money, assisted by labor from the Civilian Conservation Corps, primarily to help put some money into the pockets of people 
enduring the economic Depression of that era. At that time, it must have been viewed by flinty Texans as pure pork barrel spending, government waste and a boondoggle. A fancy stone meeting house in the middle of a swamp! And they may have been right about that; the real value of the project took time to appreciate. I suspect the stately old refectory on the San Marcos will be there longer than any barrier wall the government builds along the Rio Bravo. And the refrectory serves a more salutary purpose: a pretty spot for people to gather, picnic, celebrate and appreciate nature’s beauty.
The architect for the refrectory was Olin Smith. Smith also designed the Indian Lodge in the Davis Mountains, another government-funded New Deal project. He had a real eye for details, materials and small elements that 
bore the mark of hand-held tools. They don’t build stuff like this any more. The walls are red local sandstone with rough boulders at the base. This creates the impression of the building springing organically from the ground. Frank Lloyd Wright did the same thing at the famous Fallingwater house built around the same time. The rough wooden 
framing beams look hand-hewn with a sharp blade and fasteners look like wrought iron from the forge. The interior is open and high, where air can circulate and cool down the space. Picnic tables are arranged inside and there are no doors that might shut out the breezy beauty of the park. From the look of it, there have been many dances and other happy events here over the years. A shady, flagstone patio at the rear overlooks the river below. That area is situated a bit too close to the riverbank, which clearly carved it channel closer to the refectory during the periodic floods of the past 90 years.
It was a great spot to paint, no oppressive sun and a nearby dry area in case it started to rain. I set up to paint on the patio, looking through the open interior to the parking and swampy forest beyond. Visitors came and went as I worked: young families with children and dogs, retired couples with cameras and dogs.
Some inspected the fine details of the building and admired the nice view of the river. All of them were quiet and spare with their words, like they were in a church. Painting outside as I do, it is always interesting to engage with people passing by and get their impressions of the spot.
For me, the refectory had a positive energy from the happy moments people had there over the years it has stood. Spring and summer dances with pleasant weather and live music. Special birthdays at the park. Park workers taking a break for a Dr. Pepper or a smoke. Picnic lunches with people (and pets) they cared about. Spur of the moment marriage proposals inspired by the beauty and formality of the place. No sorrows. I was definitely picking up on all that resonating in the space. The refrectory was government money well spent. I worked in oil on a 6 x 8 inch panel for just over two hours and was a bit sad to leave when I was finished and had to pack up to go.
