In 1913 area residents raised money to build a railroad linking Fredricksburg to San Antonio. The 920-foot tunnel beneath this hill increased the cost by $134,000 and required five months of hard labor. It opened a faster trade route for area . . . — — Map (db m25031) HM
A native of Austria, Andreas Engel (b.1864) migrated to Texas in 1885. In 1900 he purchased land here and built a cotton gin, around which an agricultural community developed. When the area post office was moved here in 1901 and Engel became . . . — — Map (db m174637) HM
In the 1880s, elements of the Old West were fading and became romanticized through Wild West shows. These promotions created opportunities for those with skills, including sharp-shooters. Adolph (Ad) Toepperwein was born in Boerne on October 16, . . . — — Map (db m172076) HM
Civic leader and Boerne businessman Maximilian Beseler (1866-1939) had this stone Victorian cottage built for his parents, Charles and Minna Beseler, in 1903. A native of Prussia, Charles Beseler came to Texas in 1848 and served for many years as a . . . — — Map (db m212880) HM
A treasure found in the magnificent Texas Hill Country, Boeme (pronounced "Bernie") originally was settled over 150 years ago by German Immigrants who first entered this land near the cool waters of Cibolo Creek. The town was plotted in 1852 by . . . — — Map (db m212520) HM
When Adam Vogt (1822-1882) deeded land for this cemetery to the city in 1867, there were already some graves present. The earliest documented burial, that of Anton Peter Loth, dates to 1862. In the older sections of the cemetery are graves . . . — — Map (db m155737) HM
The foundations of the Order of the Eastern Star began in the 1840s and, by 1867, developed into a system of local chapters. Eastern Star is dedicated to the principles of truth, charity, and loving kindness. Organized in June 1910, the Boerne . . . — — Map (db m171993) HM
Organization Establishment
Even as it gentrifies, the Flats continues to be a vibrant part of the Boerne community. A few of the original family names can still be found living here. In 1969, five men met at Johnny Sotello’s Store on O’Grady . . . — — Map (db m299182) HM
First Business in Boerne
The first business in Boerne used the natural resource of Cibolo Creek. In 1854, William Dietert left Germany, where his family had been millwrights for generations, and sailed for Texas aboard the Franziska. . . . — — Map (db m299171) HM
Beginning in the 1700s, the Camino Real de San Saba extended northwest from San Antonio through the Comanche and Apache - dominated Hill Country to the Spanish Fort on the San Saba River named Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas. A portion of the . . . — — Map (db m212877) HM
Probably formed during the Pleistocene epoch by the
underground passage of the Cibolo River, Cascade Cavern presents an interesting mix of geological, archeological,and historical features. It exhibits a combination of the joint and the dip and . . . — — Map (db m46924) HM
The Creek of Many Names
Cibolo Creek has had many names. The Coahuiltecan Indians called it Xolofon while other Native Americans called it Bata Coniquivoqul. On a Spanish expedition, one explorer called it Santa Crecencia while . . . — — Map (db m299174) HM
A Different Path
Please be aware that you are briefly within the Cibolo Nature Preserve while on this trail (see map below). For this small stretch, the land around the path may look a little different than the rest of City Park, and we ask . . . — — Map (db m299254) HM
Origin of City Park
In 1964, the city’s first developed park was the result of a growing desire among many citizens of Boerne, and the city sought the appropriate funds to make this vision a reality. On February 10, 1965, Ralph W. Yarborough, . . . — — Map (db m299006) HM
St. Mary’s Sanitarium You are standing on property that the Sisters of the Incarnate Word purchased to operate both a sanitarium and a school in 1896. Dr. Herff worked as the Chief of Staff at the Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio. Patients . . . — — Map (db m298410) HM
Yes!!! American Indians lived here on City Campus. In fact, they lived in the Hill Country as nomadic hunter-gatherers for the last 13,000 years, until the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Cavalry forced them onto reservations in the late 1800s. When the . . . — — Map (db m298513) HM
In the 1850s, a few courageous and well-trained European doctors responded to the health needs of the citizens of San Antonio. For more than fifty years, Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig von Herff worked tirelessly to provide leadership and medical knowledge . . . — — Map (db m208512) HM
