Texas Landmarks - Kendall County

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Kendall County, Texas - Index of Landmarks & Vanished Communities

Feature Name

St

County Name

Type

Latitude
Longitude

Description

Submitters Name
E-mail address

Allen Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295305N
0984835W

 

USGS

Ammans Crossing

TX

Kendall

pop place

295341N
0984015W

 

USGS

Askey Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300036N
0984151W

 

USGS

B J McCombs Sisterdale Airport

TX

Kendall

airport

295833N
0984437W

 

USGS

Balcones Community Center

TX

Kendall

locale

294401N
0984211W

 

USGS

Balcones Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294443N
0983846W

 

USGS

Bankersmith

TX

Kendall

pop place

300732N
0984916W

In 1913, the San Antonio-Fredericksburg and Northern Railroad was built through the community of Grapetown, whose construction also included a 900 footlong tunnel through the Big Divide. This is the only railroad tunnel in Texas. In 1935, the railroad was discontinued, but about 1920, some prosperous citizens in Grapetown made an effort to have a depot and post office closer to the center of the existing community. This was done and the town was named Bankersmith after Temple D. Smith, president of the first bank in Fredericksburg. It was located on Rudolph Habenicht land. A store, dancehall, post office, lumberyard and warehouse were built, then dismantled about 1927, but is still known as Bankersmith on the map.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Barker Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

300601N
0983404W

 

USGS

Bear Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295409N
0984030W

 

USGS

Bergheim

TX

Kendall

pop place

294938N
0983430W

Bergheim, whose name means "Home in the Hills," was founded in the 1900 by Andreas Engel. It is located ten miles NE of Boerne in the SE corner of Kendall County. Bergheim was later in development as a town than most in the county and has no railroad; but is was and is a major trading station for the area with it's Engel Store and postoffice.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Bergheim Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295021N
0983411W

Known as Smith Cemetery. Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Big Hill

TX

Kendall

summit

300614N
0984819W

 

USGS

Big Joshua Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295530N
0984721W

 

USGS

Big Spring Canyon

TX

Kendall

valley

295514N
0983516W

 

USGS

Black Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295135N
0983745W

 

USGS

Blackberry Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300621N
0983943W

 

USGS

Block Creek

TX

Kendall

vanished community

295854N
0985027W

Small community on the East bank of Block Creek and the old Comfort to Fredericksburg Rd, 2 1/2 miles North of farm Rd 473 and some 8 miles NE of Comfort in Western Kendall County. It was settled in part by Freethinkers. A post office opened at Block Creek in 1884 and closed in 1895. In 1890 the community had 15 residents. The Block creek School opened around 1900 and remained the focus of a common school district until 1949 when it became part of the Comfort Independent School District. In 1913, the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway established a flag stop in Block creek to benefit the nearby Hillingdon Ranch. Two or three houses marked the community on county highway maps in the late 1940s, but by the 1980s these were no longer shown on maps of the area.

Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Block Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295854N
0985027W

 

USGS

Boerne

TX

Kendall

pop place

294740N
0984354W

Link to Historic Buildings and Pictures.

USGS &
Cathy Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Boerne Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

294806N
0984418W

Link to Graves Listing.

USGS &
Cathy Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Brown Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

295103N
0985229W

 

USGS

Browns Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294626N
0984153W

 

USGS

Brownsboro Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295823N
0984943W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Bust Buttes

TX

Kendall

summit

300309N
0984319W

 

USGS

Camp Alzafar

TX

Kendall

locale

295347N
0983918W

 

USGS

Camp Capers

TX

Kendall

locale

295724N
0984900W

 

