Waelder in Gonzales County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Town of Waelder

By Richard E. Miller, 1994

1. The Town of Waelder, Texas

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

In 1875 and 1876, when the Galveston Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad built through Gonzales County, this town was laid out to serve as a shipping point for the surrounding agricultural and ranching area. Hopkinsville, a thriving community five miles north, moved here to become the nucleus of Waelder.

Because of valuable services rendered to railroad interests in the early days, the G.H.&S.A. named the new town for the company attorney, Frederick Jacob Waelder (1820-1887).

Born in Germany, Waelder spent most of his life in Texas, where he was a lawyer, representative in the state legislature (1855-1859), and briefly an officer in the Confederate Army. He was also a leader of the German-Texas colonists in numerous undertakings.

The town of Waelder, which grew to be the second largest in the county by 1900, can trace the history of its populace back to the three waves of German immigrants who settled in Texas from 1831 to 1900.

Highly regarded by their neighbors, German citizens were considered frugal and industrious. Joining with Latin-Americans and Old South Anglo-Americans, the two other largest ethnic groups

The Town of Waelder Marker image. Click for full size.

By Jim Evans

2. The Town of Waelder Marker

in Texas, they have left a distinctive mark on the culture of the state.

Erected 1968 by Texas State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 5441.)

Location. 29° 41.579′ N, 97° 17.939′ W. Marker is in Waelder, Texas, in Gonzales County. Marker is at the intersection of North Railroad Street (U.S. 90) and South Avenue E (State Highway 97), on the right when traveling east on North Railroad Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Waelder TX 78959, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 17 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Wheeler Building (approx. 11.4 miles away); First Methodist Church (approx. 16.1 miles away); First Baptist Church of Gonzales (approx. 16.1 miles away); Gonzales County Jail (approx. 16.1 miles away); Gonzales Courthouse (approx. 16.2 miles away); James W. Robinson (approx. 16.2 miles away); The Presbyterian Church (approx. 16.2 miles away); Military Plaza (approx. 16.2 miles away).

Regarding The Town of Waelder. Regrettably, this marker fails to mention the community's "third" other largest ethnic group, the Afro-Americans from the "Old South" whose historical presence in Waelder was likewise significant and whose mark on the culture of Texas was comparably distinctive.

Also see . . .
1. The Handbook of Texas Online entry for Jacob Waelder. For valuable services rendered Texas railroad interests, the town of Waelder in Gonzales County was named for him. (Submitted on April 10, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

2. Waelder, Texas. Wikipedia (Submitted on September 7, 2014.)

3. City of Waelder, Texas. (Submitted on September 7, 2014.)

Categories. • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers •

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on April 9, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,625 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 9, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 2. submitted on September 6, 2014, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.