The origins of public schools in Boerne date to 1873, when the Boerne Gesangenverein donated land on which to erect a schoolhouse. A two-room stone building was completed in 1874 and served children in all grades. A small frame building was added to . . . — — Map (db m128111) HM
George Wilkins Kendall, the Father of the Texas Sheep Industry and county namesake, was truly a renaissance man who was skilled in several professions and trades including animal husbandry. During the 1850's-60's Kendall, through trial and error, . . . — — Map (db m298479) HM
Due to financial strains caused by the Civil War, the newly created Kendall County (1862) paused plans to build a courthouse. In 1869, the court accepted a design by Phillip Zoeller (1818-1900) for a courthouse with internal jail facility to be . . . — — Map (db m288962) HM
A native of Germany, Julius Fabra (1827-1910) migrated to this area in 1854. After working as a freight hauler, he opened a meat market to serve the local farms. His son Ludwig (1858-1929) joined the business at the age of eighteen and constructed . . . — — Map (db m171950) HM
The evolution of this transportation corridor in the beloved Texas Hill Country is a unique and fascinating story. Although there was never a designated No. 9 train route for any of the railroads that passed through these hills, the name does give . . . — — Map (db m298559) HM
A native of New Hampshire, George Wilkins Kendall was a journalist by profession. He was co-founder of the New Orleans "Picayune" newspaper in 1837. Kendall later wrote books chronicling his experiences with the 1841 Texan Santa Fe Expedition and . . . — — Map (db m305427) HM
German music professor Karl Dienger, who immigrated to Boerne in 1855, organized a singing club (gesang verein) and band in Boerne in 1860. Dienger's music group consisted of musicians from throughout the area and was commonly known as the Boerne . . . — — Map (db m155744) HM
The moderate climate, plentiful sunshine, higher elevations and lower humidity compared to other regions of Texas and the gulf coast made for a powerful promotional prescription that few could resist. To accommodate those health seekers pursuing . . . — — Map (db m298413) HM
Constructed on Main Street in the late nineteenth century, this building first served as an office for the real estate, insurance, and private banking interests of Henry J. Graham (1854-1936). Born in Brazil, Graham came to Boerne in the 1870s. He . . . — — Map (db m171963) HM
Early Champion of the Boerne Community
Dr. Ferdinand Herff was an important pillar of the community in Boerne. He arrived in Texas in 1847 with an intellectual community seeking freedom, and soon established himself as a highly skilled doctor . . . — — Map (db m299009) HM
Prehistoric Prehistoric people hunt and gather in the region as early as 10,000 years ago.
Native Americans Comanches, Lipan Apaches and Kiowas are the main tribes in the area by 1700.
Spanish Explorers 1689 The name . . . — — Map (db m298409) HM
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 & Graham, a very active local businessman who dealt in real . . . — — Map (db m237667) HM
A native of Kendall County, Albert Paul Kutzer (1871-1925) was the eldest son of German immigrants Reinhold and Pauline (Holzinger) Kutzer. A merchant and gin operator, he became one of Boerne's leading businessman. He also served as mayor from . . . — — Map (db m172049) HM
This two-story limestone house is believed to have been built about 1880 by Ives Brown for Ichabod and Alice Kingsbury. In 1925 it was purchased by Maria (Williams) James (1859-1940), daughter-in-law of John James, the pioneer surveyor and early . . . — — Map (db m212870) HM
This limestone commercial structure was built for Joseph Dienger (1859-1950) shortly after he purchased the site in 1884. The ground floor housed his grocery and the second floor provided living quarters for his family. A later addition was used . . . — — Map (db m171948) HM
Built about 1900, this was the home of Kendall County Justice of the Peace and County Judge Julius A. Phillip (1867-1935), his wife Anna (Meckel) (1867-1961) and their eight children. Originally built as a 4-room house, it was enlarged in the 1920s . . . — — Map (db m237669) HM
Created January 10, 1862
Organized February 18, 1862
Named in honor of
George Wilkins Kendall 1809-1867
Poet, journalist, author
and farmer
One of the founders of
the New Orleans Picayune
Member of the
Santa Fe Expedition . . . — — Map (db m111220) HM
First and only courthouse in county. Erected 1869-1870, seven years after county organization. Many locally prominent men were associated with the structure.