USGS

Camp Idlewide

TX

Kendall

locale

295810N
0985304W

Located 1/2 mile South of FM 473 and 1 1/2 miles East of Comfort. Idlewilde Lodge was built in 1902 of long leaf yellow pine. This structure was first used as a Sanitarium by Dr.C.H.Wilkinson of Galveston. The building became a Recorded Texas Historical landmarker in 1982 and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1906 the property was sold to E. Hugo, who operated Camp Reliance here until 1912 when Robert Wilke bought the land and adopted the name camp Good Times. This turn of the century vernacular building then served as the lodge for Camp Idlewilde, a girls summer camp operated by the YWCA for over 60 years. The camp later sold to Marshall T. Steves in the 1980's and in 1992 to Connie and Hank Engel.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Cannon Hill

TX

Kendall

summit

295047N
0984720W

 

USGS

Carlisle Canyon

TX

Kendall

valley

295606N
0983632W

 

USGS

Carson Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300335N
0983901W

 

USGS

Cave Hill

TX

Kendall

summit

300324N
0984004W

 

USGS

Cedar Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

295218N
0984953W

 

USGS

Champee Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

294935N
0985240W

 

USGS

Coffee Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

295751N
0984707W

 

USGS

Comanche Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

294940N
0984600W

 

USGS

Comfort

TX

Kendall

pop place

295803N
0985417W

The official founding date of Comfort is September 3, 1854, when Ernest Altgelt completed his survey and laid out the 301 town lots, which still form the basic community today. By the end of 1854, 50 families and 67 other men had settled in the community. Of the original 50 families, descendants of at least 40 still live in Comfort, many in the original homes built by their pioneer forefathers. It is a very close knit community. Most of comfort's early arrivals migrated from Germany because of its revolution of 1848. They sought peace and comfort and thus the English word "Comfort" was selected by the new settlers as their name for the town. Comfort became a thriving center for trading and commerce, education and "Freethinkers". It became the center for the"Freethinking Philosophy" which was an antireligious movement generated by religious oppression in Germany; another major reason for immigration to Texas. It was to be about 50 years before a church was established in Comfort. A matter of great pride from the beginning was education of both men and women. Comfort was the county seat for Kerr County before Kendall County was formed, and then it fell within the boundry line of Kendall and lost it's county seat. Comfort was chosen for the site of the "Treue der Union" monument. It is the common grave of 35 German settlers, who died in the Nueces Battle of the Civil War in 1862, when they were attempting to join Union Forces in this Confederate area. It is the only known monument to the Union below the Mason-Dixon Line. Today, Comfort is known for its preservation efforts and its Historic District. There are more than 150 19th century structures which are still predominant in this German town and Comfort residents continue to retain the early flavor and philosphies of the community.. It is the second largest town in Kendall County and is unincorporated.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Comfort Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295820N
0985443W

Link to Graves Listing.

Cathy Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Cothrum Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300132N
0984216W

 

USGS

Coyote Canyon

TX

Kendall

valley

295555N
0983630W

 

USGS

Coyote Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300358N
0985302W

 

USGS

Crabapple Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300607N
0983040W

 

USGS

Currey's Creek

TX

Kendall

vanished community

294712N
0984253W

The highway sign says Curry Creek, the map says Curry's Creek and many oldtimers say that its Currie's Creek. Nothing is known of the man it was named after and there is a legend that he drowned in the creek bearing his name. The community, 3 miles South of Kendalia, was settled in 1850 when Judge William E. Jones established a sawmill along the creek. While Boerne was still a small hamlet, Curry's Creek was florishing with a population of 100 or more. Men who helped to shape Texas history lived here. Judge Samuel B. Patton moved here in 1847 when the area was still in Blanco County. He became its first County Judge in 1858. He is buried on his old property and his grave site is a Recorded Texas Historical landmark. The Lawhon brothers, Jesse and John, came with Judge Jones, who himself had a colorful career in San Antonio. Jesse was overseer for the Judge and was killed by Indians in 1855. John settled here, became a rancher and farmer and his descendants are still in the area. Jesse L. McCrocklin was in the Battle of San Jacinto and the Somervell Expedition and was given a large land grant for his military service. Parson Daniel Rawls of Austin's "Old 300" brought 50 slaves here and settled on the creek that bears his name. He built the first cotton gin in the county and organized the Methodist Church in Blanco County. Captain John Sansom, a famous Texas Ranger lived here. George Wilkins Kendall, whom Kendall County is named after, lived here at one time. Still standing is the house with a slot in the door for letters, which was the Curry Creek Post Office, on land now owned by the Herrin family.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Darmstadt Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295912N
0984354W

