The Residence of Two Local Scholars
過去公館是個文風鼎盛的地方，其中又以劉獻廷父子兩人前後中舉人為代表，劉獻廷自幼好學不倦，經通詩文，1834年科舉為鄉試中舉的第一人。劉獻廷的兒子劉翰，也於西元1840年中舉，所謂「一門雙傑、書香門第」，便是如此。
公館紅棗文化節廣受好評」
Gongguan Red Dates Festival won high praises
公館鄉原名公館街俗稱隘寮下，係清朝乾、嘉時期客家人遷移大舉開發苗栗時，為當時移民本縣開墾之中心地。先民初在福基、石墻一帶開墾時設隘寮，招集隘勇守衛以衛社稷安危。因福基舊稱上隘寮故稱公館街為隘寮下，道光年間變為市，因四週山丘環繞，中間低平形似蛤仔市。旋因公館是官府辦公或為人民公共建築之辦公事務所在，民前十六年初設公館區庄場，民國九年實施地方制度後設公館庄，【公館】之名乃沿用至今。
公館特產芥菜(福菜)遠近馳名」
Gongguan delicacy- Chinese mustard(fu-tsai) is famous throughout Taiwan
農業主要農作物以生產稻米為主，耕地面積為2.366公頃。在政府推行規劃性休耕並獎勵稻田休耕、轉作政策下，目前轉作農產品以芋頭、紅棗、柿子為主，辦理面積約為500公頃；其中農作每月9月~12月種植的芥菜（福菜）為最具客家特色的農產品。近年積極輔導農民轉型為休閒農業，於民國98年3月經行政院農業委員會核定劃設『黃金小鎮休閒農業區』。
採紅棗適合親子同樂
Picking red dates is a fun experience for both adults and children
工業方面發源甚早，出磺坑礦場是台灣石油生產之發祥地，天然氣資源豐富，探採成果豐碩是帶動地方發展的原動力，早期工業以陶瓷裝飾製作為主。
公館鄉對於觀光果園、具有本土特色農產品的推動，配合農會大力推廣，讓得天獨厚，富有獨特風味之柿餅、牛心柿、柑橘、芋頭、福菜、榨菜農產品及福基、石墻一帶紅棗觀光果園等。於生產旺季每年七、八月吸引大批遊客前來遊玩、採果、休閒、渡假，不但增加農民收入，對地方發展助益甚大。並朝向開發設立大型農特產品展示中心、開放農業休閒採果觀光果園。
公館城鄉新風貌-陶色公路
Pottery Road-New scene in Gongguan Township
「公館鄉」是個文風質樸、人文匯集的好地方，位於苗栗縣境中心，其中陶瓷、蠶絲製品、客家福菜、紅棗、柿餅更是全國聞名。苗栗公館特色景點包含：黃金小鎮休閒農業區、出礦坑西部小太魯閣風景區、仁安大坑賞桐風景區、打鹿坑山林景觀民宿區、稻草藝術館、台灣油礦陳列館、陶瓷博物館、台灣蠶絲博物館。
People
Gongguan was a highly educational and cultural place. Especially, Liu Xian-ting and his son, they both passed a provincial examination and became local scholars and attended the imperial examination in the capital city on behalf of the town. Liu Xian-ting had been very eager to study since young and knew Chinese classics and poetry by heart. In 1834, he became the first person to pass the imperial examination at a regional level. The son of Liu Xian-Ting, Liu Han, also passed the same examination in 1840. It was quite a story in the region to have "two local scholars in a scholarly family".
Culture
Gongguan Township was formerly known as Gongguan Street and nicknamed Ailiaoxia. It was a hub for Hakka immigrants traveling from China to Miaoli to reclaim and develop Miaoli during the reign of Emperors Qianlong and Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty. The ancestors built Ailiao (forts) in Fuji and Shiqiang areas and enlisted volunteer guards to protect their communities by taking shifts in Ailiao. Since Fuji was formerly known as Shang Ailiao (Upper Fort), Gongguan Street was known as Ailiaoxia (Lower Fort). During the reign of Emperor Daoguan in the Qing Dynasty, the town was promoted into a city. Surrounded by mountains, it is low and flat in the center, resembling the shape of a clam so people called it clam town. Later, Gongguan was turned into the location of the government office or offices for various public services and people set up Gongguan Borough in 1895. Later, Gongguan was renamed Gongguan Township in early 1927. The name Gongguan is still in use now.
Place
With 2.366 hectares arable land, Gongguan's major crop is paddy rice. Encouraged by the government, people practice fallow and rotation farming. Now, people mainly grow taro, red dates, and persimmons on 500 hectares land. From September to November each year, people grow Chinese mustard (fu-tsai), a product that best represents Hakka. In March, 2009, the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, set up the "Golden Town Leisure Farming Zone" to encourage local people to turn to leisure farming.
Landscape
Gongguan Township is a simple town with high education and cultural level. The genius loci is located at the center of Miaoli County, famous for pottery, silk products, Hakka fu-tsai, red dates, and dried persimmon cakes. The tourist resorts in town include Golden Town Leisure Farm Zone, Little Taroko Scenic Area in the west of Chu Kuan Keng, Ren'an Dakeng Maple Sightseeing Area, Da Lu Keng Forest Homestay Area, Straw Craft Museum, Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall, Pottery Museum, Taiwan Silk Museum.
