Old Town

Old Town refers to Hutto's historic district based on the original boundaries for the City of Hutto— bound loosely by Park Street to the east, Orgain Street to the south, the Co-Op site to the west, and north just past the intersection of Church Street and FM 1660. With charming structures dating back to the 1800's, Old Town truly is the Heart of Hutto. Many historic homes have been restored and are excellent examples of the small Swedish farming community that established the town in 1911. Old Town also has a great collection of unique restaurants and shops within the Hutto Commercial Historic District. Everything is close by and easily accessed on foot or by car. 

Downtown Commercial Historic District

Downtown is home to a number of local businesses, shops, and restaurants that attract Hutto residents and visitors alike. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Hutto Commercial Historic District consists of twelve buildings occupying approximately half of a city block in the heart of Hutto, Texas, approximately 27 miles northeast of Austin.

Building Facades

Most of the buildings are good examples of the Late Victorian Italianate style of the 1890s and the early 20th century Commercial Style, applied to one-part and two-part commercial blocks. The buildings are constructed of brick with commercial storefronts composed of wood, glass, and brick, and most retain a high degree of integrity. Of the twelve buildings, ten are contributing resources and two are non-contributing. The district constitutes the entirety of the historic central business core of the once-small town, which has experienced meteoric population growth of over 1000% in the decade since 2000.

Parked cars line the recently-improved Farley Street on any given day, as the lunchtime crowd packs nearby restaurants. The Co-Op property, an iconic reminder of the City's agriculturally-focused past, stands as the site of City Hall. This property will soon see a transformation of the cotton gin building into an open air market space for events and festivals.

Old Town Features

With charming structures dating back to the 1800's, Old Town truly is the heart of Hutto. Old Town is home to a number of local businesses, shops, and restaurants that attract Hutto residents and visitors alike. Parked cars line Farley Street on any given day, as the lunchtime crowd packs nearby restaurants. The City of Hutto was awarded a 2013 Texas Downtown Association Award for Best Public Improvement for the Farley Street Reconstruction Project.

Farley Street

Prior to reconstruction, Farley Street was a two-lane street with no curb, no sidewalks, limited parking, and an aging wastewater line. In November of 2009, the Hutto citizens passed 3 of the 4 propositions that were presented in the City's first General Obligation bond election. The Farley Street project was part of Proposition 1 for the issuance of $8,500,000 in General Obligation bonds for street improvements and includes installation of underground drainage, sidewalks, and streetscaping to several downtown streets.

By 2012, Farley Street had been completely transformed into a true downtown street, designed for visitors traveling on foot or by car. The street now boasts twelve-foot sidewalks lined with Shumard Oak trees, on-street angled parking, and generous native landscaping. Stamped, colored asphalt in each intersection resembles brick pavers without the high cost or long-term maintenance requirements. LED light fixtures provide additional safety for those walking at night, while also contributing to Old Town's historic character. Bike racks, benches, and trash receptacles further enhance the comfort of residents and visitors using the sidewalk.

In addition to making prominent streetscape improvements, the Farley Street Reconstruction project also included water, wastewater, and drainage improvements, as well as the underground placement of dry utilities. The utility improvements ensure adequate capacity for both current users and future downtown development.

Co-Op Property

The Co-Op property, an iconic reminder of the city's agriculturally-focused past, stands as the new City Hall. The Gin at the Hutto Co-Op District won Best Public Improvement Award from the Texas Downtown Association in 2016.