 

USGS

Deep Hollow Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294628N
0984636W

 

USGS

Delaware Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300602N
0983719W

 

USGS

Delaware Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300416N
0983910W

 

USGS

Double U Ranch Airport

TX

Kendall

airport

295520N
0982851W

 

USGS

Dry Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295822N
0983546W

 

USGS

Dunners Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

300302N
0984520W

 

USGS

East Sister Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295744N
0984312W

 

USGS

Easter Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294908N
0984535W

 

USGS

Edge Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295530N
0983045W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Edge Falls

TX

Kendall

falls

295449N
0983022W

 

USGS

Elm Bottom

TX

Kendall

valley

300445N
0985058W

 

USGS

Elm Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

295543N
0983737W

 

USGS

First Coffee Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

295835N
0984733W

 

USGS

Flat Rock Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295801N
0985203W

 

USGS

Frederick Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294721N
0984355W

 

USGS

Gaddis Bluff

TX

Kendall

cliff

295832N
0985509W

 

USGS

Golden Fawn Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

295319N
0983951W

 

USGS

Goss Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295524N
0983647W

 

USGS

Grapetown

TX

Kendall

vanished community

300732N
098491W

Was located about 10 miles South of Fredericksburg on the San Antonio-Fredericksburg Road, which was the main thoroughfare for stock, cattle and freight drives. (Please see Bankersmith history) It was settled in 1855 by German immigrants of the Meusebach group from Fredericksburg, which was founded in 1846. This area was selected because of it's abundant wildlife and cattle ranges. Most were not farmers but factory workers from the industrialized areas of Germany, such as Hamburg and Berlin.. In 1860, Friedrich Doebbler opened a grocery and dry goods store named Doebbler's Inn. It was also the post office and a relay station for stagecoaches, with stables and an inn which was located in his home. It became the central gathering place for the Grapetown area. Some early names associated with Grapetown are Hemphill, Doebbler, Honhenberger, Tatsch, Ebers, Rausch, Enderlin and Hoffman. For 91 years Grapetown florished but now the schools, stores and dance halls are all gone with just a few social gatherings and reunions.

Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Grier Airport

TX

Kendall

airport

295221N
0984356W

 

USGS

Haag Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300139N
0984125W

 

USGS

Haag Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300200N
0984100W

 

USGS

Heiliqmann Canyon

TX

Kendall

valley

295509N
0983711W

 

USGS

Herff Park Fairground

TX

Kendall

locale

294714N
0984226W

 

USGS

Hillingdon Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300526N
0985229W

Near Block Creek, on the old San Antonio Rd, between Fredericksburg and Comfort, was a 3500 acre ranch purchased by Alfred Giles, noted architect. Alfred came to San Antonio from England, where he was born at Hillingdon, near London. He began his architectural career as an apprentice in England; he came to San Antonio in 1873 for his health at age 20. Employed by contractor, John Kampmann, he became a well-known architect and worked on several known structures such as the Bexar County Courthouse and the newer addition to the Kendall County Courthouse. On the ranch he built a 1 1/2 to 2 story structure, with stucco portions with towering capped chimneys reflecting an English influence Many out buildings include a dog-trot log cabin dating to C1855. The ranch became Alfred Giles retreat and remained in the Giles family after his death. His son Palmer lived on the ranch for over 70 years before he died at the ranch in 1986 at age 91.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Hog Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

300543N
0983236W

 

USGS

Holliday Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295726N
0985226W

 

USGS

Holy Angels Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

294705N
0984405W

Link to Graves Listing.

