Camp Ben McCulloch
Why it's listed
Camp Ben McCulloch is a 40-acre campground shaded by oaks along Onion Creek near Driftwood, in northwest Hays County. Hays County Confederate veterans organized in 1896, bought land for a permanent reunion ground in 1904, and have gathered there every year since, apart from 1918. The reunions grew into the county's major social event, open to the public and drawing more than 5,000 people in the early 1950s. The oldest building is an open-sided tabernacle from about 1904, remodeled by the Works Progress Administration in 1935 with an Alamo-style stone front. Other WPA work includes entrance pillars, roads, steps to the spring, shelters now used for storage and restrooms, and concrete picnic tables inscribed with the names of Confederate veterans. A concrete dance arena was added in the late 1940s, and a pavilion in 1989. The grounds and layout have changed little since the 1930s, and the camp is recognized for its role in recreation and social life in Central Texas.
Significance in brief: The camp is nominated under Criterion A at the local level as an important recreational site for thousands of Confederate veterans and their descendants. It is described as the only such reunion ground in continuous operation and still owned by its original organizing body. Its annual reunions became Hays County's most important social event, and the 1930s WPA-era buildings and grounds remain largely intact.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04001151, listed October 12, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 18301 Ranch Rd. 1826, Driftwood |
|---|---|
| County | Hays County |
| Listed | October 12, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001151 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1903-1954 |
| Architect / builder | WPA, Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Mission Revival; Other: WPA Rustic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as an outdoor recreation campground, with annual reunions continuing. |
| Acreage | 37.5 |
| Coordinates | 30.12949, -98.01475 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04001151.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999799
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.