Everything Marion is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Marion.
McQueeney, Texas, a little Guadalupe County town just west of Seguin, might seem like any other blink-and-you'll-miss-it place along Highway 90. But it has a history that runs deeper than the Guadalupe River, and a few folks who left their mark on the world started right here. While not exactly bursting with household names, the area produced its share of talented individuals.
New Braunfels, nestled right where the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers meet, has always been more than just a pretty spot on the map. It's a place that seems to breed a certain kind of spirit. You know, a blend of German grit and Texas charm. Maybe that's why it's produced more than its fair share of folks who've gone on to make a real mark. While the town might be known for its German heritage, and the annual Wurstfest celebration, it has also been a starting point for many who went on to have careers in sports and entertainment.
Seguin's story is tied to the land and the river. That gentle rise in elevation, those rolling hills, they might not seem like much, but they were enough to make this a key spot on the old El Camino Real. Being on that trail, that ancient road, meant trade. It meant Seguin, even back in 1838 when it was founded and named for the Tejano revolutionary Juan Seguín, was always a place where things came together. Agriculture took root in the fertile soil near the Guadalupe, and later, manufacturing followed. The river, of course, is central to it all – some even whisper about lost Confederate gold buried somewhere along its banks, a legend that adds a little shimmer to the water. Today, you'll find people drawn to Seguin for different reasons. Maybe they're looking for a taste of that Texas small-town life, the kind where Friday night lights mean something, where the Seguin Matadors face off against the New Braunfels Unicorns in a rivalry that runs deep. But if you ask a local why people stay, why Seguin is what it is, they'll tell you it's about the community. It's about that sense of connection that's been here since the first traders set up shop along the El Camino Real, a resilience that saw them through even the hard times of the Depression. It's a place where the past is always present, flowing just like the Guadalupe.
The Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway was chartered in 1870 to give interior Texas ready access to Gulf of Mexico ports. As the tracks proceeded west of the Guadalupe, Col. Thomas W. Peirce (1818-85), major investor in the G.H. & S.A., bought land here near a country store and hotel. Platting a town named for his daughter, he obtained a U.S. Post Office on May 31, 1877. A public sale of lots was held on June 20, 1877. Within a year, Marion's 3-acre railyard was known for vast quantities of shipping. By 1900, public school, churches, and other facilities were thriving. (1977)
Joseph Herrington, jurist, county official, and early Angelina County settler, was born on November 14, 1823, in Monroe County, Alabama, the son of William and Anne Herrington. In 1842 the family immigrated to the Republic of Texas and settled on Hanes Creek, twelve miles from Marion in Nacogdoches County. In 1846 the Texas legislature appointed Herrington and several others to survey the boundary line of the new Angelina County and to locate the county seat. In the first county election in July of that year, Herrington was elected chief justice of the county (i.e., county judge). Although only twenty-two at the time, he was made president of the county commissioners and played an important role in molding the county government and in overseeing construction of the first county courthouse in Marion. He was also instrumental in building county roads and in establishing the county school system. He served five terms as chief justice—1846–48, 1850–52, 1855–58, 1866–68, and 1880–84. He never married. He became a master Mason on November 2, 1850, and received the royal arch degree on September 15, 1851. He died on March 3, 1889, near Homer and was buried in the Herrington Cemetery, ten miles south of Huntington in Angelina County.
Marion, the first of four county seats of Angelina County, was north of State Highway 103 near the Angelina River and thirteen miles northeast of Lufkin, near present-day Marion Ferry Park. The town was known as McNeill's Landing as early as 1828 and was once the largest and most important town in Angelina County, serving as the northernmost steamboat stop on the Angelina River. From 1855 to about 1882 a regular steamboat service linked the town with Sabine Pass on the Neches River. Going south, the principal cargo was cotton; on the return trip the ships brought foodstuffs and other supplies. The town grew slowly; the census of 1850 listed 196 families for all of Angelina County. In 1846 the town became the county seat and was renamed Marion after Revolutionary War general Francis Marion. County officials and tradesmen made up most of the population of the town, which had a dry-goods store, a druggist, a smithy, several residences, and a two-story courthouse constructed of logs. The first post office in the county was established in Marion on March 8, 1847, with John D. Gann as the first postmaster. Marion remained the county seat until 1854, when county officials chose Jonesville, which was more centrally located. Marion continued to exist for several decades, however. With the arrival of the railroad in Angelina County in 1882 the steamboat service ceased. No longer the county seat or a steamboat stop, Marion went out of existence after 1899. By 1948 all that was left was a small log barn and a marker placed by the state of Texas in 1936.
The town of Marion began in the 1870s as a marketing and shipping point on the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio rail line. It grew steadily and, in the early twentieth century, began to develop as an important commercial center for the area. A cotton gin opened in 1904, followed soon by an electric plant and a telephone company. As part of that progress, Marion State Bank received a charter on October 26, 1906. H.D. Dreyer served as the first president, with Dr. Louis Hirschfeld as vice president and Henry Wimmer as cashier and secretary; all were directors. The other initial directors were L. Kuehler, W.J. Schneider and Arlon B. Davis. Marion State Bank began operation in the first floor rear area of the H.D. Dreyer building, which also housed the Waldorf Club, a local saloon. The bank purchased the property in 1910 and moved to the front part of the building. It remained at that site until 1987, when it relocated to new facilities here. Marion State Bank was among the first state chartered banks in Texas, and it remains one of the state’s oldest community-based financial institutions. Throughout its history, it has been a key player in area development, serving Marion and nearby communities Zuehl, New Berlin and Santa Clara. The institution has paid dividends regularly to its investors over the years, even during the Great Depression. Today, Marion State Bank serves as a reminder of the area’s early history, as well as its steady growth and development. As with its founding, the bank continues in service as a hometown institution. (2006)
Cibolo is on Farm Road 78 and Cibolo Creek, sixteen miles west of Seguin in western Guadalupe County. Cíbolo is Spanish for "buffalo." The banks of Cibolo Creek are quite steep, and along its entire course, which is the boundary between Guadalupe and Bexar counties, there are few places where pioneers could find a safe crossing before the development of bridges. It is said that Indians stampeded buffalo over the banks to disable them so they could be slaughtered. Jacob Schlather bought land in the area in 1867, and his son George built a store to supply neighboring settlers, who were mostly German. The store was sold to Charles Fromme in 1882, and the settlement became known as Fromme's Store. When the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway built through the area in 1877 the station was called Cibolo Valley. A post office called Cibolo opened in 1883. By 1890 the community had a church, a cotton gin, a general store, and 100 residents. The Cibolo Valley school had one teacher and thirty-one students in 1904. O. Henry's ( see PORTER, WILLIAM SYDNEY ) story "The Smiling Valley of the Cibolo" was supposedly inspired by a visit to the area. In 1914 a second frame school building was constructed to accommodate the growing number of students. In 1916 the voters approved a bond for a new high school. The trustees, F. J. Werner, George Schlather, and Alfred Sahm, contracted for a two-story brick structure. The first graduates of Cibolo High School received their diplomas in 1920. The census of 1940 recorded a post office, a bank, nine businesses, and a population of 250. When the town was incorporated in 1968 the population was 398. The major economic influences on Cibolo have been Randolph Air Force Base and the expansion of San Antonio. In the 1980s Cibolo grew dramatically along Interstate Highway 35, and many housing developments were planned. The town reported 657 residents in 1988, 1,757 in 1990, and 3,035 in 2000.