Cathy Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Hunt Ranch Airport

TX

Kendall

airport

300211N
0984151W

 

USGS

Insall Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295829N
0985022W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Jacobs Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295755N
0984035W

 

USGS

Jones Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295814N
0983518W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS&
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Joshua Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295646N
0984604W

 

USGS

Jung Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300302N
0984429W

 

USGS

Jung Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300423N
0984917W

 

USGS

Jungfrau

TX

Kendall

summit

295611N
0985124W

 

USGS

KBRN-AM (Boerne)

TX

Kendall

tower

294844N
0984341W

 

USGS

KONO-FM (Fredericksburg)

TX

Kendall

tower

295026N
0984932W

 

USGS

Kendalia

TX

Kendall

pop place

295808N
0983119W

Located about 25 miles NE of Boerne, was surveyed and plotted by Carl Gustav Vogel in 1883; however, the first records of Kendalia were in 1852. It is not certain whether the town was named for George Wilkins Kendall or for the county of Kendall. A plat was made of the town but it never attained the promise of the survey for a "Mountain College", a square, a park and a garden. Most proposed streets are now in pasture and never materialized. George Elbel built a store in 1911 and a cotton gin was built. The first merchant was J.J. Merchon, whose store housed the postoffice. There was an octagon store but that has been replaced by the current Kendalia Store and postoffice. Post Office records were transferred from Curry's Creek Settlement to Kendallia in 1895. J.W. Lawhon built a rock store before 1900 where everything imaginable was sold at now ridiculously low prices. Record books of the store contain the names of most of the people in the community. Dr. Herrin had a drugstore and after him, Dr. Putnam added cold drinks. There was also a "Buck Horn Saloon." Three schools were built in the area, There were two churches but now the Baptist Church is gone and the Methodist Community Church remains in use and is a Texas Historical Landmark. There are family cemeteries with such names as Jones, Kneupper, Lawhon, Schmidt, Gerfers and Edges which reflect early pioneer names. Kendalia today is a small community surrounded by ranches with an active volunteer fire department, community center, library, store and post office and a newly activated Dance Hall.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds

Kendall County

TX

Kendall

civil

295600N
0984300W

 

USGS

Knuepper Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295931N
0983124W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Krause Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295654N
0982907W

 

USGS

Kreutzberg

TX

Kendall

pop place

295148N
0984030W

In 1847, Vincent Phillip and his family moved to a new home on the Sabine River located about 8 miles East of Boerne. He erected a large wooden cross on a high hill overlooking the valley as a landmark. This was in thanksgiving for the many blessings received on their perilous trip from the old country. The cross has been replaced several times and is now made of concrete; erected by descendants of Vincent Phillip and family in 1928. Kreutzberg, which means "Cross Mountain" in German, once had a schoolhouse and has a shooting club. Today, some new developing, with the sale of old family lands is beginning.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Lake Oz

TX

Kendall

reservoir

294640N
0984716W

 

USGS

Lenz Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

294847N
0983653

Just north of the Pleasant Valley Community Center.
Link to Graves Listing.

Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Lindendale Community Hall

TX

Kendall

locale

300641N
0983721W

Was formed in 1872, and named for the Linden trees that grew along the Blanco River, being brought there from Pennsylvania. The old Sisterdale-Lindendale Road was closed in 1961 since it had long been abandoned as a county road. Land around the springs at the head of the Blanco River, about 18 miles West of Blanco, was preempted by Valentine Gates from the State of Texas in 1870. Gates was a horticulturist and nurseryman and his life long interest was fruit trees.. One of his first projects after building his house in 1865 was to plant his famous apple orchard, the first of its kind in the Hill Country. He was the only nurseryman near Boerne for a number of years and he propogated hundreds of apple, peach and pear trees in his day. T.E Patton, grandson of Gates and brother to Captain Sam Patton, said that one of the hardest jobs he had was to keep the deer and wild animals of of the gardens and orchards. Even today, wildlife abounds in that area. Springs used to run through the springhouse to keep the butter, milk and vegetables cool. Persimmon and pecan trees still provide abundant yields and large cypress trees provide constant shade for the house and yard. Old Grandpa Gates wanted to build out in the woods away from noise. He got his wish because even today, the current owner, Dr. Dan Peavy, is still a mile away from neighbors. There used to be a school in the Lindendale area and church services were held there. A teacher, Miss Mary Holesworth of England taught in the late1890's and built the education up to the third best in the country. She gave concerts on Saturday nights and people from Blanco came in their wagons and buggies from the sparcely populated region. The last school building is now a community center and 4-H Club meeting place.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Little Joshua Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295530N
0984721W

