“We still have a quintessentially small community feel,” says Dalton Rice, City Manager. “Everybody knows everybody. You run into someone you know everywhere you go – I can’t go to our local grocery store – HEB – without running into one of my kids’ coaches.” Kelly Hagemeier, Economic Development Manager, notes that residents who relocate to Kerrville consistently cite the same attraction. “We find that a lot of residents who move here are attracted to the natural beauty, and our investment in our parks system attracts them here,” she explains.“We’ve seen in our various plans that preserving that beauty has an immeasurable value to our residents and those who visit are beautiful community.” The Guadalupe River flows directly through the city, creating a network of parks and green spaces that define daily life here. Rice describes Kerrville as “a unique blend of everything” where scenic Hill Country vistas meet a vibrant downtown corridor. “We have a lot of park land, music festivals, city facilities and amenities and just things to do within the downtown area,” he adds. “There’s something for everybody.” This balance between natural amenities and urban convenience has created a community where residents enjoy sophisticated services without the overly urban or suburban feel that often accompany larger municipalities. RISING FROM THE WATERS On July 4, 2025, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, transforming a holiday morning into one of the deadliest inland flooding events in modern American history. At least 135 people died across Central Texas, with 107 confirmed deaths in Kerr County alone. The catastrophic flood claimed the lives of many young victims who were attending summer camp at Camp Mystic, destroyed homes and businesses, and left more than 160 people initially missing. Within weeks, through the efforts of over 1,000 responders, that number has dropped to just two. “We’re 120 days out since the flood,” Rice says. “And we’ve been talking about what can be reimagined. How do we reimagine what we’re going to be, where we’re going to go and how we’re going to do 91 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 KERRVILLE, TX
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