If there's one thing that we've learned after years of success in the real estate photography industry, it's that first impressions are super important. Sure, looking your best on a first date might score you some brownie points. But in the real estate business, making a stellar first impression can mean the difference between selling a property and losing a client.
If you're reading this page, chances are you're involved in real estate in some form or fashion, whether you're an agent, builder, interior designer, or architect. You're probably in need of a professional real estate photographer in Manchaca, TX but aren't sure which company to trust. We get it - you're making an investment into your business and need to know that you're working with talented professionals. Fortunately, you can scratch those other names off your list, because you're just a few clicks away from working with THE best real estate photography firm in Texas!
Welcome to Twist Tours Real Estate and Portfolio Marketing Services: your go-to group for modern real estate photography and interactive virtual tours. We're proud to be a local company, serving Central Texas Drone photography, video with awesome real estate photography, 3D Matterport models, 2D + 3D floor plans, and premium single property websites.!
Unlike some of our competitors, we care just as much about how our products look as you do. That's why we make it a point to provide our customers with the finest photography and friendliest customer service in the game. Our professional photographers utilize the latest technology and equipment, so you can rest easy knowing your photos will look incredible. With a team of creative superstars by our side, we're always on top of new marketing trends and photography techniques. That way, sellers get what they deserve, and buyers get what they want: the very best real estate photography available in Texas.
Our photographers and Matterport scanners are ridiculously great at what they do. Plus, our support team is made up of bona fide superstars. So, if you have questions or concerns, we're more than happy to chat with you.
Our photography and videography expertise includes:
Real Estate Photography
Online Tours
3D Models
Aerial Photography
Floor Plans
Virtual Staging
Unmatched Real Estate Photography in Manchaca, TX
We've all heard the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words," and in today's digitally-dominant world, that saying is more poignant than ever. In real estate, pictures have a huge impact on whether a home is sold or passed by. That's especially true in a time when prospective homebuyers are less likely to travel in-person to tour a home in their price range.
With more time on their hands to peruse real estate listings, buyers are inundated with all sorts of images, which is why your real estate photos must stand out from the crowd. Once buyers filter through property locations, pricing, nearby school districts, and square footage, they want to flip through photos. If your pictures aren't up to snuff, you can be sure the homebuyer will move to the next listing.
Fortunately, Twist Tours is here to provide you with high-resolution, creative photography for your real estate needs - whether you're listing a brand-new home or selling a property that has been on the market too long.
We believe Twist Tours stands apart because we do more than capturing a visual record of a home. Instead, your Twist Tours real estate photographer develops an emotional bridge between potential buyers and real estate listings by enhancing the home's true character. Every aspect of our real estate photos, drone shots, videos, and tours are carefully engineered to bring your property to life
With a staff of highly-trained, innovative real estate photographers, there's no project too large or "out of the box" for us to handle. And we're not just talking real estate photography in the classic sense - we have successful clients in many different industries, who use our photographers for:
Interior Design
Lighting Design
Office Building
Medical Office
Landscape Design
Event Venue
Apartment Rental
Commercial Property
Restaurant
Vacation Rental
Spa & Retreat
Out of the Box Projects
Cutting-Edge Virtual Tour Photography
At Twist Tours, we believe that virtual tours and walkthroughs have a secure place in the real estate industry. Every agent needs access to great property walkthroughs, which is why we offer several imaginative tour options for every budget. We provide three types of full-service virtual tours: photo tours, floor plan tours, and our most popular option, 360-degree walkthrough tours. We also provide custom 3D Matterport services complete with photography, floor plans, and aerial video for clients in our service area. Not located in Austin or San Antonio? Our self-service options are a great choice, even if you're located in another country.
What is 3D Matterport?
Before we give you a breakdown covering our real estate tours, you might wonder: what is Matterport 3D?