The first county judge, Joseph Graham, was appointed U.S. Consul to Argentina. The . . . — — Map (db m111219) HM
Efforts to form a Masonic lodge in Boerne began in 1904. On December 7, 1905, the Grande Lodge of Texas granted a charter to Kendall Lodge No. 897, and A.J. Woods, L.W. King, Sr. and U.A. Shirar, Jr. served as the first principal officers. A fire . . . — — Map (db m171995) HM
This structure was built in the late 1880s as a residence for German native William Kuhlmann (1856-1918), a successful pharmacist and landholder. He sold the home in 1908 to Selina Long King (1831-1910), whose sons . . . — — Map (db m128114) HM
Summertime Freedom
Juanita Herff Chipman is a great-great-granddaughter of one of the town’s early champions, Dr. Ferdinand Herff. She tells of her childhood in the 1930s.
“Mother gave us the freedom to be ourselves. She allowed us to . . . — — Map (db m299175) HM
The Trinity Aquifer
Our groundwater is stored in a complex system of aquifers, collectively known as the Trinity Aquifer. This differs from San Antonio, which has one large, fairly uniform aquifer known as the Edwards Aquifer. Depending on . . . — — Map (db m298394) HM
Colonel Uriah Lott, born 1842 in Albany, New York, departed the summer of 1866 aboard the Illinois Central for a three and one-half day trip to New Orleans. From there Col. Lott boarded a United States Mail Steamship owned and operated by the . . . — — Map (db m173883) HM
THE HEART OF BOERNE
Main Plaza was the lifeblood of the town, similar to plazas in German towns. John Edward Vogt recalls the importance of the plaza during his childhood in the 1930s. It was a favorite place for the schoolchildren to . . . — — Map (db m172096) HM
Utilizing old Native-American trails such as the Camino Pinta and the Camino Viejo, middle-1800s naturalists, botanists and explorers marveled at Texas Hill Country landscapes, wildlife and plants. Some collected samples. Ferdinand Lindheimer, . . . — — Map (db m298482) HM
In 1844, Bavarian-born civil engineer Nicolaus Zink (1812-1887) was selected to lead a group of German immigrants overseas to establish settlements on a Texas land grant. This colonization effort was headed by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels and . . . — — Map (db m188518) HM
All Aboard!
The railroad changed Boerne forever as it reduced the journey to San Antonio from one grueling day's ride to a three hour trip with the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway Company, which came into existence through the support of . . . — — Map (db m299027) HM
Promoted in an 1873 newspaper article, Boerne was as appealing 150 years ago as it is today, when an 1873 newspaper article described it by writing: “Noble hills impart a romantic Switzerland aspect to the general character of the country. The . . . — — Map (db m298529) HM
The Pinta Trail (Camino Pinta) was a natural pathway through the Hill Country, utilized by Native Americans and later linking to Spanish settlements to the southeast. The path extended about 180 miles northwest from San Antonio to the 1750s . . . — — Map (db m208671) HM
Like most fledgling railroads, the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway (SA&AP) Company, or more affectionately known as the “SAP,” was in a hurry to lay the rails to reach its destination. Upon reaching its destinations, the railroad could collect on . . . — — Map (db m299083) HM
In 1906, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway Company (SA&AP) constructed its prototypical 24-foot by 62-foot combination passenger and freight depot in Boerne that housed all local railroad operations at one location. The board-and-batten . . . — — Map (db m299050) HM
Called "The Fighting Parson," Andrew Jackson Potter is a well-known figure in 19th century Texas history. He was born in Chariton County, Missouri on April 3, 1830, to Joshua Potter (1776-1840) and Martha (Johnson) Potter (d. 1840). His mother . . . — — Map (db m292910) HM
SAN ANTONIO - M.P. 238
The SA&AP wood frame passenger depot was located at the corner of Aransas Street, later changed to S. Alamo Street. and S. Flores Street. During its operation the ground floor provided passenger services including . . . — — Map (db m174167) HM
The Oldest Garage in Boerne
Martin Sachs added another one-story addition by 1937. After several decades, Sachs began to call his garage “the Oldest Garage in Boerne.” The phone number was only two digits: #33. Mr. Sachs loved to collect . . . — — Map (db m299173) HM
The rapid advancement of settlement west of the Mississippi River began in the 1860's, the first trans-continental railroad was completed when the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads joined rails in Utah at a place called Promontory Point. . . . — — Map (db m172321) HM
As early as 1874 there were attempts to lay ribbons of rail from San Antonio to Fredericksburg. San Antonio businessmen chartered The San Antonio and Fredericksburg Narrow Gauge Railway Company to accomplish this task, but failed. Several other . . . — — Map (db m173905) HM
Herff Road at Cibolo Creek has another local name, “Sheep Dip Crossing,” which has several stories behind it. One of the best pieces of local lore is the following, found by Brent Evans along with his explanation of sheep dip.
