Holy history of Watson Springs Baptist Church explored.

Watson Springs Baptist Church is one of the many forgotten churches of Travis County and Austin. In fact this church is one of the many Baptist churches in Austin which is now a memory. Not much history is known about Watson Springs Baptist Church or has been recorded.

Watson Springs Baptist Church was a single-room frame church built in 1884 at the intersection of Patterson Road & FM 2244 (Bee Cave Road) in Austin, Texas.

A rural Baptist congregation in Travis County decided to build a church dedicated to the savior Jesus Christ before the Roaring Twenties (1920s). A church building was to be built west of the city of Bee Cave. Watson Springs Baptist Church was named after J. R. Watson.

The church was also nicknamed “Snuff Box Church” and “Snuff Box Baptist Church” because members of the congregation used to spit tobacco juice out of the window during services. Members of the congregation often chewed tobacco and dipped snuff. Even the preachers dipped snuff. (Ref: Eanes: Portrait of a Community, Linda Vance, 1986)

The architectural design of the church building was built as a snuff box. However the name Snuff Box did not derive from the architecture of the church building itself. That is how the name Snuff Box came about. (Ref: Lone Star Travel Guide to Texas Hill County, 2011)

Members of the congregation would hold classes during services. 100% of the attending population was white/caucasian. (Ref: Eanes: A History of the School and Community, Linda Vance, 1976)

Baptisms were always held in Barton Creek specifically in the banks. Revival meetings were held outdoors under a brush arbor. Benches and a piano were placed under the arbor. Prayer meetings were held in the woods and also at church before revival meetings and service. Afterwards the members would all come together to sing.


In 1937, the old Brewton Springs School was torn down and rebuilt on John Teague’s property located on FM 2244 (Bee Cave Road) near Cuernavaca Drive by Patterson Road near Patterson Ranch. Homer Teague moved into the old schoolhouse afterwards. The other old schoolhouse remained as a private residence. While the school was being moved, classes were held in Watson Springs Baptist Church. Watson Springs Baptist Church was a single-room frame church. The church was also nicknamed “Snuff Box Church” because members of the congregation used to spit tobacco juice out of the window during services. The school was in Watson Springs Baptist Church to begin with. (Ref: Eanes: Portrait of a Community, Linda Vance, 1986)

In 1938, the old Watson Springs Baptist Church building was torn down and replaced with a similar replica of the same building.

Sometime in the 1950s is when Watson Springs Baptist Church ceased holding services. Members began attending church elsewhere.

John Hudson preached often at this church. He was their main preacher. He was also in charge of facilitating their classes. Not only was he in charge of facilitating the classes, he was also in charge of officiating at burials. (Ref: Austin American, Page 2, April 11, 1950)

John Hudson was one preacher who had a “strong delivery and message”. Much like his brothers, Edward Hudson and George Hudson. He garnered a lot “Amens” from the church audience.


1960 is when the church sold the land to a private homeowner named Cody Hardcraft. However Watson Springs Baptist Church later become abandoned.

Sometime in the 1960s is when Cody Hardcraft burned the church down out of an act of anger. He was mad about something. Apparently he was just setting something on fire just to watch it burn. Which is exactly what he did to the old Watson Springs Baptist Church. (Ref: https://www.thecedarchoppers.com/stoney-teague)

Donald L Priem purchased the property from Cody Hardcraft in 1965. He then had the house zoned as “residential”. (Ref: Travis County Public Records - Real Estate, Volume 3356, Page 255)

Vincent Landscapes Inc purchased the property in 2005 and is now using it as a landscaping company. Ross P Vincent now owns the property. (Ref: Travis County Public Records - Real Estate, Document No. 2011111417)

The location for Watson Springs Baptist Church was 9811 FM 2244, Austin, Texas, US 78733. Alternative address for Watson Springs Baptist Church was 9811 Bee Caves Road, Austin, Texas, US 78733.