FRYDEK, Frydek is on Farm Road 1458 and the west bank of the Brazos River three miles east of Sealy and three miles south of San Felipe in southeastern Austin County. Settlement in the vicinity began in the early 1820s, when members of the Austin colony patented several labores of land along the river east of the eventual townsite. Frydek was established about 1895 by Czechs on a league of land south of the San Felipe town tract, originally granted to Stephen F. Austin in 1831. The community, was named after the Moravian city of Frýdek-Místek, soon became a market center for farmers and stockmen of the vicinity. A visiting priest celebrated Mass in homes in 1883 and a cemetery was created in 1890. The cemetery received a Texas State Historical Marker in 1991.
A Frydek post office operated from 1901 until 1906. The local school had thirty-six pupils in 1918. By 1931 the community had four businesses. The St. Mary’s Catholic was located in the town through much of the twentieth century and is still in operation today. The population, which has remained predominantly Czech in origin, was an estimated twenty-five in 1933. The figure climbed to an estimated seventy-five in 1939 and then to 150, the number reported from 1964 to 2000.
FRYDEK GROTTO – A unique Frydek feature is St. Mary’s Catholic Church Grotto with an outdoor altar which was constructed to commemorate and give thanks for the 67 community men who served in WWII and ALL returned home safely. The Grotto is situated to give public access at all times. The community holds an annual grotto celebration on the last Sunday in April. St. Mary’s Catholic Church is located at 10471 Grotto Road Frydek, Texas. For information and schedule of events call (979) 225-3131.
And for that Real Texas Experience don’t miss Ermis’s Store (now Frydek Roadhouse & Winegarden) you can sit down next to politicians, church ladies, bikers, ranchers, and real-life cowboys to enjoy a cool one, great food or just talk about the weather and soak up local color. Ermis’s Double E Grocery: 10108 FM 1458 (979) 885-6556.