Following his service in World War II, Felipe Delgado and his wife, Elisa Saenz Delgado, purchased a lot in 1947 in the West End Subdivision #2, determined to create an entertainment center for the Hispanic community. Felipe worked various jobs including civil service but devoted his spare time to working on the park. A concrete slab was poured for dances and events lit by lanterns and later a hall was built. The hall became a popular destination for concerts, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and quinceañeras. Lydia Mendoza, one of the best-known Spanish-language singers of the Texas-Mexico border region, performed at the West End Dance Hall to large crowds. At times, the concrete platform and the dance hall were converted for use as a skating rink or for boxing matches. Elisa made and sold hamburgers for attendees at dances and baseball games. A large outdoor area accommodated carnivals, picnics and celebrations, and a baseball field with a large grandstand encouraged the love of baseball in the New Braunfels Hispanic community. The West End team was called the Cardinals and later the Lions and played against other New Braunfels and surrounding city teams at the park, as well as teams from Mexico. One of the largest annual events in the park was Diez y Seis de Septiembre, a celebration of Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1810 that is observed throughout Texas. Hundreds of citizens and guests would gather in the park for music, food and festivities. The Delgados leased the property in the 1970s and the hall was torn down in the 1980s. Although the hall, cantina and baseball fields are no longer visible, the legacy of the West End Park remains in the community. (2016)
Gruene Hall opened in 1878 and has never closed its doors making it the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas. The wooden floor is scuffed smooth…
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Before George Strait was the King of Country he was a young singer playing regular gigs at Gruene Hall in the 1970s and 80s. The tiny dance hall with no air…
In 1974 developers had plans to bulldoze what was left of Gruene and build suburban homes. Then a University of Texas architecture student named Chip Kaufman…
Texas' oldest dance hall (1878). Still hosts live music every night.
Gruene Hall was built in 1878 by a German cotton farmer named Henry D. Gruene and it has never stopped hosting dances. That makes it the oldest continuously…
The largest bat colony on earth lives in this single sinkhole outside San Antonio -- somewhere between fifteen and twenty million Mexican free-tailed bats…
280 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Marion, Texas, nestled in Guadalupe County, might seem like just another small town on the San Antonio River. But for generations, it's been known for something special: peanuts. The sandy loam soil around Marion is…
The Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway was chartered in 1870 to give interior Texas ready access to Gulf of Mexico ports. As the tracks proceeded west of the Guadalupe, Col. Thomas W. Peirce (1818-85), major…
You're driving through Marion, a town with German roots, founded back in 1877 as a railroad hub. Right here, a man named T. W. Peirce believed in education, donating three thousand dollars and land for free public…
Joseph Herrington, jurist, county official, and early Angelina County settler, was born on November 14, 1823, in Monroe County, Alabama, the son of William and Anne Herrington. In 1842 the family immigrated to the…
Marion, the first of four county seats of Angelina County, was north of State Highway 103 near the Angelina River and thirteen miles northeast of Lufkin, near present-day Marion Ferry Park. The town was known as…
The town of Marion began in the 1870s as a marketing and shipping point on the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio rail line. It grew steadily and, in the early twentieth century, began to develop as an important…
Named for the screaming heard along its banks at night. A Texas variant of La Llorona the weeping woman who drowned her children and wanders waterways crying…
Steele (Cibolo, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Andrew Tschoepe (2 HR).
Cibolo is on Farm Road 78 and Cibolo Creek, sixteen miles west of Seguin in western Guadalupe County. Cíbolo is Spanish for "buffalo." The banks of Cibolo Creek are quite steep, and along its entire course, which is the…
You're driving past the site of St. Paul Church in Cibolo, a testament to German immigrant faith. Services began around 1876, held in homes and a schoolhouse, with worship conducted in German. The congregation formally…
Cibolo, Texas – it's a name that rolls off the tongue, but its origins are deeper than you might think. Before the city officially incorporated in 1965, folks considered calling it Deer Creek, a nod to the local…
You're driving through Cibolo, Texas, a town that owes its very existence to the railroad. Back in 1875, the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad laid tracks right through this area. Almost immediately, a…
You're driving past the site of the Altwein family farm, just outside McQueeney. Johann Gotthülf Altwein, a mill builder, brought his family here from Prussia in 1851. They settled on this land along the Guadalupe River…
McQueeney, Texas, a little Guadalupe County town just west of Seguin, might seem like any other blink-and-you'll-miss-it place along Highway 90. But it has a history that runs deeper than the Guadalupe River, and a few…
You're driving past the site of Boecker Cemetery, established in 1896. It began as a family burial ground on Friedrich Boecker's farm when he died in 1880, with eleven more neighbors buried here over the next fourteen…
You're driving through Garden Ridge, in Comal County, passing through a place with roots stretching back to the mid-1800s. This area was settled by German families, some of the first to arrive in Texas in the 1840s.…
You're driving past the site of Schumannsville Cemetery, a final resting place for German immigrants who settled here in the mid-1800s. August Wilhelm Schumann arrived from Germany in 1846, buying a large tract of land.…
You're driving past the Tewes House, built in the 1870s by a German immigrant who served in the Civil War. Carl August Edward Tewes arrived in Texas in 1854, became a successful merchant, and served as postmaster for 26…
You're driving through New Berlin, a community built by German settlers back in the 1840s. Now, look for the spot where the Muelder Store once stood. In 1898, a partnership formed, running a general store, saloon, and…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and right here is the city's first cemetery, dedicated way back on June 23rd, 1845, just months after this town was founded by German immigrants. It saw many colonists laid to rest…
Schertz wasn't always the bustling suburb it is today. Think back to the mid-1800s, when German immigrants, drawn by the promise of fertile land and opportunity, began to settle along Cibolo Creek. That creek, snaking…
You're driving through Schertz, a town that owes its start to German immigrants arriving in the 1840s, looking for good farmland. This community, known then as Cibolo Pit and Cutoff, really took off when the railroad…
Following his service in World War II, Felipe Delgado and his wife, Elisa Saenz Delgado, purchased a lot in 1947 in the West End Subdivision #2, determined to create an entertainment center for the Hispanic community.…
Keep your eyes peeled as you drive through Seguin, because you're passing the site of a community that started with a Jamaican immigrant and ended with a singing group. In 1851, Jacob De Cordova, a land agent who sold…
Ernst Gruene and his bride Antoinette arrived in Texas from Germany in 1845 chasing the promise of cheap land. By 1872 the family had purchased 6000 acres…
You're driving through Guadalupe County right now, formed from Gonzales and Bexar counties back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1846</say-as>. It’s named for the Guadalupe River, a name given by Spanish…
New Braunfels, nestled right where the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers meet, has always been more than just a pretty spot on the map. It's a place that seems to breed a certain kind of spirit. You know, a blend of German…
You're driving through the former Clear Spring Community, just outside Seguin. This area was settled by German immigrants back in the 1840s and 50s. The community itself never quite became a town, but this spot was the…
Driving through New Braunfels, you're passing the historic Hofheinz House. Frederick Hofheinz, a German immigrant who arrived in Texas in 1852, built this beautiful home in 1906 with his wife Emilie. Hofheinz was a…
Ever wonder where the U.S. military first started training pilots on a large scale? You're passing it! Randolph Field, now part of Randolph Air Force Base, was the first permanent flight training facility for the U.S.…
