Once a farmhouse, now a landmark. We are standing before the Green Pastures Plaque. It marks a place of history, hospitality, and fine dining.
Green Pastures began as a home. E.W. Herndon, a local minister, built it in 1895. The house sat on 23 acres. It bordered a wooded area to the south. Over the years, several families called it home.
In 1916, Martha “Mattie” Faulk and her husband Henry Faulk moved in. Henry loved the land. Mattie took time to warm up to the property. The family enjoyed the gardens. They spent evenings on the porch, shucking corn and snap beans. Mattie even traded butter and eggs for groceries. During the Depression, the farm helped them share food with neighbors.
Mattie’s daughter, Mary, loved to cook. She enjoyed hosting guests and making fancy dishes. She married Chester Koock in 1934. In 1939, they moved back to the farmhouse with Mattie.
In 1946, Mattie moved to live with her daughter near Deep Eddy. Mary remodeled the farmhouse. She transformed it into a restaurant. It was then named Green Pastures.
Green Pastures quickly gained popularity. It offered Southern food, French cuisine, and other “exotic” dishes. Mary’s talent for entertaining made everyone feel welcome. She hosted lavish parties and wedding receptions. Governors, celebrities, and even visiting ambassadors dined here. She also catered parties at the LBJ Ranch.
The restaurant broke barriers. Green Pastures welcomed people of all races from day one. This was 18 years before Austin officially desegregated.
The Green Pastures property included beautiful peafowl roaming the grounds for decades.
In recent years, Green Pastures was sold to a local partnership. The new owners plan to restore the historic home and grounds. They aim to continue the traditions that made Green Pastures famous. Sunday brunch and Mrs. Koock’s milk punch are expected to remain.
The original house has been renovated. It became Mattie’s, named after Martha Faulk.
Green Pastures is more than just a restaurant. It is a symbol of Austin’s hospitality. It is an oasis of elegance. It is a place where history and fine dining meet. The Green Pastures Plaque reminds us of this rich past.