These immersive walkthroughs bring properties to life, almost like a life-sized dollhouse that buyers can tour. Matterport's incredible tours help the top real estate brokerages and even FSBO pros sell homes quickly and win listings by giving homebuyers the chance to experience your property as if they were really there.
Our 3D Matterport experts scan your home, and when it's all said and done, you'll have an incredible 3D showcase highlighting all the bells and whistles of your listing. If you're looking to get a leg up on your competition, here's your chance!
3D Degree Walkthrough Tours
If you're really looking to take your real estate game to the next level, a 360-degree tour is the way to go. By far our most popular tour, our 360-degree tours feature premium single-property websites that combine the 3D Matterport space, floor plan, and professional photo packages into an amazing interactive online presentation experience. Additionally, clients can choose to include an interactive 2D floor plan or a 3D floorplan feature that looks like HGTV's like Room Planner. We can even include a virtual walkthrough video, walkthrough tours that are optimized for mobile devices, brand logos, and detailed buyers' tools.
1.
Floor Plan Tours
These custom walkthroughs feature floor and photo tours that display on a premium single property website. Our floor plan tours include a stunning virtual walkthrough tour, a gallery of professional photos, an interactive 3D and 2D floorplan with an HGTV-style Room Planner, and more.
2.
Photo Tours
These tours contain professional photos from our team of photographers, displayed in a single-property premium landing page that comes with a beautiful gallery display, the virtual walkthrough video tour, along with your digital branding materials.
Along with our virtual tour packages, clients may choose additional features, including:
Real Estate Videos: Excellent real estate videography in Manchaca, TX is hard to find, especially if you're working on a budget. Luckily, Twist is here to save the day. We take your YouTube videos to another level of awesome with video clips, agent bookends, entry slides, and exit slides. Choose the exact copy you would like displayed, and our team will automatically upload it to your YouTube channel.
FREE 3D Floor Plans: Yep, you read that right. Our 3D floor plans with Room Planner are 100% free and let buyers edit, visualize, and plan their spaces in 3D.
Tour Reports: What good would a virtual tour be without actionable insights for you to monitor? We offer detailed stats on tour visits, sites referring your virtual tour, and more. Our tour reports are emailed directly to your email account so that you have easy access on a regular basis.
Custom Brochures: Twist Tours offers more than 15 personalized templates, which have our floor plans built-in for online and offline marketing needs.
Syndicate Your Tour: We can place your virtual tour on the MLS listing, on realtor.com, and YouTube platforms.
Interactive Floor Plan Tours: Let tour viewers interact directly with your floor plan with the addition of interactive features, like point & click hotspots. This feature is especially useful for mobile users.
Lead Capture: Our unique Lead Capture technology will drive more photo clicks and turn your real estate virtual tour into a lead-making machine.
Aerial Video and Photography Services for Real Estate
Nothing showcases your property quite like professional aerial video and photography. With our drone photography services, you can turn lookers into buyers by giving them a unique vantage point of your commercial or residential property. If you're looking to set your real estate business apart from your competition, drone photography and video is the way to go.
Aerial photography adds an extra layer of "special" to your real estate photos, taking your listing from dull to downright beautiful. Sellers want to work with agents willing to entertain creative ways to sell homes. Buyers want to see every nook and cranny of the home they're interested in buying. With aerial real estate photography, you get the best of both worlds.
Benefits of aerial real estate photography and video include:
Property Location
If you're a real estate expert, we bet you're used to hearing the saying "location, location, location." One of the greatest benefits of aerial real estate photography is the chance to see where a home is located with respect to parks, restaurants, and other attractions. If you need to capture the entirety of a property's layout, take to the skies.
Property Accuracy
Taking pictures is one of the most important steps in selling a home. Generally, exterior real estate photos are taken from common locations like driveways, back yards, and on decks. Aerial real estate photography and videography can show a more accurate, robust depiction of a home for sale, giving buyers a more complete picture of the home they're looking to buy.