You're driving past the birthplace of Hermann Seele, a true pioneer of New Braunfels. Born in Germany in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1823</say-as>, Seele arrived in Texas in 1843. Just two years later, he…
You're cruising past the San Antonio Airport, and right here is a piece of aviation history! Back in 1928, this land was donated to the Army Air Corps to become Randolph Field, the 'West Point of the Air.' Construction…
You're driving past the Ullrich Home, built in 1855 by George Ullrich. But George wasn't just any builder. He was the man who drove the very first wagon carrying German Emigration Company settlers, crossing the…
You're driving past the Faust Street Bridge, a survivor of Texas's early infrastructure boom. For centuries, travelers crossed the Guadalupe River right here on El Camino Real, often waiting weeks for floodwaters to…
You're driving past the site of a master craftsman's legacy in New Braunfels. Johann Michael Jahn arrived here in 1845 with the German Emigration Company. He wasn't just a settler; he was a Tischlermeister, a master…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town with a story that begins way back on March 21st, 1845. <break time="400ms"/> A group of German immigrants, led by Nicolaus Zink and under the guidance of Prince Carl of…
You're driving through New Braunfels, the original home of Schlitterbahn, which means 'slippery road' in German. <break time="400ms"/> It all started in 1979 when Bob and Billye Henry opened a family waterpark next to…
You're driving through New Braunfels, Texas, where a German immigrant's passion for Mexican food sparked a culinary revolution. William Gebhardt, arriving from Germany in 1885, opened a small café in 1892. He loved the…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and right here is the original Schlitterbahn! What started as a simple campground called Camp Landa in 1966, purchased by Bob and Billye Henry, transformed into a unique waterpark.…
You're driving through the beautiful Texas Hill Country, and right here, you're passing through an area deeply connected to German heritage. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1844</say-as>, Betty Wilhelmine…
Pull over a sec! This gorgeous building is the Brauntex Theatre, and it's way more than just a pretty face. It's a time capsule from the golden age of Hollywood. Built in 1942, right in the thick of World War II, the…
You're driving past the home of Dr. Theodore Koester, built in 1859 right here in New Braunfels. This place wasn't just a house; it was a hub of activity. Dr. Koester, a physician for the German Immigration Company, ran…
You're driving past the home of Ferdinand Lindheimer, a man who wore many hats in early Texas. Born in Germany in 1801, he fought in the Texas Revolution and later became known as the Father of Texas Botany. Lindheimer…
You're driving past the former home of Ferdinand Lindheimer, a true pioneer of Texas botany and journalism. Born in Germany, he fought in the Texas Revolution before settling in New Braunfels. Lindheimer became the…
You're driving past a spot that marked the end of a long, hard journey for some of Texas' earliest German settlers. Imagine, six months after leaving Europe, about 200 colonists arrive here at the Guadalupe River…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town that owes much of its early 20th-century Mexican American heritage to Gregorio José María Cardona. Arriving in Texas in 1904, Cardona, an educator, quickly set out to serve…
You're driving through Comal County, the heart of Texas Hill Country. Right here, in 1845, German Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels secured title to land around the beautiful Comal Springs. This was the start of New…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and right here is the Comal River, famous for being the shortest river in the United States. It starts from a series of large springs right in town and flows for just three miles…
You're driving through New Braunfels right now, and just to your northwest are the Comal Springs, the biggest natural springs in all of Texas! For centuries, Native Americans camped here. Spanish explorer Damián…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and right here in Landa Park, you're passing by the remnants of a Confederate gunpowder factory. During the Civil War, with Union blockades cutting off supplies, the Confederacy…
You're driving through what is now Polk County, but back in 1856, William DeRyee arrived in New Braunfels, Texas. A chemist and inventor from Germany, he was looking for new opportunities. While living with an inventor,…
You're driving through Texas, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of the Dreissiger. These were intellectual refugees, German liberals who fled repression in the 1830s after failed uprisings. They…
You're driving through Central Texas, perhaps near New Braunfels, where a remarkable minister named Louis Ervendberg arrived in 1839. He held the first recorded German church services in Texas right here, and went on to…
You're driving through Central Texas, a region that's seen its share of innovation. Right here, in New Braunfels, Bertram Giesecke was born in 1892. He followed in his father's footsteps, becoming an architect and the…
You're driving through New Braunfels, the birthplace of Nash Hernández, a trumpet player and bandleader who shaped Texas music for decades. Born Ignacio Hernández in 1922, he started out playing German polka music…
You're driving through Central Texas, maybe not too far from McQueeney, where a popular German polka band got its start. It was the fall of 1948 when three high school friends, practicing just for fun, decided to form a…
You're driving through the heart of Texas German culture, and right here in New Braunfels is where Carl von Iwonski began his artistic journey. Arriving with the Adelsverein colonists in 1845, Iwonski became a…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town with roots stretching back to German pioneers. One of those pioneers was Johann Michael Jahn, a cabinetmaker who arrived in Texas in 1844. He wasn't just a craftsman; he was…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town steeped in German heritage. Right here, on the outskirts, is the Saengerhalle. Established in 1959, it was built from old army barracks moved from Fort Sam Houston. This hall…
You're driving through Comal County, near New Braunfels, on land that was once the wild Texas frontier. Right here, a young girl's life was a mystery. Born in Mexico or Texas, she was orphaned and possibly captured by…
You're driving through Central Texas, and right here in what is now New Braunfels, John Frink Torrey was building an industrial empire. Arriving in Texas around 1838, Torrey quickly established himself, first in…
You're driving near New Braunfels, in Comal County. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1845</say-as>, settlers arrived and immediately built a temporary fortress called Zinkenburg. It was named for…
You're driving past the site of Old New Braunfels High School, a building that served this community for over fifty years. Built in 1913, it replaced the older New Braunfels Academy. Take a look at the architecture – it…
You're cruising past the Old Schmidt Home, built in the 1850s. Imagine this place going up, constructed from adobe bricks and timbers hand-hewn from cedar, pine, and oak. It's a classic example of "Fachwerk" style…
You're driving past the Scholl House in New Braunfels, a place where Texas history is built layer by layer. The original section, crafted around 1847, shows off the traditional Fachwerk style brought by German…
You're driving through Comal County, Texas, a place with a complicated history during the Civil War. Back in 1861, ten heavily German counties actually voted against secession. Comal County, though, was an exception.…
You're driving through Bandera County, perhaps near Pipe Creek, where Friedrich Wilhelm Dorow once farmed and served the community. He was a German immigrant who came to Texas as a boy, fought for the Confederacy, and…
You're driving through Comal County, and right here in New Braunfels, you're passing through the heart of German Texas. Johann Jacob Groos arrived from Germany in 1845, drawn by tales of opportunity. He settled in New…
You're driving through Comal County, near New Braunfels, the hometown of Alexander Kessler. He wasn't just a businessman, but a key player in early Texas politics. Kessler served in the Texas Legislature from 1874 to…