 

USGS

Lone Hill

TX

Kendall

summit

300333N
0984121W

 

USGS

Malikoff Mountain

TX

Kendall

monument

294938N
0984230W

On Malakopf Mountain, 1.5 miles, NE of Boerne, via FM 474 and Kennon Ranch Road, is a monument to Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig von Herff (1820-1912). The son of a prominent German family and a veteran of the Prussian War, physician Herff first came to Texas in 1847. By the 1860s he had set up a practice in San Antonio, where he was an active civic leader. His medical innovations made him a prominent physician in the Southwest. Dr. Herff and his wife, Mathilda (1823-1910), owned a ranch at this site and their interest in the area led to the development of Boerne. Local residents and descendants, honored their many contributions with the monument on Malakopf Mountain, a site favored by the Herffs.

Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Manahan Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300047N
0982934W

 

USGS

Meier Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300630N
0984048W

 

USGS

Menger Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294630N
0984231W

 

USGS

Meta Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

300111N
0983829W

 

USGS

Neal Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300417N
0985330W

 

USGS

Nelson City

TX

Kendall

pop place

295238N
0984742W

Located off IH 10 at the Welfare exit, 7 miles N. of Boerne and 10 miles S. of Comfort. The town was built up by Mr. Edwin Nelson, who owned the propert. He built a small store, living quarters and a Gulf filling station in the 1920s; then placed a sign at the entrance calling it Nelson City. Edwin Nelson was a rancher and dairyman. The structure next built was a dance hall in 1929. There were just gravel roads to the area at that time, but nelson City was put on the map and is still on the Texas Highway map, although there is no post office there.. The dance hall was open during prohibition so no alchoholic beverages were allowed inside. That wasn't a problem because bootleggers peddled moonshine outside the building for 25 cents a shot.. This was also the time of the great Depression and people didn't have the money for gasoline to get there. The dance hall eventually failed. The building was sold to Edwin Houston, a colorful rancher known for his large export business of animals to latin America. Houston started a restaurant in the old dance hall building and named it Po-Po Cafe after the great Mexican volcano, Popocatepetl. It changed hand several times, then in 1950, it was sold to Luther and Marie Burgon and a great restuarant was born; well known to the San Antonio and Texas Hill Country area. In 1983 it was sold to Jerry, Jenny and David Tilley and continues to operate as a popular family restaurant, winning many Taste of the Town Awards in San Antonio. With the addition of sound stages and covered outdoor areas, complete kitchen and private party room, Po-Po is the famous place to go in Nelson City. Continue down the country road and you come next to Welfare and then Waring, other interesting places to visit.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

No Name Hills

TX

Kendall

summit

300551N
0985200W

 

USGS

North Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295859N
0985535W

 

USGS

Oberly Crossing

TX

Kendall

pop place

295511N
0983515W

 

USGS

Offer Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300105N
0984208W

 

USGS

Panther Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295247N
0983153W

 

USGS

Phillips Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295130N
0984116W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Platte Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300257N
0984425W

 

USGS

Pleasant Valley

TX

Kendall

valley

294822N
0983653W

 

USGS

Pleasant Valley Community Center

TX

Kendall

locale

294847N
0983742W

 

