Southside in San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Berg's Mill Community

Photographed by James Hulse, December 27, 2022

1. Berg's Mill Community Marker

Inscription. The San Antonio River Provided Power for mills that lined its banks from the headwater springs north of town to Mission Espada, a short distance south of here. Several mills built near this site, beginning in the middle 1800s, became the center of a small community known as Berg's Mill for millers Henry and Louis Berg. After the Berg brothers lost their wool mill and cotton gin to foreclosure in 1889, the buildings were leased to Gustave Hellemans and the settlement was briefly called Hellemans. The area's mills closed by the 1920s as a result of drought, devastating floods, economic downturns and competition. The flowing river was then used to power two small hydroelectric plants, one built on the foundation of the Berg brothers' mill. The Berg's Mill community boasted a railroad station, post office, grocery store, movie theater and school in the early 1930s. The population dwindled to fewer than one hundred residents by 1940, and within a few years Berg's Mill was no longer shown on area maps. Today a single stone ruin is the only reminder of the long milling history of the community still known informally as Berg's

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Mill.

Captions
Lower Left: The "old mill" designated on this 1888 map (top) may be the remains of the Higginbotham and Kerr mill built in the 1840s and later renovated and leased to Henry and Louis Berg. It is possible that the stone structure still standing today (above) is part of this early mill. The Berg's Mill store and San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad station are shown below the river on the map. The wool mill was advertised in local newspapers during the 1880s.

Upper Right: In the 1930s, the Berg's Mill community consisted of residences and businesses scattered in the area surrounding Mission San Juan. In addition to mills, the community included this store (left), a railroad station, post office and movie theater (below).

Source "Plat of Berg's Property near San Juan Mission" Courtesy: Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library at the Alamo
Courtesy: Light Collection, Universary of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections
Source: San Antonio Daily Express, September 2, 1885. Courtesy: Hearst Corporation

Erected by San Antonio Missions National Historic Park.

Topics. This historical

The Berg's Mill Community Marker and mill ruins image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 27, 2022

2. The Berg's Mill Community Marker and mill ruins

marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is September 2, 1885.

Location. 29° 20.111′ N, 98° 27.403′ W. Marker is in San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. It is in Southside. It is on Mission Road 0.3 miles west of Mission Parkway, on the right when traveling west. The marker is located along the north side of Mission Road at the San Antonio River. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8831 Mission Road, San Antonio TX 78223, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South Texas.

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 of this marker: Berg's Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); The San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site (within shouting distance of this

The view of the Berg's Mill Community Marker from the the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 27, 2022

3. The view of the Berg's Mill Community Marker from the the street

marker); Mission San Juan Capistrano (within shouting distance of this marker); Bergs Mill Veterans Memorial Bridge (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Mission San Juan Capistrano (about 700 feet away); San Antonio Missions (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hub of Commerce (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Sacred Place (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Antonio.

Closeup of the last ruins in Berg’s Mill image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 27, 2022

4. Closeup of the last ruins in Berg’s Mill

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 4, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,166 times since then and 72 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 4, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.