Tell a Better Story
Excellent storytelling is one of the most reliable keys to real estate sales. On the one hand, buyers want to know exactly where their money will be going when buying a home. On the other hand, sellers want to work with an agent who has more than the typical tools of the trade on hand. When coupled with interactive virtual tours, hiring a Twist real estate videographer in Manchaca, TX can help realtors tell a more captivating story.
Commercial Real Estate Photography Services
Ever considered professional real estate photography for your commercial business needs? Making a first strong impression is an incredible asset to your business. Doing so is equally as important for commercial purposes as it is for residential real estate reasons. With Twist Tours, your prospective clients can access online 3D virtual tours filled with stunning HDR real estate photography to give them a full picture of what you're selling. With our floor plan and room planner tours, you can even implement our real estate photos in your print marketing materials.
But that's just the start. A few additional benefits of commercial real estate photography include:
1.
Give Buyers What They Want:
The Wall Street Journal recently published a piece about the best ways to sell a commercial property. Their research found that buyers spent 60% of their time looking at photos on a property page. Knowing this, you must find creative ways to make your listings and marketing materials stand out. A lack of dazzling, positive imagery could mean you lose out on a sale or a tenant.
2.
More Clicks and Shares:
When prospective buyers or tenants are captivated by a real estate photo, they are very likely to click through to your website. Pictures with the right mix of professionalism and pizzaz are also share-worthy, meaning your commercial property for sale will reach a wider audience.
3.
Get That Great First Impression:
For buyers or tenants to take your commercial property seriously, your real estate images must make a positive impression by being HDR, modern, and beautiful.
Do the Twist
Guess what? At Twist Tours, we love our clients. Not just because of the fantastic relationships we've formed with builders, brokers, owners, designers, agents, and their staff - but because they get it. They know how important a strong first impression can be in the real estate industry. The only thing we love more than meeting new clients is helping them grow their business. If you're ready to get started on more success, we're here to help.
Need detailed pricing? Click over to our website to use our cost calculator and check out our photography packages. We look forward to hearing from you today!
866-648-0022Free Consultation
Latest News in Manchaca, TX
Judge gives the OK to rename South Austin's Manchaca Road to Menchaca
kvue.comhttps://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/manchaca-road-changed-menchaca-road/269-cb6268ad-84da-4428-9686-eabd6693edba
The judge sided with city leaders, who believed it should honor its roots.AUSTIN, Texas — A long-standing South Austin road will officially get a new name.A judge gave the OK to change the pronunciation and spelling of Manchaca Road to Menchaca.After months of debating, this is a win for Austin city leaders. City leaders ...
The judge sided with city leaders, who believed it should honor its roots.
AUSTIN, Texas — A long-standing South Austin road will officially get a new name.
A judge gave the OK to change the pronunciation and spelling of Manchaca Road to Menchaca.
After months of debating, this is a win for Austin city leaders. City leaders voted to change the name of the road last October to honor its namesake because all these years Manchaca Road has technically been misspelled. But that decision sparked a big fight between them and business owners. Now, a judge has officially sided with the City.
According to our partners at the Austin American-Statesman, State District Judge Dustin Howell threw out a lawsuit last week from business owners who opposed the switch. Some claimed in the past they hadn't been properly notified about the change. Howell said he didn't have jurisdiction over the case.
RELATED: Austin council votes to rename Manchaca Road to reflect historic spelling
This now gives the city the OK to move forward after the name change was put on hold. The reason behind this is to honor Jose Menchaca, the man the road was named after. He was a Tejano Army captain.
City leaders have been pushing for the name change for quite a while and supporters said it makes a difference.
“When I retired, one of the things I did was try to see was if [Jose Menchaca] had any descendants and I did find them and asked them if this was something that upset them, and they all said, 'yes, of course,'” said Bob Perkins, a supporter of name change. “'We got this place named for our great-great-grandfather and it's misspelled.'”