Right here in New Braunfels, you're driving through a town that was once home to one of Texas's very first German-language newspapers. The Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung, which started in 1852, wasn't just about news. It was a…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, not far from where Ferdinand Weinert spent his life. Born in New Braunfels in 1853, Weinert was a merchant and a public servant for over sixty years. He served as county…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, and right here is the area where Leroy Gilbert Denman got his start. Born in 1855, Denman taught school and then graduated from the University of Virginia's law school in 1880.…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town that was home to John Romberg Fuchs, a prominent judge who served the Twenty-second Judicial District for twenty years. He was elected in 1944 and held that office until he…
You're driving near New Braunfels, the birthplace of Arno "Shorty" Nowotny, a giant in University of Texas student life. Born in a log cabin in 1899, Shorty went on to become Dean of Men, and later Dean of Student Life,…
You're driving past Zions Kirche, a testament to German heritage in Comal County. Organized in 1871 with 52 German members by Reverend William Felsing, this Methodist Episcopal Church began with a simple limestone…
In 1845, a 22-year-old German prince named Carl of Solms-Braunfels arrived in Texas with a silver tea service, a library of books, and a plan to build a German colony in the wilderness. He was acting on behalf of the…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and right here is the site of a Texas first! This was the New Braunfels Academy, incorporated in 1858. Now, Texas didn't officially provide for local school taxes until the…
This city's story begins in 1845, established by German immigrants organized by the Mainzer Adelsverein, also known as the Noblemen's Society. Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels led the initial settlement efforts, naming…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and right here is the Faust Hotel. It opened its doors in 1929 as the Travelers Hotel, a sign of the booming local economy. It had 63 guest rooms! Then, in 1936, it was renamed for…
You're driving past the site of a pioneering educational experiment in Texas! German immigrants arriving in the 1840s were promised schools, and they got them. Classes started in August 1845, just as Texas authorized…
You're driving past the August and Karoline Tolle House, a classic example of vernacular Victorian design right here in New Braunfels. August, a German immigrant who arrived in Texas back in 1845, bought this house in…
Henry Gruene built a cotton gin next to the Guadalupe River in the 1870s powered by the rivers current. For decades it processed cotton from surrounding farms.…
You're driving past Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in New Braunfels. Back in 1918, a deadly influenza epidemic swept the nation. Father J.M.J. Wack, who served this parish for 38 years, led his congregation in a…
You're driving through Seguin, home to a college with a rich, multicultural history. It all started back in 1890 when the first German Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Texas decided to open a school. The Evangelical…
You're driving past the site of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in New Braunfels. German Catholic colonists arrived here in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1845</say-as>, and by <say-as interpret-as="date"…
You're driving past New Braunfels, and right here is where history was made for ranchers and farmers across the country. William H. Meriwether, a local plantation owner, was tired of fences that couldn't handle Texas's…
You're driving through New Braunfels, and just ahead, you're passing the site of the old Eggeling Hotel. Built between 1898 and 1900 by Emilie and Theodor Eggeling, this place was their second hotel venture. It was a…
You're driving past the site of the Joseph Klein House, a survivor from the earliest days of German settlement in New Braunfels. Klein, one of the immigrants who arrived in <say-as interpret-as="date"…
You're driving past the Voigt House, a classic example of 19th-century Texas architecture. This land was deeded way back in 1845 to Hermann Seele, a New Braunfels schoolmaster. But the house you see? It was built in…
You're driving past the Warncke Cemetery, a resting place for German immigrants who settled in New Berlin. Heinrich and Elisabeth Warncke set aside this land for burials between 1876 and 1882. The earliest marked grave…
You're driving past the spot where two important Texas rivers, the Guadalupe and the Comal, meet. This junction has seen a lot of history. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1718</say-as>, Governor Martin de…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, passing the Jauer Family Cemetery. This burial ground was likely set aside around 1853, with the death of an unnamed infant daughter. It holds the remains of Johann Carl Ludwig…
You're driving past the site of a true Texas industrial pioneer, John F. Torrey! From 1850, Torrey wasn't just building things; he was building an industrial empire. He ran a saw and grist mill, a sash and door factory,…
You're driving through Comal County, a place named for its unique river, shaped like a pancake where its springs bubble up. This county was officially created on March 24th, 1846, and organized just a few months later…
You're driving past Seguin, where Colonel Nathaniel Benton lived a life tied to Texas's military history. Born in Tennessee in 1814, Benton arrived in Texas in 1835, just in time to serve in the army during the Texas…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a city founded not by Texans, but by Germans seeking a new life. On March 21, 1845, Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels established this settlement, naming it after his own estate back…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town founded in 1845 by Prince Karl of Solms-Braunfels. This was the main destination for German immigrants heading into Central and West Texas. During the Civil War, the town…
You're driving through southwest Guadalupe County, passing the site of the Sweet Home Vocational and Agricultural School. From 1924 to 1962, this school served Negro students, a testament to educational progress. It was…
You're driving past the Edens Cemetery, the final resting place for a pioneering Texas family. It all began in 1856 when Mary Edens was buried here, marking the start of this small family graveyard. Her family,…
You're driving past the site of the old Church Hill School Building. For years, pastors at St. Martin's Evangelical Lutheran Church held day school right in the church. But in 1870, this dedicated schoolhouse was built…
You're driving past a piece of German-Texan history! This is the Breustedt House, a beautiful example of "fachwerk" construction. Imagine cedar timbers framing the walls, then packed solid with sun-baked adobe brick.…
You're driving past the Breustedt Kitchen, a hand-hewn limestone building right here in New Braunfels. Built in the 1860s, this was the detached kitchen for Johann Andreas Breustedt's home. Imagine this: nine sons and…
You're driving past the Moeller House, a testament to German craftsmanship right here in New Braunfels. Built by John George Moeller himself, working alone, this home took seven years to complete. Imagine the labor…
You're cruising through New Braunfels, and right here is the Kloepper House, a beautiful example of Queen Anne architecture built back in 1906. That same year, Richard E. Kloepper and his wife Ella Sodke began…
Comal Springs in New Braunfels is the largest spring system in Texas -- more than two hundred and fifty individual vents pouring out three hundred million…
You're cruising past the resting place of Ferdinand Lindheimer, a man who wore two hats in early Texas: soldier and scientist. Born in Germany in 1801, he fought in the Texas Army in 1836. But after the battles, he…
You're driving past the site of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Mission, established in 1756. This mission was an extension of another, ill-fated mission called San Francisco Xavier de Horcasitas, which had suffered…
You're driving past the site of Mission Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, established way back in 1757. Franciscan missionaries set up shop here with a goal: to civilize and Christianize the local Tonkawa, Mayeye, and other…
You're driving past the former home of Dr. Hugo Gibson and his wife, Georgia. They arrived in Seguin in 1929 to join the staff of Texas Lutheran College, then called Texas Lutheran University. Hugo, a language and choir…
Saint Hedwig, Texas, might seem like a quiet dot on the map just northeast of San Antonio, but its fields and old houses have seen some interesting characters. While it's not exactly Hollywood, the area's history is…
Inside the Sebastopol House here in Seguin, there's an exhibit that tells one of the most remarkable stories in Texas craft history. The Wilson Pottery was founded by formerly enslaved men who learned the trade while in…
