Coupland, Texas, Williamson County. (original) (raw)
DVDs
Movies featuring Coupland:
Coupland (with a slight variation in the spelling) played a part in the 2003 movie _Secondhand Lions._Robert Duval (far left) with Haley Joel Osment and Michael Caine loading the blue truck.
Photo courtesy Texas Film Commission
History in a Pecan Shell
The town was named after resident Major Theodore Van Buren Coupland. Lots in Coupland were sold even while the Bastrop and Taylor Railroad was under construction in 1887.
A post office was granted two years later and by the turn of the (20th) Century the town was a gathering place for the German, Swiss and Swedish farmers who tilled the gently sloping hills of Travis and Williamson counties.
From the 1980s, Coupland has reported a population of 135. A restored depot reflects the town's former railroad connection and it maintains a picturesque, sloping main street and hillside cemetery.
Coupland, Texas Through Truss Bridge
The Coupland Bridge is on Williamson County CR456 about one mile northeast over the Brushy Creek. It is 140 feet long and was built in 1912, being nicely restored in 2005. - Barclay Gibson
The bridge was also used in the filming of Secondhand Lions.
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, March 2008
| Photographer's Note: Coupland can be seen in the background of the shot straight though the bridge. This same scene is briefly used in the movie ("Secondhand Lions") but no one would notice the background. Think if the bridge had been restored before the movie setting was picked. The scenes on the bridge just wouldn't have been the same with freshly painted girders and new decking. - Barclay Gibson | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |
Jim Huntington's Sculpture Garden
Photo courtesy Lisa Mason, 2005
Coupand, Texas Forum
- ... At first glance, there's not much here, except a church, a saloon, and a couple of old buildings.
But, in truth, it's a very interesting, very creative town. For instance, it's got a burgeoning artist community. Several talented artists reside in downtown Coupland, including Jim Huntington (world-class sculptor), Wells Mason (designer and craftsman), and Dan Grife (painter from New Mexico). These days, the artists outnumber the regular businesses in the downtown area. Jim Huntington's sculpture garden, for instance, is smack-dab in the middle of downtown, kinda unexpected. Another attraction in this small town is the Coupland Inn. It's considered one of the best dance halls in Texas. It's also got a large restaurant and turn-of-the-century sleeping acommodations.
Because it's such a picturesque Texas town, film crews show up all the time. Big production films like Varsity Blues, Home Fries, and Secondhand Lions are some recent examples. Music videos include Stevie Ray Vaughn and Pat Green, among others. - Lisa Mason, November 30, 2005
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