Bear Creek
Bear Creek is a country residential community located off U. S. Highway 290 about fifteen miles southwest of Austin and twenty-two miles north of San Marcos in northern Hays County near the Travis county line. Settlement began in this area, named for a nearby stream, in the early 1850s. Luis Capt settled on Bear Creek in 1851 and built a dam and gristmill there. Others soon arrived in the region, known for a time as Capt's Mill. Thomas Jefferson Johnson came to the area in 1852 and established his school, Johnson Institute. John Wuthrich, Isham Good, John Wahrenberger, and Ove Oldham also settled around Bear Creek in the 1850s. In 1867 the mill was washed away, and Johnson Institute closed in 1872. Bear Creek became an extinct community. A century later development in the vicinity of the old Johnson Institute and Friday Mountain Ranch began anew. By the early 1980s county highway maps showed a residential subdivision called Bear Creek Oaks. The community had incorporated as Bear Creek by 2000 and reported a population of 360. It is part of the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Laurie E. Jasinski | © Texas State Historical Association
At a Glance
Belongs to
Bear Creek is part of or belongs to the following places.
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Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Bear Creek is classified as a Town
Associated Names
- (Capt's Mill)
Locations
-
- Latitude
- 30.18255690
- Longitude
- -97.93998000
Has Post Office
No
Is Incorporated
Yes

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Bear Creek by the Numbers
Population Counts
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Population Counts
Bear Creek
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
397 | 2020 | United States Census Bureau |
455 | 2019 | Texas Demographic Center |
382 | 2010 | United States Census Bureau |
360 | 2000 | United States Census Bureau |