RELATED: ‘Manchaca’ or ‘Man-chac’? | The history of Texas (Mis)pronunciations
Business owners opposed the switch. A vet clinic owner said in the past, it'll cost about $50,000 to change their signs and marketing to reflect the new spelling.
"To most people, it's just a pronunciation. But those small details matter quite a bit," said Robert Amaroso, who is the owner of Manchaca Village Veterinary Care.
RELATED: Manchaca Road to remain the same for now as injunction halts name change
According to the Statesman, the lawsuit initially came from the Manchaca Business Association and this ruling followed testimony in a Travis County Court. The question is if this fight is really over.
An attorney representing business owners told the Statesman he was surprised by the judge's ruling and they're planning to explore other legal options.
WATCH: Businesses file lawsuit against the City over Manchaca name change
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING:
Forget Manchaca, it's Menchaca now
Ryan Autullohttps://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2019/09/27/south-austins-manchaca-road-to-be-renamed-menchaca-after-judge-tosses-suit/2660669007/
A controversial name change proposed for a popular South Austin road has gotten the OK after a judge, siding with the city, tossed out a lawsuit from business owners opposing the switch.Manchaca Road will now be Menchaca Road to reflect the proper spelling of a veteran of the Texas Revolution for whom the road is possibly named.State District Judge Dustin Howell ...
A controversial name change proposed for a popular South Austin road has gotten the OK after a judge, siding with the city, tossed out a lawsuit from business owners opposing the switch.
Manchaca Road will now be Menchaca Road to reflect the proper spelling of a veteran of the Texas Revolution for whom the road is possibly named.
State District Judge Dustin Howell on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit from the Manchaca Business Association, saying he does not have jurisdiction over the case. The judge's ruling followed testimony in his Travis County court on Sept. 17.
“The city is pleased with the court’s ruling in the case," a city spokesperson said Friday. "We look forward to implementing the council’s legislative decision to rename the road.”
The group opposing the change said the city did not properly notify property owners of a public hearing ahead of the name switch. The lawsuit, which included a minor victory when Howell extended a temporary injunction in December, would have forced the city to hold a hearing that the property owners deemed proper.
The concern among Leave Manchaca Alone was over advertising expenses related to the name change.
“Leave Manchaca Alone maintains its position that if the city is going to force this costly disruption, it should do so only with irrefutable justification," the group said in a statement. "In a time where there are many more important issues to resolve — such as homelessness, infrastructure and affordability — this decision by Austin City Council is a short-sighted, unpopular and irresponsible waste of time and money."
Austin City Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria proposed the name change last year after retired District Court Judge Bob Perkins' research pointed to the road being named after Jose? Antonio Menchaca, who fought for Texas at the Battle of San Jacinto and is believed to have camped south of Austin near what would later be called Manchaca Springs. Menchaca’s name was misspelled as Manchaca in annals from the war, and some believe that is how the street got its name.
The property owners have disputed Perkins’ findings and have proposed several alternatives, including that the street was named after a Louisiana bayou, a Choctaw word or a family that lived in the area with the surname Manchaca.
Perkins on Friday said the name change is long overdue.
"We're elated that justice for Menchaca is finally realized and elated for his family, especially those living around the Austin area," he said.
Attorney Roger Borgelt, who represented the business owners in the suit, said he was surprised by the judge saying he did not have jurisdiction in the case and will explore further legal options.
With nearly a dozen planned bars, is Manchaca the new Rainey Street?
kvue.comhttps://www.kvue.com/article/money/economy/boomtown-2040/manchaca-the-new-rainey-street/269-d4d72361-6e96-4bcf-be4c-c2f4ea36140e
Developers and bar owners have been buying old homes on large properties and turning them into bars like Indian Roller and South Austin Beer Garden.AUSTIN, Texas — The next Rainey Street? That's what some people have started calling the stretch of Manchaca Road from Slaughter Lane to FM 1626.Developers and bar owners have been buying old homes on large properties and turning them into bars like Indian Roller and ...
