964 Barnett Street

This house at 964 Barnett, now belonging to the Unitarian Universalist congregation, was built in 1924.
The first owners were sisters Reba and Lynn Burnett.  Two years later they offered it for sale, but it didn't change hands until they sold it to Charles and Kate Real in 1929.  Charles was a "medicine salesman".  Charles and Kate lived here 5 or 6 years, then put their house up for rent. It has had several owners since.
In 1942 there was an unusual ad in the newspaper:  "WANTED Couple retired interested in playing ahuffleboard during morning or afternoons Please drive by 964 Barnett Street."
I understand this completely.  I would love to find some folks to play Scrabble with!
The occupants at the time were Mr. and Mrs. Homer Brooks.  I wonder where the shuffleboard court was.
The house had a number of occupants over the years.  Robert F. Snow lived in this house the longest--from before 1958 to after 1971.

The Unitarian Church bought it in 2007 to provide additional space.

960 Barnett Street

This cottage at 960 Barnett Street has been the home of the Unitarian Universalist church since 1998.

James and Hazel Young, who moved to Kerrville in 1913, bought this house in 1919 from J. B. and M. A. Tucker. The Tuckers may have been the ones who built the house. The Tuckers bought the entire lot from J. E. Palmer in January 1919, then divided it, selling part to the Youngs. The increase in value of the property and the fact that the Youngs were required to carry insurance until the debt was paid, suggests that the Tuckers built the house, then sold it to the Youngs.
James Young managed the Schreiner Grocery Dept. for many years; his wife was a piano teacher. This was their home as well as her piano studio.  He died in 1951; she continued to live here until her death in 1963.  They are buried at Garden of Memories.

In 2007 the Unitarian Universalist congregation bought the house next door.  I will blog about that house next.

800 Barnett Street

2011

Known for 35 years as the "Girl Scout house", this lovely Victorian house at 800 Barnett Street was sold in 2009 to the H E Butt Foundation. The owners were a group of former Girl Scout leaders who had formed a non-profit  and purchased the house in 1974 specifically for the use of Girl Scouts in Kerrville. They called it the Green Umbrella Corporation.

Lee Wallace built this home in 1910. He served as Kerr County Judge from 1906-1918 and 1920-29.  Wallace was County Judge when the current courthouse was erected in 1926.

Wallace served 31 years in public office, and 21 years as County Judge. He was twice married but had no children.  Although at his death at the age of 85, he was described as one of Kerrville's more colorful figures, he is mostly forgotten today.

1988

980 Barnett Street

This former grocery store at 980 Barnett Street is home to the 720 Club, which hosts support groups.

The earliest record of this building is in November 1928, when Ives Sandwich Shop "near school buildings" is mentioned in a newspaper advertisement.
In 1930 J. S. Robertson bought the business from John R. Ives. Located near Tivy School, it handled not only groceries but also school supplies and candy and had a lunch room. A few months later he sold the property and business to M. W. Cooper and T. N. Phelps. They converted the store to a Red & White Grocery and enlarged the facility.
In 1931 Leslie Adkins bought Phelps' share in the business. After Leslie Adkins died, his son Roger took over management.  Cooper later sold his interest to Earl Bernhard.
Roger Adkins bought out his partner in 1953.  The 25 year old grocery store closed its doors July 1955.

After Adkins' closed, the building housed a variety of other businesses including Landgrebe Grocery in the late 1950s, the Kerr County Commodity distribution center (before 1971), and The Corner Store.

It has served its current purpose since 1990.

The Famous Door

I will return to exploring downtown buildings, but today I want to talk about a building I am currently researching outside downtown.  This is the Famous Door Cafe, located at 215 West Barnett Street.  This building was in existence by June, 1929, so it is at least 83 years old. It MAY be older.  Oral history states it is closer to 100 years old.   

undated photo

The first record in the newspapers of a business here is in the Kerrville Mountain Sun, June 6, 1929, when Kelley's Cafe is mentioned in an advertisement as an agent for Pennant S.A.E. Motor Oils.  Henry Kelley was also listed as a Pierce agent.  In addition to the cafe and grocery, there were variety of other businesses based here over the years, including a taxi stand (phone  A R T H U R)  and a barber shop.   

In September, 1933, Kelley's Cafe and Grocery was one of the first eight applicants in Kerrville for a retail beer license at the end of Prohibition, and the only one not on Water Street.

In 1934 Henry Kelley hired Edward Bratcher, cook at the Blue Bonnet Hotel, to work for him and later sold him the business.  It was Kelley's Cafe until some time after mid-1939 when Bratcher took over the business and the name changed to Bratcher's Recreation Hall, Grocery and Cafe (1940), then Bratcher's Place (1942), and later to the Famous Door "Famous for Friends, Food, and Fun".  At the time it close in 1996 it was said to be the oldest black-owned business in Kerrville.  Probably true.  The property today is the oldest black-owned commercial property in Kerrville. 

A. L. "Pinkie" Lewis, a white man, owned the property for many years, but eventually sold it to Ed Bratcher.  It appears from the deed records that Lewis financed the purchase, probably because banks wouldn't lend an African-American the money back then.

Ed Bratcher was well respected in Kerrville. As an example, In 1942, he was chairman of the "Negro celebration" for the Infantile Paralysis Foundation, held at Bratcher's Place   The dance was part of President Roosevelt's Diamond Jubilee Birthday Ball. The whites held a dance at the Goss' Place on the Old Junction Road.  The Mexican community had yet a third dance.  Separate celebrations were held because this was during the segregation era when white and black were forbidden by law to mix.   

Newspapers items and city directories document the use of this building as a cafe, grocery, and dance hall.

This is said to be the first fully racially integrated business in Kerrville, that white teens would come to hear good music and get some great food, and Ed Bratcher would allow them to stay as long as there was no trouble or until the sheriff came and told them to go home.  I don't know if it's possible, but I would like to more fully document this. Oral histories are great, but written documentation is best.   

I am also looking for the names and proof of the some of the bands who performed here.  Three names I have are: Max Range, who performed with several bands, including the Tradition Band from San Antonio; Bobby "Blue" Bland--originally from Seguin TX; and Punty Guitar and his band, an R&B artist/group from San Antonio. Punty Guitar performed with more than one band.

I plan to update this page as I get new information.