History of Veterans Plaza

History of Veterans Plaza. . , Veterans Plaza has been referred to by several names over the years including Public Square, Military Place, and Veterans Plaza. The original memorial monument was provided by Henry and Graham, a very active local businessman who dealt in real estate, insurance, banking and served as County Tax Assessor and Deputy Sheriff. The Graham monument was erected in the center of Military Place, now Veterans Plaza, to honor the 12 servicemen from Kendall County who gave their lives in "the War to End all Wars." At the time of the monument dedication it was known as the Graham Monument. In the early 1990's, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 688 and Boerne Post 228 assisted efforts to revitalize Veterans Plaza. Local sculptor Jay Hester created a bronze sculpture representing the branches of the armed services, and his work was positioned to sit atop the original monument and unveiled on Veterans Day, November 11, 1992. Years later the City of Boeme, VFW Posts, and local citizens again joined forces to design the complete renovation of the plaza. The original limestone monument, which was deteriorating was replaced and many more improvements were made. The rededication of the plaza took place on Veterans Day, November 11, 2014., Panoramic Photograph of Graham Monument , Dedication Day - March 6, 1923 , This photograph was taken on the dedication day of the Graham Family monument to Kendall County's Heroic Dead of World War 1 by Eugene Goldbeck, a San Antonio photographer known as the "unofficial photographer of America's Military". It was taken with a Cirkut rotating panoramic camera, a technology he mastered and for which he was well-known. Take some time to peruse this image. People of all ages are dressed in their Sunday best: woolen and fur coats and fine millinery for the women; suits for men and knickers for boys. Major General E.M. Lewis sent a company of infantry, a chaplain and a military band to participate in the ceremony: you can see the "doughboy" uniforms, band and military vehicles in the background. Several of the houses in the photograph are still standing, along with the newly planted trees. There are more than 850 people shown in this photograph. Cedar picket fences, water tanks and farm land illustrate the agricultural nature of Kendall County during this time period., Timeline , Expansion and Reform , 1844 , 1844: Marking the first time a small contingent of Texas Rangers all used Colt revolvers in a Native-American engagement, the outcome of the Battle of Walker's Creek, the defeat of a significantly larger group of Comanche warriors, cemented John Coffee "Jack" Hays' status as the ultimate Ranger., 1846-1848 , 1846-1848: War between US and Mexico-George Wilkins Kendall, our county namesake, is heralded as the country's first international war correspondent. His dispatches from the front were published regularly in the New Orleans Times-Picayune., 1847 , 1847: While still primarily a savage frontier, German immigration led to the exploration of potential settlement sites in and around the county. Kendall County's earliest settler, Nicolaus Zink, arrived in the future Sisterdale region in 1847., Civil War and Reconstruction , 1862 , 1862: Kendall County is the only Texas county formed during the Civil War after residents of the area largely voted no to secede from the Union., 1862: Battle of the Nueces and Treue der Union monument in Comfort: At least 7 Kendall County soldiers died in the Civil War, including Union loyalist John Klein, who disappeared on a recruiting mission. Caspar Sueltenfuss (pictured) is the only known Civil War soldier image we have. He returned to Kendall County and a number of descendants still live here., Industrial Era , 1883 , 1883: The Telegraph arrives in Boerne and an English wave of immigrants began to make Boerne their home following the initial German immigration., 1886 , 1886: The Railroad in Boerne., 1898 , 1898: A few Kendall County soldiers left to fight in the Spanish American War. One veteran, John Clasby, is buried in the Comfort Cemetery., Progressive/New Era , 1900s , 1900s: With the Railroad coming to Boerne, the Hill Country town takes on new popularity as a health resort. The SA&AP line ran weekend trains to Boerne and 6 hotels operated downtown., world war one , 1917 , 1917: John Stribling of Waring was the first young man from Kendall County to die in The War to End All Wars. He was aboard the USS Chauncey when it sunk. In all, 17 Kendall County soldiers died in world war one., Great Depression , 1929 , 1929: The Great Depression impacted Boerne's thriving tourism industry, and many hotels closed at this time. The beginning of world war two saw many young men and women moving away for wartime employment and service, and the city returned to its farming and ranching roots for a time period., world war two 1939-1945 , 1945: Pascual Guerrero, world war two, Killed in Action, Phillipines., 1945: The USS Bismarck Sea was sunk by at kamikaze attack, taking the lives of the Roeder twins, Allen and Aaron., Post War US , 1950-1965 , 1950-1965: Boerne continued for awhile as a sleepy town set among the foothills, but the expansion of the highway system for military transport made commuting to San Antonio for work a more appealing option., 1965-2013 , 1965-2013: Unfortunately, there were no shortage of wars during this timeframe, and Kendall County soldiers continued to serve. Losses since then have included Gordon Leesch (Korea), Larry Jenschke (Vietnam), James Kiehl (Iraq) and Mark "Tyler" Voss (Afghanistan)., Tributes to a few of these fallen soldiers in the area include the Leesch Memorial Stadium at Boerne Middle School North, the James Kiehl Park in Comfort, Texas, The Capt. Mark "Tyler" Voss American Legion Post 313, and Capt. Mark Tyler Voss Middle School in Bergheim., Photo Captions , Left: , George Wilkins Kendall , John Coffee "Jack" Hays , Treue der Union Monument , Caspar Sueltenfuss, Center: , Boerne Train Depot , St. James Hotel , Camp Stanley 1918 , Pascual Guerrero, Right: , Allen and Aaron Roeder, twins , Capt. Mark "Tyler" Voss , Gordon Leesch - This letter was sent to Gordon Leesch's parents from his commanding officer, Col. O.C. Krueger , "I assure you that Gordon's death was not in vain. Like our forefathers, the supreme sacrifices made by our men on the battlefield are brought about chiefly through heritage, faith and courage to protest our freedom. I sincerely hope the knowledge that your son was an exemplary soldier and died while serving his country will comfort you in this hour of your great loss."