Tucked away in the northeast corner of Bastrop County, almost to the Lee County line, is Paige’s sleepy little “burb.” The elevation is approx. 535 ‘, the climate is moderate throughout the year. The school system is Bastrop ISD, and depending on where you live, children can attend Lost Pines Elementary, Bastrop Middle School, or Bastrop High School. Paige is not much larger than a total of 18 blocks and as is typical for small Texas towns, there are still some beautiful old / historic homes and buildings that are still standing or in use. The area surrounding Paige is a mix of rural residential properties and farm and ranch land. Horse enthusiasts covet the sandy loam soil that can be found in parts of Paige, such as Old Potato Road, Old Pin Oak, or Antiock and Cardinal Roads.

Paige was established in 1872 along the Houston and Texas Central Rail. The old abandoned rail line is still there, which runs along the side portions of Old Highway 20 and would make a great “Rails for Trails” section as it is not in use now. Paige is named after one of the civil engineers who worked on the railroad. There was a train station in Paige until 1876 and then it was moved to its current location approximately 3 miles east. There is a volunteer fire department that was established in 1982 in conjunction with the Paige Community Center, and Paige has had a post office in the city since 1874. In those days, the majority of the population was of German descent, as was much of central Texas. Paige’s population has fluctuated over the years. In the late 1880s, the city was said to have a population of 500. Back then, the Paige train station was a shipping point for livestock such as cattle and pigs. Local industry included a pickle factory, dairies, and brooms. Today some of the local businesses include The Old Frontier Store, which is located on Highway 290 and has a bit of everything to offer, from groceries to a meat counter, a small deli / restaurant, and Yarnorama, a yarn and fiber shop.

Paige is approx. 40 miles outside of Austin on Hwy 290. Bastrop is 14 miles away on Hwy 21 and has just about everything anyone could want or need with coffee shops, two grocery stores, box stores like Home Depot and Lowes along the way, great restaurants, a movie theater, and a bowling alley. About halfway to Bastrop from Paige on Highway 21 is Lake Bastrop, which offers camping, swimming beaches, boat rentals, and boat launching on both the north and south shores. If you decide to go to Smithville, the town where the Hope Floats movie was filmed is less than 13 miles on FM 2104. Just before you reach Smithville on the west side of the road, you will find Buecher State Park and Lake. If it’s the coast you’re craving, you can get to the Gulf in just under two hours from Paige. Circle D, Pioneer Pines Farms, Pine Valley, and Pine Tree Cattle Ranch are just a few of the subdivisions found in the Paige area that offer rural residential living in the ‘lost pines’ of Bastrop County. The Paige area is also full of wonderful ranches and recreational properties (great for hunting) and they regularly hit the market.

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