Developers and bar owners have been buying old homes on large properties and turning them into bars like Indian Roller and South Austin Beer Garden.
AUSTIN, Texas — The next Rainey Street? That's what some people have started calling the stretch of Manchaca Road from Slaughter Lane to FM 1626.
Developers and bar owners have been buying old homes on large properties and turning them into bars like Indian Roller and South Austin Beer Garden.
The original home-turned-bar on Manchaca Road is Moontower Saloon. Josh Bumb and his partner, Richard Veregge, opened Moontower in 2012.
Earlier this year, one of the original bar owners on Rainey Street announced she was opening a bar on Manchaca Road as well.
Bridget Dunlap, the creator of Lustre Pearl, announced to Austin Eater she plans on opening Lustre Pearl South on 10400 Manchaca Road, just down the street from Moontower.
RELATED: El Naranjo on Austin's Rainey Street is closing
But there are several big differences between Rainey and Manchaca Road, according to Bumb.
First is density. While there are a lot of neighborhoods and apartments surrounding the Manchaca area, it's a lot more spread out than downtown.
Additionally, the road is far more wide and dangerous than Rainey, Bumb said.
"I see it all the time, people crossing the road at random areas with no lighting. It's dangerous," said Bumb.
RELATED: 49-story Rainey Street District high-rise expected to break ground in October
The Texas Department of Transportation lowered the speed limit on the stretch of Manchaca near the Moontower by 5 mph. However, Bumb says cars still come flying down the road, it's dark and there are no sidewalks.
That's a big concern considering there are plans for even more bars to be built up and down the busy road. Currently, there is a music venue under construction right next to Moontower.
Bumb worries people will walk along the dark road to go to different bars, like people do on Rainey Street.
One of the first bars to ever open on Manchaca Road is Giddy Ups. The building, near FM 1626 at the end of Manchaca Road, originally opened in 1957, according to current Giddy Up owner, Nancy Morgan.
"Yeah, there's a lot of history here," said Morgan. "I had cowboys over there [across Manchaca] ride their horses to train for the rodeo, and then they'd come over here, and that's why I have a rail out front, so they can tie their horses up."
Now, that former horse arena is a storage facility. It's just one of hundreds of changes along Manchaca Road.
RELATED: Last home on Austin's Rainey Street officially sold to Sixth Street bar owner
The one thing that hasn't changed near her bar, however, is Manchaca Road itself.
"It was going to be four lanes with a turn lane, and they were gonna come down and put in sidewalks and bike lanes," explained Morgan. "However, TxDOT delayed that project, so the road is still one lane in each direction with a turn lane in the middle. There are no sidewalks."
That's why Bumb says even if people are calling this area the "next Rainey Street," it's not designed to be that way.
He does think, however, that this is one of the big up-and-coming entertainment districts in Austin.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING:
What you need to know about Austin weather Thursday: Hard freeze warning through Friday morning
Kelsey Bradshawhttps://www.statesman.com/story/weather/2021/02/18/live-austin-tx-weather-updates-latest-winter-forecast-snow-freeze-rain/6797022002/
Editor's note: The Statesman is making this story about Austin winter weather free for everyone to read as a public service. If you don't already, please subscribe today at statesman.com/subscribenow....
Editor's note: The Statesman is making this story about Austin winter weather free for everyone to read as a public service. If you don't already, please subscribe today at statesman.com/subscribenow.
Austin power outage updates: Thousands still without power throughout Central Texas
Wednesday: Winter storm warning canceled, but more rain, snow mix likely overnight
Snowfall expected to end Thursday evening, hard freeze expected through the night
National Weather Service meteorologists say the Austin area is done with the heaviest round of snowfall, but said more precipitation is possible until early Thursday evening.