What’s Sheep . . . — — Map (db m299022) HM
The first Episcopal worship service in Kendall County was held in the Old Kuhfuss Hall in Boerne in 1873. St. Helena's congregation was organized by Bishop R. W. B. Elliott in 1881, and a small wooden church structure was erected on this site. By . . . — — Map (db m128110) HM
In 1866 Bishop Claude M. Dubuis of Galveston sent a young French immigrant, Emil L. J. R. Fleury, to organize a congregation and build a church to serve Boerne and the outlying towns and army posts. This stone structure was completed in 1867. . . . — — Map (db m128115) HM
German immigrant August Staffel arrived in Texas in 1852 and in due course made his way to Boerne, where he purchased property at this site in 1854. When Boerne was granted a postal station in 1856, Staffel served as first postmaster and housed . . . — — Map (db m171954) HM
This pioneer home was built in 1858 by German immigrant Phillip Jacob Theis (1809-1876), an early Kendall County blacksmith and wheelwright. The original part of the Theis House is a dogtrot plan of palisade construction. Willow branches were woven . . . — — Map (db m237671) HM
A Well-Trained Mule
Ellen Oelkers, a townsperson, says, “Jacob Theis ran a dairy. He would come to town with his milk can in a two-wheel gig and a well-trained mule. The mule would find the places by himself and would stop long enough for . . . — — Map (db m299180) HM
1870's
1875 March 10. The San Antonio and Fredericksburg Narrow Gauge Railway Company is chartered.
1877 February. The arrival of the first steam train into San Antonio on tracks laid by the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio . . . — — Map (db m172812) HM
The longest rail-road tunnel in its day was the "Big Hill" tunnel of the San Antonio, Fredericksburg & Northern Railway Company (SAF&N), 920 feet in length, carved from solid, limestone. The location of the tunnel is known as Mt. Alamo, situated . . . — — Map (db m292907) HM
Capt Tyler Voss graduated from Boerne High School in 2004 and received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, fulfilling a childhood dream. He graduated from the Academy in 2008 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and was . . . — — Map (db m173920) HM WM
Although he was not a resident of Kendall County, Lee, who was abandoned by his parents at a young age, spent countless evenings, weekends, and summers in Kendall County with his best friend, Charles Nelson. Nelson's mother, Charlene Lori Ives . . . — — Map (db m173916) HM WM
After graduating from Comfort High School in 2000, James Kiehl enlisted in the US Army. James Kiehl attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and then transferred to Fort Gordon, Georgia for computer training. Graduating 3rd . . . — — Map (db m173919) HM WM
Vietnam War
By the Grace of God All Our Kendall County Men Returned Home May They Live in Peace and Serenity With Pride Honor and Dignity — — Map (db m174120) WM
USA Lest They Be Forgotten This Monument Is Erected as a Memorial by the Graham Family of Boerne Texas
In Memory of the Following Named Men From Kendall County Who Died in the Military and Naval Service of the United States During . . . — — Map (db m174123) WM
World War II
Calvin U. Behr
Sam Cole
Otto E. Eichholz
Pasqual Guerrero
Johnny Menchaca
Aaron Roeder
Allen Roeder
Louis H. Strube
Hilmer Zoeller — — Map (db m174121) WM
Vogt-Schoch House
Mr. J.G. O'Grady built the Kendall House as an inn and stagecoach stop in the 1850s. It was later replaced with the Vogt-Schoch House. He was a colorful character and leader in settling the area. He originally came from . . . — — Map (db m212519) HM
The community of Hastings was established in the late 19th century with the settlement of immigrants from England coming to farm and ranch in Texas. William George (Willy) Hughes moved from Kensington, London, to Texas in 1878 at age 19 to learn . . . — — Map (db m163344) HM
Where Is Water Underground?
