The Bear at Henke Bros. City Meat Market

 In his column this week, Joe Herring mentioned the pet bear at Henke Bros. City Meat Market.  I wrote about that story seven years ago. It's time to resurrect.  Enjoy!

http://kerrhistory.blogspot.com/2013/07/bear-on-loose.html

Blue Bell Hills

Kerrville has several distinctive neighborhoods worthy of recognition. One of them is Blue Bell Hills. which I blogged about several years ago. I was stunned to discover back then that the neighborhood was planned by Hare & Hare, a pioneering landscape architect firm in the United States.  A number of their works are on the National Register of Historic Places. Some also have Texas historical markers. I believe this neighborhood, which retains most of its original homes and characteristics, is also eligible for listing on the National Register. Learn more about Hare & Hare here.

There is currently a proposal by Trinity Baptist Church to close part of Bluebell Road from Jackson Road to Cypress for church expansion. It appears that Hare & Hare's work will be affected.

I wish the residents the best in their effort to protect their neighborhood and its historical characteristics.

Clay Street

There is a new-ish group in Kerrville, "Kerrville Urban Trail System, or "KUTS" the first section of which runs along Clay Street from Water Street to the historic depot.  I thought I'd remind you of some places along that route that I've blogged about before--several architectural gems you may not have noticed.

212 Clay Street (now Voelkel Engineering)
223 Clay Street
324 Clay Street (Edward Dietert Cottage)
332 Clay Street (Edward Dietert House "Pint and Plow")
A couple of items from the historic Depot (which houses Rails--a Cafe at the Depot):
Trouble at the Depot part 1
Trouble at the Depot, part 2
And here is a link to the Depot Square historic area with three buildings. Now go explore!


 

Centennial of the World War One Armistice

November 11, 2018 is the centennial of the World War One Armistice, the end of the "War to end all wars". Nineteen Kerr County men gave their lives in that war, five in battle, the others died of illness.  I have blogged about them before. Here are links to their stories.
Kerrville men Sidney Baker, Earl Garrett, and Francisco Lemos had streets named for them and have been frequently written about, but apparently not on my blog, so there is no link. That is something I should remedy.  In the meantime here are the stories of  The Other 16 .

Guadalupe Heights

In August 1950, A.C. Ervin was granted permission by the county commission to plat a subdivision called Guadalupe Heights. This subdivision of mid-century ranch houses lies between the Guadalupe River and San Antonio Highway "overlooking Flat Rock Park".  A rural subdivision, it is located past the VA Hospital and near the Kerrville-Schreiner Airport.

In June 1951 Theodore and Irene Goldman bought the first lot, lot 6, in Guadalupe Heights.

In July 1962, the community residents organized the Guadalupe Heights Club. Its purpose was to promote friendships of the residents of the area.  The first officers were S.M. Udden, President; Warren Stout, First Vice-President; Ted Goldman, Second Vice-President; Secretary, Mrs. Ann Fleece.  The first meeting, a covered dish suppper, was held at the Ace Ranch-O-Tel. [ACE, by the way, comes from A.C.Ervin.]

In January 1963 rural mail service was extended to the neighborhood. By 1964 First Baptist Church had a mission church there, known first as Guadalupe Heights Mission and later as Laurel Way Mission.

In April 1965 the Great Texas Land Company purchased all remaining lots and land in the neighborhood with the intention of immediately selling and developing it. The part of the neighborhood along the highway was put to commercial use. At this time Darwin Instrument Factory purchased the large commercial building on the highway to manufacture and assemble flight and engine instruments for Mooney Aircraft. (It was offered for sale about four years later.)

Additionally, the April 21, 1965 Kerrville Mountain Sun reported

J.D. Brance of Hunt and Houston has purchased the water works and will install storage tanks, large mains and auxiliary pumps, and has pledged to furnish each customer all the water they can use and to maintain adequate pressure all of the time.  It will be comparable to that of City of Kerrville.

At this point 87 homes had been constructed,. All lots had electricity, water (although apparently inadequate for demand), and phone, and were being piped for natural gas.

This subdivision was in the news in 2015 and 2016 with the fight over the annexation of the Martin Marietta quarry which the community abuts.

To learn about other subdivisions in Kerr County go here.

Kerrville Mayors

This month, in a biennial event, Kerrville elected a new mayor (as well as two council seats.)  Since Kerrville was incorporated in 1889 only three men have held the office more than 4 years. As one reads the old newspaper stories one begins to wonder why anyone wants the job! Run as an outsider and as soon as elected you are accused of being part of the "Good Old Boys"! Recalls, threats of recalls, and more pepper the city history.