The winter weather advisory area is scheduled to expire at 6 p.m. Thursday, but a hard freeze warning will be in effect for Travis and surrounding counties, including Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell and Williamson, from 9 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday.
National Weather Service meteorologists said temperatures could be as low as 14 degrees, adding that people should try to wrap pipes above the ground.
Hard freeze warning for Central Texas at 9 p.m.
A hard freeze warning will go into effect at 9 p.m. Thursday for Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Hays and Caldwell counties, among other Central and South Texas counties, the National Weather Service said.
Subfreezing temperatures as low as 14 degrees are expected across Central and South Texas late Thursday.
The warning will be in effect until 10 a.m. on Friday, the weather service said.
Forecasters recommend getting some place warm if you can. If you're able, check on your neighbors, friends and family and bring pets and other animals inside.
The city has shelters at:
The city is asking those in need of transportation to call 311 or email coaemergencyrides@austintexas.gov. Transportation services are limited and city officials said they should be reserved especially for people who are medically vulnerable.
The Austin school district has warming centers available for people to visit and charge essential medical devices. The warming centers include:
Austin Disaster Relief Network is also operating shelters in area churches. The church shelters are open and include:
Freezing conditions and frost will kill crops, sensitive vegetation and could damage unprotected outdoor plumbing, forecasters said.
Sign up for text updates on the storm
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We want to make sure you are connected to the most important updates on the weather and fallout from the power crisis across Texas. But we also realize that many of you may be without power or Internet — or that you are trying to limit data usage to conserve battery life on your phone.
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Palmer Events Center reaches capacity
Palmer Events Center has reached capacity as a shelter and Austin officials are asking residents to use its shelters as a last resort as snow falls and frigid temperatures continue.
Space is available at:
The city is asking those in need of transportation to call 311 or email coaemergencyrides@austintexas.gov. Transportation services are limited and city officials said they should be reserved especially for people who are medically vulnerable.
The Austin school district has warming centers available for people to visit and charge essential medical devices. The warming centers include:
"If you can shelter in your home, please do so. If not, consider going to the home of a friend or neighbor, and a shelter as a last resort," the city said in a tweet.
Austin Disaster Relief Network is also operating shelters in area churches. The church shelters are open and include:
A list of the churches can also be found online at: https://adrn.org/shelters/
Mail delivery temporarily suspended for some
People living in the Austin area did not receive mail on Tuesday due to severe winter weather conditions and power outages. However, by Wednesday evening, several post offices reopened. Some people in the following areas may still not be receiving mail because of icy roads and closed posted offices: Round Rock, Bastrop, Burnet, Del Valle, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, Georgetown, Gonzales, Llano, Lockhart, Luling and Manchaca.
Snow makes 3rd visit to Austin in 2021
Light snow has started to fall in Austin for the third time this year, with much of the urban centers along the Interstate 35 corridor also reporting winter precipitation.
Before Thursday, Austin's main weather station at Camp Mabry reported as much as 6.4 inches of snow during this week's historic freeze and snowfall Sunday night into Monday. That event produced the most snow Austin has seen since in more than 70 years, when about 6.5 inches fell in January 1949.
February's snowfall amount, when added to the 1.5 inches that fell in January, would make the winter of 2020-21 (the months of December, January and February) the third-snowiest winter in Austin weather history:
Snow reported in western parts of Texas and in Hays County
The National Weather Service is reporting snow falling in western and southern parts of the state, including Del Rio and San Antonio.
Snow has also been reported in San Marcos, New Braunfels, Kyle, Buda and northern Hays County.
The weather service shared a model on Twitter Thursday showing snow landing in the Austin area as early as 10 a.m.
Thursday weather forecast for Austin
Hope is on the horizon, y'all, but it will arrive only after one last round of wintry precipitation comes to Central Texas on Thursday.