USGS

Polecat Spring Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300301N
0984952W

 

USGS

Possum Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295256N
0985214W

 

USGS

Rafter Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

300341N
0984951W

 

USGS

Ranger Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294855N
0984520W

 

USGS

Rattlesnake Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

300048N
0985332W

 

USGS

Rausch Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300338N
0984939W

 

USGS

Rawls Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295655N
0983150W

 

USGS

Reed Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300621N
0985145W

 

USGS

Reeh Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300034N
0984413W

 

USGS

Richter Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295235N
0983107W

Link to Burial Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Rigi, Mount

TX

Kendall

summit

295937N
0985324W

 

USGS

Ring Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

295250N
0984912W

 

USGS

Rock Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295104N
0983747W

 

USGS

Round Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

295754N
0983727W

 

USGS

Rundale Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

294300N
0984425W

 

USGS

Rust Field

TX

Kendall

airport

295725N
0984726W

 

USGS

Sabinas Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295339N
0984015W

 

USGS

Sabinas Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

295134N
0984444W

 

USGS

Schleicher Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

295951N
0984849W

 

USGS

Second Coffee Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

295835N
0984733W

 

USGS

Sheps Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295703N
0983409W

 

USGS

Short Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295509N
0983613W

Link to Graves List

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Simmons Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295356N
0982913W

 

USGS

Sister Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295725N
0984300W

 

USGS

Sisterdale

TX

Kendall

pop place

295822N
0984314W

The late 1840s was a period of prolific German settlement of Texas because of the political unrest and german Revolution of 1848 Small groups of well educated, city dwelling political refugees founded several "Latin Colonies". These well educated intellectuals had never farmed before and didn't know where to begin. Sisterdale, located 15 miles North of Boerne, was one such community of intellectuals. Sisterdale was originally known as Zink's Settlement for Nicholas Zink, an engineer who had previously laid out the town of New Braunfels for Prince Solm. He saw and fell in love with the valley of the Sister Creeks. Dr. Ernst Kapp was another early settler who came in 1850 and established his famous Kapp Hydropathic Clinic because of cures possible with the many natural mineral springs on his property, which have dried up now. The place is called Badenthal which translates into " natural spring valley." Badenthal is on the National Register of Historic Places as is Ottmar von Behr's Homestead. Ottmar von Behr, the second permanent settler in Sisterdale, built his log cabin to the South of the Guadalupe River and his homestead contained the first post office and the first library for the colony and the county. The period of the Civil War ended the dominance of the Latin Colony settlers, replaced by new German immigrants who were farmers and workers; your butcher and baker and candlestick maker variety. Stores and schools and buildings expanded with a Dance Hall and an Opera House. Sisterdale never became an incorporated city, only a series of farms and was established as a township in 1883, although it was one of the oldest German settlements in the county.

USGS &

Sleepy Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

300551N
0983401W

 

USGS

Smith Hill

TX

Kendall

summit

295101N
0984126W

 

USGS

Soell Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300149N
0984004W

 

USGS

South Fork Blanco River

TX

Kendall

stream

300555N
0983612W

 

USGS

Spanish Pass

TX

Kendall

gap

295123N
0984605W

 

USGS

Spicewood Canyon

TX

Kendall

valley

295724N
0984012W

 

USGS

Spring Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295317N
0983617W

 

USGS

Swede Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295240N
0983433W

 

USGS

Sycamore Ridge Camp

TX

Kendall

locale

295004N
0985010W

 

USGS

Sycamore Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

295019N
0985344W

 

USGS

Thornton Canyon

TX

Kendall

valley

295548N
0983549W

 

USGS

Turkey Hollow

TX

Kendall

valley

300526N
0985355W

 

USGS

Turkey Hollow Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300526N
0985420W

 

USGS

Turkey Knob

TX

Kendall

summit

295005N
0985431W

 

USGS

Violet Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295657N
0984343W

 

USGS

Wallace Ranch Airport

TX

Kendall

airport

300100N
0985101W

 