This Greek Revival house has been standing here for over 150 years, and the way it was built is the real story. The builders used limecrete — a mixture of local gravel and lime developed by Seguin chemist John Esten…
Get ready to see something unique: a Greek Revival mansion built entirely of concrete! This is the Sebastopol House, a testament to ingenuity and resourcefulness in 1856. Joshua W. Young built this house for his sister,…
You're driving past the Moore House in Seguin, a home with a fascinating connection to history. John Moore, an Irish immigrant and Seguin newspaperman, built a small frame house here in 1895. Just a year later, he…
You're driving past Universal City, a town born from a gamble. Back in 1929, three San Antonio doctors bought farmland, betting that the future Randolph Air Force Base across the railroad tracks would bring people and…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, where for decades, a story of education and segregation unfolded. Back in 1902, the city decided to create a separate school for its Mexican children, many of whom were immigrants…
You're driving past the site of the Geier and Schmid farm, a testament to German immigration and early Texas settlement. Wilhelm Geier, his wife Theodora, and daughter Johanna arrived in Texas in <say-as…
Universal City wasn’t always Universal City. Before it was a proper town, it was just a patch of land north of San Antonio, slowly filling with families drawn by the growth at Randolph Air Force Base. Then came the…
You're driving past Seguin, where the fight for Black education began right here in 1871. Thanks to the efforts of Reverend Ilsley and Reverend Ball, the first public school for Black children in Seguin opened on this…
You're driving along the Guadalupe River, one of the very first rivers explored by Europeans in Texas. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1689</say-as>, a Spaniard named Alonso de Leon named it for Our Lady of…
You're driving past the site of a remarkable immigrant success story in Seguin. Henry Troell arrived from Germany sometime before 1860. After serving in the Confederate Army, he married Johanna Woehler in 1872. Troell…
You're driving past Saffold Dam, a testament to Seguin's industrial past. Originally just a natural rock outcropping, this dam was first improved in the late 1800s by Henry Troell. He added rock to raise the water…
You're driving past Seguin, where a beacon of hope was founded just after the Civil War. Look for the site of the Second Baptist Church of Seguin. In November of 1865, Reverend Leonard Ilsley, who had come to Seguin…
You're driving past the former Joseph Sonka House in Seguin. Sonka, a stonemason and Czechoslovakian immigrant, arrived here in 1878. He quickly established a brickyard and cotton gin right near this spot. In 1881, he…
You're driving past the site of Christ Lutheran Church of Elm Creek. German immigrants settled this area in the late 1800s, gathering for worship in homes and the local schoolhouse. They officially organized their…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, Texas, and right here near Seguin is where Nathaniel Benton made his mark. He was a Ranger, a Confederate officer, and even a county judge. But his life was marked by close…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, not far from Seguin, where Andrew Nelson Erskine carved out a life on the Texas frontier. His family settled here in 1839, and just a year later, their home on Arenosa Creek was…
You're driving through Seguin, a town with a founding story tied to a Texas Ranger and civic leader. John Rhodes King arrived in Texas in 1837 and, finding prejudice in Gonzales, helped form a company to buy and survey…
You're driving through the heart of Texas, near the town that bears his name. Juan Seguín was a pivotal Tejano leader during the Texas Revolution and the Republic. He fought at the Battle of San Jacinto, the only Tejano…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, home of Andrew Jackson Sowell. He was a farmer who, with his brothers, were the first White men to raise corn in what is now Guadalupe County back in 1833. Sowell was at the Alamo,…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, the birthplace of baseball legend Joe Williams, also known as Smokey Joe. Born around 1876, Williams became one of the fastest pitchers in the Negro leagues. He played for…
You're driving past Seguin, Texas, the birthplace of William T. Anderson. Born a slave in 1859, Anderson's life took him far from here, to the front lines of the Spanish-American War and beyond. In 1897, he was…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, maybe near Seguin, where the legend of the "Cowboy Pianist" began. A. O. Babel, born Oscar, was billed as a musical phenomenon in the late 1800s. A sensationalized dime novel…
You're driving through Seguin, the heart of Guadalupe County, where John Pierson Bane raised cattle before the Civil War. In early 1861, Bane wasn't just a rancher; he was forming the Guadalupe Rangers, becoming their…
You're driving through Central Texas, maybe near Seguin, where self-taught artist John Willard Banks found his calling late in life. He'd lived a full life, serving in World War II, working various jobs, and raising a…
You're driving through South Texas, perhaps near Seguin or Atascosa County, and you might be passing by land once owned by Manuel Flores. Born around 1801 in San Antonio, Flores was a rancher who also answered the call…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, a town with a rich educational past. Right here, in 1884, members of the Guadalupe Baptist Association founded Guadalupe College. This institution was a beacon for African Americans…
You're driving through what is now Guadalupe County, not far from Seguin. Right here, Robert Hancock Hunter was guarding the baggage train during the Battle of San Jacinto. His rifle wasn't exactly top-of-the-line – the…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, and right here, Anna Maria Penn Ireland made a remarkable choice during the Civil War. While her husband, Governor John Ireland, raised troops, Anna didn't just stay home. She…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, and right here in Seguin is where Henry Eustace McCulloch spent much of his life. He was a pioneer, a Texas Ranger, and a Confederate officer, but he also had a reputation for…
You're driving through Seguin, a town with roots reaching back to the earliest days of Texas settlement. Right here, in 1833, Umphries Branch built what's said to be the first Anglo home on the site of modern Seguin.…
You're driving near Seguin, a town that owes its very existence to pioneers like Arthur Swift. Back in 1838, Swift was a Texas Ranger, patrolling this very area. He was among the first to see the potential of the land…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, near Seguin, where William Tom settled after fighting in major battles like Horseshoe Bend and New Orleans during the War of 1812. He moved his family to Stephen F. Austin's…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, the hometown of Hilda Blumberg Weinert, a woman so deeply involved in Texas politics, she earned the nickname "Mrs. Democrat." From 1936 to 1968, Weinert was a delegate to *every*…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, not far from Seguin, where Reverend John McKamey Wilson arrived in 1856. He was a Presbyterian minister, but his scientific curiosity led him to pottery. He started making…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, not far from Seguin. Right here, in 1839, Michael Erskine arrived in Texas, settling first near Port Lavaca. He and his family survived the Linnville Raid and defended their…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, a place named for the river that flows through it, a river named by Alonso de Leon back in 1689. This land was a frontier, caught between Spanish land grants and the wildness of…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, a town that played a role in the story of Jacob Schmidt. Born in Hungary in 1889, Schmidt immigrated to the U.S. in 1907. He eventually made his way to Seguin, where he began a new…
You're driving through Seguin right now, home to Texas Lutheran University. But did you know this school started over a hundred miles north in Brenham back in 1891? It was founded as the Evangelical Lutheran College by…
You're driving through Seguin, the town where H.H. Weinert got his start. He was born here in 1887, served as the youngest mayor ever elected, and then took over the Seguin State Bank and Trust. But Weinert wasn't just…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, where William Overall Yager made his home. Yager wasn't just any resident; he was a VMI graduate and a banker before the Civil War called him to duty. He joined the Confederate…