For many years members of city council selected the new mayor from within their own ranks. They generally served a year or two.  Then, on May 6, 1989, Kerrville citizens approved direct election of mayor.
Working backwards in time, this is the list of mayors since then:
Bill Blackburn, elected 2018
Bonnie White, 2016-2018
Jack Pratt, 2012-2016
David Wampler 2010-2012
Todd Bock 2008-2010
Gene Smith 2005-2008
Stephen Fine 2001-2005
Ben Low 1998-2001 (Threatened with recall. Did not happen.)
Charles Johnson 1994-1998 (Forced from office in recall election in 1998, along with two others.)
Joe Herring, Jr. 1992-1994
Leonard Holloway 1989-92
From Leonard Holloway to Bonnie White is 10 mayors and 30 years.  Three years each on average. Kerrville voters toss their mayors out on a regular basis.

Direct election of mayor approved May 6, 1989.

Here is the remaining list of mayors, again working back in time:
Edd Turner 1988-1989
Charles Johnson 1987-88
Jack Furman 1986-87
A. J. “Jack" Brough 1984-1986
Tom Pollard 1983-84
David Calk 1982-1983
H. Lee Jennings 1979-82
Manly E. Cooper Jr. 1976-77
Edward Schlieter 1974-75 and 1977-78
Mark Maxwell 1971-1973
Zelma Hardy 1973-74 and 1975-76 (First female mayor)
John Mosty 1969-71
Fuzzy Swayze 1968-69
Gordon Monroe 1967-68
Walter Cummings 1966-67
Glenn Petsch 1963-1966
Cedric R. Toler 1961-1963
Manly Cooper 1959-61
Hillmar A. Pressler 1958-59
Lloyd Luna 1956-58
Dr. G. L. Bullard 1950-1956 (6 years)
G. E. Lehmann 1949-1950
H. C. Holchak 1948-1949
E. M. Forman 1947-48
J. F. Stallings 1945-1946
Willis A. Fawcett 1940-44 (Read here about the unfortunate encounter with an angry constituent.)
J. F. Leisering 1936-1939
Richard Holdsworth, 1934-36
Arthur T. Adkins 1921-1933 (Longest serving with12 years. Died in office)
J. S. Wheless 1920-21
H. C. Geddie 1917-1919
George Morris 1916-1917
Henry Remschel 1909-1915 (6 years)
John H. Ward 1905-1908
J. E. Grinstead 1903-1904
J. D. Hutchinson 1901-1902
W. H. Rawson 1896-1900
W. G. Garrett 1895-96
E. Hawes 1894-1995
J. D. Hutchinson 1893
George R. Parsons 1892-93
Ed Smallwood 1891-1892
W. W. Burnett 1890–91
A. M. Gilmer 1890
Joseph Tivy 1889-90

Discovering Relatives in Unexpected Places

I have posted a slightly different version of this on a different blog I manage, but have put here as well because of the Kerr County connection.

Yesterday I met with a neighbor, a descendant of Charles Schreiner, to discuss a Texas historical marker application he is working on for a cemetery in Kerrville. While chatting, he pulled out this 1880 family photo from the Great Western Cattle Trail.

I was stunned when I read the back:

This picture is taken from on old Tin-Type photo “Schreiner and Lytle Herd” 1880.
Third man from left is Alex Crawford. 
Sixth man from left is Alex Maltsburger. [sic.  should be Maltsberger]
Seventh man from left is Will Hale.
Eighth man from left is Sebe Jones.
All these men drove “Trail Herds” for Captain Schreiner for several years. 
Original photo taken near Doan’s Store, Red River Crossing.

    Above notes drafted by Nell Schreiner Labatt

(Several of the men in the above photo also appear in this photo.)

The above Alexander Perry Maltsberger is a kinsman of mine, not real close (2nd cousin, 3x removed), but a relative nonetheless.
I'm not from around here, but occasionally I'll discover some relative who was. A while back I discovered a very distant relative, William H. Furr, who served on the Kerr County Commission in the 1940s.

The following item appeared in True West Magazine, June 1964  "Old Time Ranchmen of the Southwest":

With brand ALX, Alex Maltsberger,  was a pioneer cowboy who entered the Panhandle in 1880 as a traildriver for Schreiner, Light, and Lytle, who were some of the largest South Texas trail outfits.  In Lipscomb Co, he served as the first sheriff and worked  for the Box T.  Later he was a Cherokee Strip rancher on the John Chisholm Trail near the Cimarron.  Some of his friends were Sebe Jones, Alex Crawford, Charles Schreiner, Sam Cupp, John McQuipp and Charles Rynearson.  Sebe Jones and Alex shot it out with and captured horse thieves in South Texas.  Vigilantes took the prisoners and hung them in  a pecan tree on Turtle Creek as Sebe and Alex were on the way to Kerrville with the men.

I live in on a tributary of Turtle Creek, and like many of my neighbors have a pecan tree on our property.

Charles Schreiner is an important historical figure in the region with whom I previously had no known connection.  Because of my genealogical research I now know my relative worked for Schreiner as a young man and apparently had a close friendship. And I now have a photo of Alex.  It encourages me to keep researching. You never know where the path may lead.