The juncture of the Llano and Colorado Rivers attracted visitors for millenia, and European settlers including Martin D. King began moving to the area in the 19th century. King purchased land here in 1877, and Kingsland was named for him. In 1892, the Austin and Northwestern Railroad built a railroad bridge at the Llano-Colorado river confluence and a depot between the tracks in Kingsland, and at the same time the company bought this land from Mrs. N.J. King. Construction of the Antlers Hotel began in 1900, and the two-story wooden hotel opened in 1901 to welcome railroad passengers who could easily walk from their train. Its porches overlooked both rivers, guests could also stay in small cabins later built on the grounds, and across the street a cottonwood-filled park featured a pavilion with a stage and dressing rooms. Behind the hotel, guests and residents fished in the adjoining lake, then called Crescent Lake. Pleasant and convenient, the railroad resort drew tourists as well as business travelers. As the automobile slowed rail travel, the hotel business quieted; C.E. Schults bought the hotel in 1913 and later sold it to the Van Der Stucken family. In 1923, former guest Thomas H. Barrow of Austin bought the Antlers, and he and his family spent summers and vacations there. He also bought surrounding land, and after his death in 1936, his family continued to enjoy the property until selling it in 1993. The hotel and cabins were refurbished and reopened as a hotel complex in 1996, again offering Texas hill country scenery and recreation to many guests.