You're driving through Seguin, and right here is a place named for Lizzie Margaret Burges. She was a dedicated teacher who spent her entire life in this town. After graduating from Guadalupe College in 1904, she…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, a town that owes a lot to Washington Edmund Goodrich. He arrived here in 1854 and quickly became a pillar of the community. Goodrich served as mayor of Seguin in 1858, then…
You're driving through South Texas, maybe near Seguin, where the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority has its main offices. Back on October 17, 1935, the Texas Legislature created this public water conservation district.…
You're driving through Seguin, Texas, the birthplace of John Robert Edward Lee. Born a slave right here in 1864, Lee went on to become a towering figure in education. He taught math and Latin, served as dean of men, and…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, not far from where Ben Stockton Terrell lived. Born in Colorado County in 1842, Terrell was a farmer, a lawyer, and a soldier in Hood's Brigade, even fighting at Sharpsburg. But…
The Magnolia Hotel started as a two-room log cabin in 1840, built by James Campbell. By 1850 it had grown into a ten-room frontier hotel, stagecoach stop, and saloon with a restaurant. Over the next century and a half,…
You're driving through Seguin, and right here is the site of Guadalupe High School. Chartered on December 3rd, 1849, this wasn't just any school; it was the very first school in Seguin financed by public subscription.…
This city is named for Juan Seguín, and his story is one of the most complicated in Texas history. Born in San Antonio in 1806 to a prominent Tejano family, Seguín became a political leader by his twenties — alderman at…
Seguin's story is tied to the land and the river. That gentle rise in elevation, those rolling hills, they might not seem like much, but they were enough to make this a key spot on the old El Camino Real. Being on that…
There's a pecan on the courthouse lawn in Seguin that's sixteen feet long and weighs over a thousand pounds. It's the world's largest pecan, and it's been sitting there since 1962, because when you're the Pecan Capital…
You're driving through Seguin, and right here, you're passing the historic Women's Club Rooms. Built between 1902 and 1903, this was the very first building in Texas constructed exclusively for women's clubs. Imagine…
You're driving through what is now Bexar County, not far from San Antonio, and you might be passing the oldest standing home in Selma. It belonged to John Sobiesky Koontz Harrison, a man who helped build Texas's…
You're driving past Los Nogales, Spanish for walnuts. Built in 1849 for German immigrant Justus Gombert, this adobe structure started as just one room. It later served as a campground for Freemen's Bureau members after…
You're driving through Seguin, and right here is St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, built in 1876. Designed by Stephen White, its original frame building took a hit in an 1886 storm when it lost its bell tower. But this…
You're driving past the resting place of Samuel Millett, a brave soldier who fought for Texas independence. He was part of the fight in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1835</say-as> and <say-as…
You're driving past the Campbell Cabin, a log structure that's a reminder of early Irish immigration to Texas. John Campbell came to Seguin before 1847, and likely built the first room of this cabin around 1850. He then…
You're driving through Seguin, and just ahead is the site where John F. McGuffin lived. Born in South Carolina in 1813, McGuffin answered the call to Texas in 1837. He was a soldier in the Army of Texas, fighting for…
You're driving past Friedens Church, a beautiful example of Modified Gothic architecture. Its story begins in 1896, when it was organized near Barbarossa. But the building you see was designed by Jacob Kiefer and…
You're driving past Lone Oak Cemetery, a final resting place with roots stretching back to 1897. German immigrants in the Geronimo area gathered that January, realizing they needed a dedicated spot for their community.…
You're driving past Riverside Cemetery, a final resting place with roots reaching back to the Smith family graveyard. Ezekiel and Susanna Smith arrived from Virginia in 1837, settling this land. Their son, French Smith,…
You're driving through Seguin, and right here is a marker for Claiborne West. He wasn't born a Texan, but he sure helped make Texas a nation. West was a delegate to key conventions in 1832 and 1835, and even served on…
You're driving past the birthplace of Timothy Pickering Jones, born November 22, 1814. Jones arrived in Texas on his birthday in 1835, just in time to serve as an officer in the Texas War for Independence. He later…
You're driving past the resting place of Ezekiel Smith, a soldier who fought for Texas. Born in Virginia, Smith joined the Army of Texas and participated in the Mier Expedition back in 1842. That was a disastrous raid…
You're driving past the final resting place of Jonathan Douglas, a Georgia native who came to Texas and fought for its independence. He was there at the Battle of San Jacinto, a pivotal moment that secured Texas's…
You're driving past Mission Valley, a community founded by German settlers in the 1840s. For years, kids learned their lessons at home. Then, in 1870, brothers Karl and Julius Brehmer donated land for the first…
You're driving past the homesite of Johann and Gertruda Walzem, German immigrants who arrived in Texas around 1851. By 1859, they officially owned the 160 acres they’d settled, including this very spot. Johann was a…
You're driving past the land that was once part of Jose Antonio Navarro's ranch. Born in San Antonio in 1795, Navarro was a key player in the Texas Revolution, even signing the Declaration of Independence. He bought…
You're driving past the King Family Cemetery, a resting place for some of Seguin's earliest pioneers. Three King brothers arrived in Texas in the late 1830s, helping to found this very town. Their mother and a younger…
Converse is more than just a comfortable suburb of San Antonio; it’s a place where the echoes of the past mingle with the promise of the future.
You're driving through Guadalupe County, the birthplace of John Harris Rogers, a legendary Texas Ranger. Rogers was one of the "Great Captains" of the force, serving for four decades. He was wounded twice in a manhunt…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, near Seguin, where the community of Capote was once a hub for a unique Texas craft. In 1857, Reverend John McKamey Wilson, a Presbyterian minister, started one of the first…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, and right here is where a German revolutionary found a new life. Leopold Biesele fought in the 1849 uprising in Baden, Germany, even elected lieutenant by his own men. But the…
You're driving through eastern Guadalupe County, right here where the Darst Creek oilfield once flowed. Discovered in July of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1929</say-as>, this field quickly became a pioneer. It…
Hey road trippers, look to your right! You're passing the Schoenthal School, built way back in 1872. This building is a fantastic example of German fachwerk architecture, a style brought over by immigrants. It's amazing…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, near Seguin. This area was once known as Dietz. It started with land grants, but really took shape in the mid-1800s when German immigrants began settling here. They bought land…
You're driving through St. Hedwig, a community with deep roots in Polish heritage. Back in December <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1854</say-as>, Polish settlers arrived in this area from Upper Silesia. They…
You're driving past the Post Oak Community Cemetery, a final resting place for many of this area's German immigrant families. The Post Oak Zion Evangelical Church, founded in 1885, served this community. In 1894, two…
Seguin (Seguin, TX) placed on the 5A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Ian Moreno (0.457 avg); Brayden Monroe (0.457 avg).
On the Guadalupe River in historic Gruene, steps from Texas's oldest dance hall. Chicken-fried steak, river views, and a porch that catches the breeze off the…
Dance where legends like Willie Nelson and George Strait have played at Texas's oldest continually run dance hall, built in 1878! German immigrant Henry Gruene built this hall in the town he founded, Gruene, Texas. It…
This is the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas, and it hasn't changed much since it was built in 1878. Gruene Hall has no air conditioning. The walls don't quite reach the ceiling. The screen doors let in…
Texas' oldest dance hall (1878). Still hosts live music every night.