A winter weather advisory is in effect for the Austin metro area until 6 p.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service says. Unstable air in the atmosphere continues to produce a mix of freezing rain, sleet and graupel (those snowy white ice pellets that sometimes get mistaken for hail) in the region.
Light snow could fall in the Interstate 35 corridor throughout the morning, forecasters say, but the heaviest snow will likely stay in the northern Rio Grande, southern Edwards Plateau and western Hill Country near San Antonio.
"Very difficult driving conditions are expected across this region today and travel is highly discouraged," a weather service bulletin on Thursday said.
Austin's outlook for Thursday includes a chance of light snow between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. under cloudy skies and temperatures at or below freezing. Even the forecast high of 32 degrees will feel colder with north winds of 10 to 15 mph and gusts as high as 25 mph.
At night, skies could become cloudier before gradually clearing and allowing temperatures to sink to as low as 17 degrees. Biting north-northwest winds of 5 to 10 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph will persist.
But prospects of a thaw are looming: The weather service's extended forecast includes a stretch of daytime Friday that will be warmer than freezing and possibly at least 24 hours of melting temperatures starting on Saturday.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 39. At night, mostly clear with a low around 20.
Saturday: Sunny with a high near 50. Then mostly cloudy at night with a low around 38. Warmer south winds return.
Sunday: Partly sunny with a high near 59. Partly cloudy at night with a low around 37.
Monday: Sunny with a high near 59. Mostly clear at night with a low around 36.
Tuesday: Sunny with a high near 66. At night, partly cloudy with a low around 46.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a high near 70.
Manchaca Baptist Church celebrates 100 years in South Austin community
Taylor Jackson Buchananhttps://communityimpact.com/news/2018/08/26/manchaca-baptist-church-celebrates-100-years-in-south-austin-community/
The history of Manchaca Baptist Church spans a century and a quarter of a mile along FM 1626. In October 1918, Rev. Webb Townsley founded the church with 10 members. Today, Manchaca Baptist has close to 1,500 members, with 250 attending on an average Sunday.“This church has been the hub of our [family’s] social life,” said Judy Kirksey, a member since 1979. “The continuity of it over the years has been so important to us.”Since its founding, the church has focused on giving back, lead pastor Jason ...
The history of Manchaca Baptist Church spans a century and a quarter of a mile along FM 1626. In October 1918, Rev. Webb Townsley founded the church with 10 members. Today, Manchaca Baptist has close to 1,500 members, with 250 attending on an average Sunday.
“This church has been the hub of our [family’s] social life,” said Judy Kirksey, a member since 1979. “The continuity of it over the years has been so important to us.”
Since its founding, the church has focused on giving back, lead pastor Jason White said. Manchaca Baptist hosts free community events, including a fall festival and vacation Bible school. The church offers food, clothes and medical equipment to those in need, he said.
“We’ve been in the community for the last 100 years, and we’ve been serving our community all along,” White said. “Service is something we intend to continue.”
In its early days, Manchaca Baptist met in a wooden building without electricity, according to church records. As the livery stables and cotton gin of rural Manchaca faded into memory, the church modernized to meet residential growth with expansion of its own, Kirksey said.
In 1960, the church built a red brick sanctuary, and 17 years later, it purchased a nearby elementary school building.
In 2001, six weeks before moving into a new sanctuary, painters’ rags were ignited behind the choir loft. The fire severely damaged the building. Services were not held in the space until 2004, White said.
Church members said the sanctuary now has ample space to be a hub for community activities and service projects.
“This isn’t our building,” J.P. Kirksey, Judy’s husband, said. “It’s God’s building. We want it to be used for the good of the community. That was our mission from the very groundbreaking of it.”
Taylor Buchanan joined Community Impact Newspaper in 2018 after completing a master of journalism degree from the University of Texas. She worked as the senior reporter for Community Impact's Southwest Austin edition and is now the editor for the company's flagship Round Rock/Pflugerville/Hutto edition.
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