The January 25 quarterly meeting of the Bastrop County Historical Society (BCHS) featured Austin American-Statesman columnist Michael Barnes (left), who is shown here with BCHS vice-president Jennifer Leisure (right). Barnes spoke on the historical significance of Casino Hall, or Old Casino as it was called. The building, which was constructed around 1848, wasn’t a place for gambling but was early Bastrop’s primary location for concerts, banquets, stage plays, dances and all forms of cultural events. ...