Before George Strait was the King of Country he was a young singer playing regular gigs at Gruene Hall in the 1970s and 80s. The tiny dance hall with no air…
In 1974 developers had plans to bulldoze what was left of Gruene and build suburban homes. Then a University of Texas architecture student named Chip Kaufman…
Get ready to step back in time! Gruene, Texas, wasn't always the tourist hotspot it is today. Founded in the mid-1840s by German immigrant Ernst Gruene, it quickly became a thriving cotton-producing town. The Gruene…
Before Gruene Hall became a legendary music venue it hosted some decidedly less refined entertainment. In the early days the hall was used for German singing…
Henry D. Gruene didnt just build a dance hall and a cotton gin -- he built himself a proper Victorian mansion. The home featured elaborate Eastlake detailing…
Gruene Hall was built in 1878 and in all that time no one has ever installed air conditioning. Not once. In the Texas Hill Country where summer temperatures…
Gruene Hall was built in 1878 by a German cotton farmer named Henry D. Gruene and it has never stopped hosting dances. That makes it the oldest continuously…
In 1925 the boll weevil arrived in Gruene and devoured everything. The Gruene familys 8000-acre cotton holdings failed to produce a single bale. Combined with…
The stretch of the Guadalupe River running past Gruene has become one of the most popular tubing destinations in all of Texas. On any summer weekend thousands…
You're driving through the historic Haag Settlement, southwest of New Braunfels. This cemetery was established for the pioneering Haag Brothers: Friedrich, Peter, and Mathias. They made a long, dangerous voyage from…
You're driving past the site of the first orphanage in the entire state of Texas! Chartered in 1848 as the 'Western Texas Orphan Asylum,' this place was the dream of Pastor L. C. Ervendberg. Severe epidemics left many…
You're driving past the site of Navarro School, a landmark that's served Geronimo students for over a century. It started way back in 1889 as a simple one-room schoolhouse, just a half-mile northeast of here. By the…
You're cruising through San Antonio, and just ahead is the Robert B. Evans Home, built way back in 1882. Look for the old smokehouse on the east side, dating all the way back to 1865. Robert Evans himself came to Texas…
Thorn Hill, Texas, started taking shape back in the late 1800s. They say it got its name honestly, from the thorny bushes that seemed to grow everywhere. The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway coming through was a real…
Navarro (Geronimo, TX) placed on the 4A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Tyler Riske (3 HR).
You're driving past San Geronimo Cemetery, a resting place that began as a family farm. In 1846, William and Margaret Beard were buried here, just one day apart, on land William received from the Republic of Texas. But…
You're driving past the site of Andrew Jackson Sowell's final resting place. Born in Tennessee in 1815, Sowell arrived in Texas around 1829, just in time to serve in the Army of Texas. His most dramatic moment came when…
You're driving through Seguin, and right here in this lot lies Henry Eustace McCulloch. He was a true Texas legend. McCulloch served in the Texas Ranger service way back in <say-as interpret-as="date"…
You're driving past the site where George Washington Lonis lived out his final years. He arrived in Texas way back in 1830, before it was even Texas. Lonis fought in the campaign against Bexar and was wounded at the…
You're driving past the Seguin area, where Robert D. McAnelly made his home. Born in Kentucky in 1806, McAnelly arrived in Texas in 1835, just in time to join the Texas Army on its march to San Antonio. He was part of…
You're driving past the resting place of John N. Sowell, a veteran of the Texas Revolution. Born in Tennessee, Sowell arrived in Texas around 1829. He served in the Army of Texas in 1836, fighting for the independence…
You're driving past the resting place of Elija Valentine Dale, a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto. Born in Georgia in 1807, Elija fought for Texas independence before settling here. He lived a long life, passing…
You're driving past the Dugger Cemetery, originally called Cottonwood Cemetery. It's the final resting place for many early pioneers, but the earliest burials tell a grim story. In 1872, Lee Dora Southern and her uncle…
You're cruising along the Guadalupe River Road, just northwest of New Braunfels. This spot, known as Slumber Falls Camp, has been a river getaway since the late 1800s. In the 1930s, it transformed into a tourist court.…
Gruene Hall opened in 1878 and has never closed its doors making it the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas. The wooden floor is scuffed smooth…
You're driving through New Braunfels, a town founded by German immigrants in 1845. Just four years later, in 1849, they formed one of the nation's first shooting clubs: the New Braunfels Schuetzen Verein. They brought…
You're driving past the site of a veteran of the Texas Revolution. Claiborne Rector served here in Captain William H. Patton's Company. That company fought in the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. This was the battle that…
You're driving past Concrete Cemetery, a graveyard that tells the story of two communities. The area was once called Concrete, named after a building used for school, church, and Masonic meetings. It all started around…
This stretch of Interstate 10 in San Antonio is named for Staff Sergeant José M. López. López was born in Mexico, orphaned at the age of eight, and lied about his age to enlist in the United States Army. On December 17,…
You're driving past the site of Tiemann School, a place that served this community for over forty years. It started in 1903 as a simple one-room schoolhouse, thanks to Theodore Tiemann, who sold an acre of land for just…
You're driving through the Beall Cemetery, a family burial ground established by early settlers Erasmus and Elizabeth Beall. Their eldest son, William, was the first to be buried here in 1854. While Erasmus's own grave…
You're driving past Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, established in 1901 by German immigrants. Two acres were donated in 1902 for the burial ground, with the first interment that same year for infant Gabriele Hedwig Koepp.…
Four Saint Marys University students on a lark in 1960 crawled into a sinkhole north of San Antonio and discovered two miles of live limestone caves with…
In March 1960, four students from St. Mary's University in San Antonio crawled through a narrow opening beneath a sixty-foot natural limestone bridge and discovered the largest cavern system in Texas. They spent eight…
The largest bat colony on earth lives in this single sinkhole outside San Antonio -- somewhere between fifteen and twenty million Mexican free-tailed bats…
Windcrest isn't a sprawling metropolis, but it holds a quiet charm and a few interesting claims to fame. Perched a bit higher than downtown San Antonio, you feel a slight breeze even on still days, a reminder of how the…
You're driving past a route that was once a major artery for people and goods moving across Texas. This was Chihuahua Road, an old Mexican cart road stretching from central Mexico all the way to the Texas Coast at…
You're driving through La Vernia, a town that started as a lifeline for travelers. Back around <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1846</say-as>, Claiborne Rector set up a stage stop and blacksmith shop right here,…
You're driving past La Vernia United Methodist Church, a place with roots going way back to 1853. That's when circuit rider J. S. McGee started holding services nearby. The church itself officially organized as La…
You're driving past the site of Suttles Pottery, a small but significant piece of Texas industry and artistry. Following the Civil War, two brothers, Isaac and George Suttles, Union veterans from Ohio, came to Texas.…
You're driving past Battleground Prairie, the site of a decisive clash in the early days of the Texas Republic. On March 29, 1839, 80 Texas volunteers under General Edward Burleson met Vicente Cordova and his mixed…
You're driving through Guadalupe County, not far from La Vernia, and you might just pass the site of a community that started with a rock church. Originally called Bethesda, this place became known as Concrete around…
You're driving past the site of Brahan Lodge #226, chartered way back in 1859. This lodge was named for Dr. Robt. W. Brahan, and its early members were a who's who of Texas history – veterans of the Texas War for…
You're driving through La Vernia, a town with a name whose origin is still a mystery. Settled around 1850, it was first known as Live Oak Grove, named by a Presbyterian organizer for the trees nearby. The post office…
This 1915 Warren truss bridge is a rare example of early Texas engineering. Back in 1915, the Alamo Construction Company built this bridge, officially known as the Mueller Bridge, though locals might call it the Bridge…
You're driving past the site of McAlister Crossing, the place where John and Isabella McAlister settled their family in the early 1850s. Their land included a natural crossing on Cibolo Creek, which soon bore their…
You're driving past the Georg Heinrich Buchsenschutz Family Cemetery. Buchsenschutz, a veteran of the Mexican-American War, arrived in Texas in 1850. He settled on over 200 acres right here in 1860, the same year he…
You're driving past Salem Cemetery, established in 1880. It was recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2006.
