New Braunfels in Comal County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Mill Street Telegraph Station
Photographed by James Hulse, November 12, 2022
1. Mill Street Telegraph Station Marker
Inscription.
Mill Street Telegraph Station. . What began as smoke signals from hill to hill evolved into lines on poles. The telegraph was introduced in the United States in the mid-1800s and many cities in Texas began constructing lines and stations. New Braunfels opened its first telegraph station in the 1860s at the Guadalupe Hotel. August Schmitz (1830-1894) operated as a telegrapher in the hotel until 1871 when the office moved to his home on Mill Street. Schmitz was a schoolteacher and spoke German and English. The mid-1800s house is of half-timber, or Fachwerk, style with mud bricks made from Comal Creek. The office was located there until 1879 when it was moved back to the hotel and then to the railroad depot in 1881.
What began as smoke signals from hill to hill evolved into lines on poles. The telegraph was introduced in the United States in the mid-1800s and many cities in Texas began constructing lines and stations. New Braunfels opened its first telegraph station in the 1860s at the Guadalupe Hotel. August Schmitz (1830-1894) operated as a telegrapher in the hotel until 1871 when the office moved to his home on Mill Street. Schmitz was a schoolteacher and spoke German and English. The mid-1800s house is of half-timber, or Fachwerk, style with mud bricks made from Comal Creek. The office was located there until 1879 when it was moved back to the hotel and then to the railroad depot in 1881.
Erected 2016 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18357.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Communications. A significant historical year for this entry is 1871.
Location. 29° 42.304′ N, 98° 7.483′ W. Marker is in New Braunfels, Texas, in Comal County. It is on East Mill Street 0.1 miles west of North Market Avenue, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located on the left side of the front the house. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 265 East Mill Street, New Braunfels TX 78130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Hill Country and in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance
3. The view of the Mill Street Telegraph Station Marker from the street
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 14, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 311 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 14, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