USGS

Walnut Grove

TX

Kendall

pop place

295205N
0984404W

 

USGS

Walter Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295238N
0983038W

 

USGS

Waring

TX

Kendall

pop place

295702N
0984810W

Started out as a stagecoach stop on the road between San Antonio and Fredericksburg. At the time it was called Winsor and was on the North bank of the Guadalupe River. Waring was created in 1888 following the completion of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad along the South side of the Guadalupe. The town was laid out into 50 city blocks by E.M. Burr and was named after R.P.M. Waringford. The name was officially changed to Waring in 1891. Waring prospered in it's early days with two daily connections to San Antonio and Highway #9 going through to Fredericksburg. Waring provided warehousing, shipping and shopping services and had a post office, general store, school, meat markets, dance hall and other services. The decline of Waring came with the completion of the railroad to Fredericksburg bypassing Waring in 1913. Then came the new roads bypassing the town, the automobile, the Great Depression, and discontinuance of the railroad after WWII. Herman Rust came to Waring in 1900 and became the leading blacksmith in the area for over 50 years. He added a large hardware store, built a garage and a gas station. He was the leading Case Machinery Agent for a large territory. This developed into R&F Automotive & Welding, Inc. Today, people are discovering that Waring is a great place to live in the Texas Hill Country and some of the old families are still in residence.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Wasp Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295439N
0984008W

An intermittent stream that rises in Kendall County and flows east northeast about 8 miles to the Guadalupe River. The stream received its name when a surveyor with George Erath discovered a wasp nest and mistook it for a beehive. A small community of Wasp Creek settled in the area in the mid-1800's that included the Oscar Bergmanns, William Magers family and Behr/Herbst families.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Wasp Creek Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295322N
0984555W

Link to Graves Listing.

Cathy Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Welfare

TX

Kendall

locale

295433N
0984711W

The name of Welfare, located between Boerne and Comfort, possibly comes from the German word Wohlfahrt, meaning "pleasant trip." In 1846, the town was known as Bon Ton but was changed when the railroad came through from San Antonio to Kerrville. Like Waring, much of Welfare's history involves transportation routes and the railroad. Mail was delivered first by bicycle, then by stagecoach twice weekly and then by the railroad. There used to be a depot and water tank, saloon, hotel and cotton gin. The train picked up mail, milk cans, cattle, chickens and produce. The railroad tracks were laid in 1886, the postoffice began in 1889 and the Welfare store in 1890. Mr. Percy Laas worked in the post office for 53 years and the Welfare store for 55 years. In 1960, the railroad tracks were removed and the new interstate highway #10 bypassed Welfare. Everything is now gone of the by-gone era. Old family names of Welfare are Zink, Laas, Bartel, Beseler, Magers, Klemstein and Pfeiffer.

USGS &
Bettie Edmonds
betts@texas.net

Wenzel Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300359N
0984422W

 

USGS

Wenzel Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300341N
0984424W

 

USGS

Werner Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295730N
0984036W

 

USGS

West Sister Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295744N
0984312W

 

USGS

Whiskey Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300428N
0985304W

 

USGS

Whitworth Ranch

TX

Kendall

locale

300219N
0984406W

 

USGS

Willie Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

300221N
0984114W

 

USGS

Willke Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295124N
0983123W

Link to Graves Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

Willow Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

295041N
0983440W

 

USGS

Wilson Spring

TX

Kendall

spring

300432N
0985241W

 

USGS

Wolf Mountain

TX

Kendall

summit

300106N
0983945W

 

USGS

Zinke Creek

TX

Kendall

stream

295406N
0984722W

......................................................................................

USGS..............................................

Zoeller Cemetery

TX

Kendall

cemetery

295730N
0984628W

Located near Waring at Zoeller Crossing of Guadalupe River. Link to Burial Listing

USGS &
Catharine Schwarz
cstone@gvtc.com

 

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