This city's story is one of transformation. It began in the early 1900s as an agricultural settlement, founded by German immigrants. In 1920, it was a small farming community with only about 18 people, where German was…
You're driving past the Perrin Home, built in 1875. Alphonse Perrin, born in New York City, came to Texas with his bride, Mina, searching for a better climate. After living near Leon Springs, they settled here, right on…
You're driving past the site of the Battle of the Salado, a fight that decided the fate of the Republic of Texas. On September 18, 1842, Mexican General Adrian Woll had captured San Antonio. But Colonel Mathew Caldwell…
Pull up a stool at Riley's Tavern, a historic Texas watering hole that has been serving locals and travelers since the 1800s. It was converted into a tavern by James Curtis Riley in 1933. Located near a railroad stop…
You're driving through the area where a brutal ambush took place in 1842. Captain Nicholas Dawson and 53 men from La Grange were on their way to join a battle near Salado Creek. But before they could reach their…
Robert G. Cole High School on Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX (1900 Winans Rd.) is where Shaquille O'Neal dominated Texas high school basketball. The son of an Army staff sergeant stationed at the base, Shaq led…
Cole (San Antonio, TX) placed on the 3A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Carson Kay (0.458 avg, 3 HR).
You're driving through Sutherland Springs, and right here is the site of the Linne Oil Field. While the big Texas oil boom happened decades earlier, this field brought a major boom to Wilson County starting in 1953.…
You're driving past the site of the Jacobs Creek School Teacherage, a unique piece of Texas history built in 1870. Early settlers started the Jacobs Creek School back in 1867, and teacher Carl Pantermuehl himself built…
You're driving past Cover Cemetery, established on land donated by John B. and Virginia Cover in the late 1800s. The oldest marked grave here dates back to November of 1896. The cemetery expanded in 1994 with a donation…
You're driving through what used to be Gruene, a prosperous community that sprung up along the Guadalupe River. It all started in 1878 when Henry D. Gruene built a mercantile store to serve sharecroppers on his family's…
You're driving through the Texas Hill Country, not far from New Braunfels, and right under your feet lies a Texas-sized secret. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1960</say-as>, four spelunkers from St. Mary's…
You're driving through Hunter, Texas, and right here on FM 1102 is Riley's Tavern. This place has a claim to fame you might not expect: on September 19, 1933, seventeen-year-old James Curtis Riley opened this very…
You're driving through Comal County, and right here is Anhalt Hall, a place that's been a gathering spot for German Texans since the late 1800s. Founded by German immigrants who settled the area in 1855, this community,…
You're driving through Texas, a state that's become the heartland for a unique breed of cattle: the Brahman. These aren't your typical longhorns. Originating in India over 4,000 years ago, Brahmans were first brought to…
You're driving through the Texas Hill Country, and right here in Comal County, you've passed the Devil's Backbone Tavern. Established way back in 1932, this place is more than just a music venue; it's a local legend.…
You're driving near New Braunfels, right here in Comal County, you're passing through the site of what was once called New Wied. In 1846, a terrible epidemic swept through New Braunfels, leaving over 300 settlers dead…
You're driving through Comal County, and right here is Canyon Lake. It used to be called Canyon Reservoir, and it's a massive flood control and water conservation project on the Guadalupe River. Construction on the dam…
You're driving through Comal County, near a place called Honey Creek. It got its name from the busy bees and a unique honeycomb-like rock formation found here. German immigrants settled this area in the late 1840s,…
You're driving through the Texas Hill Country, and right here, you might be passing by the remnants of a vital part of pioneer life: the limekiln. Especially after the 1840s, German colonists perfected the art of making…
You're driving through Comal County, near the Balcones Escarpment, an area known for its steep slopes and limestone benches that give the landscape a stairstep look. Back in the 1800s, this was the site of a farming and…
You're driving through Fischer, a tiny community nestled in the Texas Hill Country. It all started back in 1853 when Hermann Fischer built a log trading post to serve the growing frontier settlement. Known then as…
You're driving through what's left of Hunter, Texas, a community that sprang up along York's Creek back in 1880 with the arrival of the International and Great Northern Railroad. It was named for Andrew Jackson Hunter,…
You're driving through Smithson Valley, a community named for Ben Smithson, who settled here back in 1856. Just a year later, the post office opened in Charles Ohlrich's home. By the 1880s, this was a bustling supply…
You're driving past Whitehall, the grand stone mansion built by Joseph Polley. Polley was one of Stephen F. Austin's original 300 settlers and the very first sheriff of the Austin colony. He eventually settled here,…
Ever wonder where the Army’s best medical minds train and heal? You’re driving right by it: Brooke Army Medical Center, a cornerstone of military medicine. This story begins back in 1846, during the Mexican-American…
Dr. John Sutherland opened a stage stop and post office in his home on Cibolo Creek in 1851. Congress had authorized mail contracts along the route enabling…
This isn't just a cemetery; it's hallowed ground, a final salute to those who defended our country. Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery was established in 1926 to provide burial space for veterans, primarily those who…
You're driving through what used to be Kicaster, a farming community that started back in the 1860s. Families like the Crows and Spiveys settled here, and by 1872, they had a schoolhouse that also hosted church…
You're driving past the site of Dodd Field in San Antonio, a place that played a role in World War II on the home front. Shocked by the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government began detaining thousands of people…
You're driving past San Pedro Cemetery, established way back in 1909. It was later recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2007.
You're driving past the original site of the Mountain Valley School, a place that served this community for over 80 years. It all started back in 1874 when local landowners sold an acre for a schoolhouse. Initially, a…
You're driving past a piece of Texas history, folks! This is the route of El Camino Real, the 'King's Highway.' Imagine this 1,000-mile road, stretching all the way from Mexico to what's now Louisiana. It started as an…
You're driving through the heart of what was once Sattler, a German immigrant community that took root along the Guadalupe River in the 1850s. It wasn't always called Sattler. For a time, this area was known as…
You're driving past the Pantermuehl House, a pioneer home built around 1865. Heimrich and Pauline Pantermuehl, German immigrants, built this place using local limestone and cedar. It’s a great example of the small…
You're driving past the Vogel Cemetery, established in 1915. It was designated a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2008.
You're driving past the site of the old Boldtville Schoolhouse, a place that served rural kids in Bexar County for over forty years. Albert F. Boldt donated the land back in 1919, and that same year, local builder Fritz…
These grounds have trained soldiers for almost 180 years, playing a crucial role in American military history. Established in 1845, Fort Sam Houston was initially an outpost for the U.S. Army, just as Texas was being…
You're driving through the Texas Hill Country, near New Braunfels, and you're passing the Smithson Valley Cemetery. This place started in 1876 as a family ranch cemetery, the final resting spot for baby Karl Ohlrich,…