Not all water runs into creeks and rivers. Some soaks into the ground. This water can either be absorbed by plants and soil in the zone of aeration near the surface of the earth or move deeper underground. It . . . — — Map (db m298391) HM
Charles (Carl) Weyrich bought this lot in 1877, shortly after relocating from Gillespie County. Weyrich established himself as a tinsmith and married Sophia Beyer in 1878, commissioning this building around the same time. Weyrich’s business . . . — — Map (db m172053) HM
Saint Mary’s Sanitarium
St. Mary’s Sanitarium had been White Gables Sanitarium before the Sisters of Charity purchased and enlarged it in 1896. In 1923–24 there were 10 sisters and 63 patients at St. Mary’s.
In the 1800s, the infectious . . . — — Map (db m298538) HM
WHY BUILD HERE?
Erastus and Sarah Reed built the central core of the hotel, which is slightly offset from the two wings, in 1859 as a hotel called the "Reed House." Its location between Fredericksburg and San Antonio made it a key . . . — — Map (db m172097) HM
The center section of this vernacular Greek Revival structure was built in 1859 as a home for Erastus and Sarah Reed, who had come to Boerne from Georgia. Under later occupants, the home often served as lodging for those traveling through the . . . — — Map (db m171943) HM
This German language monument, erected 1866, honors the memory of 68 men (mostly Germans) from this region who were loyal to the Union during the Civil War.
Trying desperately to reach U.S. Federal troops by way of Mexico, about 40 of the . . . — — Map (db m34985) HM
Constructed in 1907 for Alex Brinkmann, this building housed the Comfort State Bank until 1960. Local stonemason Richard Doebbler is credited with the hand-cut stone craftsmanship of the structure. The Comfort Public Library was located here from . . . — — Map (db m155855) HM
Before Europeans settled here in the mid 1800s, a variety of trees probably grew in this area. Some, such as pecan, escarpment black cherry, live oak, and cedar elm, still exist in the park today. Shrubs probably grew among the trees, and grasses . . . — — Map (db m188462) HM
In the late 1890s, Charles Apelt (1862-1944) opened a unique commercial enterprise at this site.
Apelt, a German immigrant, came to Comfort in 1887 and worked as a farmer. Here he encountered the armadillo, an animal native to the Americas, and . . . — — Map (db m111283) HM
This monument is placed in honor of Army Spc. James M. Kiehl and of the men and women of Kendall County who have served and are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
We salute you and thank you.
May this stand . . . — — Map (db m188455) WM
Prominent local merchant Arno Schwethelm had this building constructed in 1916 to house his mercantile business, a leading Hill Country establishment. designed by L. Harrington of San Antonio and built by stonemason Otto Bartel, it combines . . . — — Map (db m155894) HM
Prussian native Friedrich August Faltin (1830-1905) moved to Comfort in 1856 and purchased the general merchandise business of Theodor Goldbeck, located at this site.Trained in his father's store, which had been established about 1818 in Danzig, . . . — — Map (db m157195) HM
This cemetery served the community of Brownsboro, which was originally settled by shinglemakers. Later, farmers and then railroad workers resided here. Thomas and Sarah Manning donated land for a burial ground and church in 1870; Levi and Sarah . . . — — Map (db m188506) HM
From 1821 to 1836, when Texas was a Mexican state, impresario land grants to Texas included territory between the Colorado River and the Guadalupe River. When Texas became a republic, Texas citizens claimed their land grants, and José Antonio de la . . . — — Map (db m188452) HM
Early settler and Confederate veteran Thomas Manning (1826-1898) deeded an acre here for a Methodist church in 1870. The measurements designated "a rock about 20 varas [55 feet] northwest of where the church stands" as the beginning of the metes and . . . — — Map (db m188507) HM
Dedicated in 1892, this Gothic revival building first served the Deutsche Evangelische Gemeinde (German Evangelical Congregation), founded the previous year by the Rev. Frederick Bauer. The bell tower was added about 1898. For over 50 years, the . . . — — Map (db m111298) HM
The need for a permanent civic center led Comfort business leaders to form a corporation to raise funds for its construction. Designed by Fredericksburg architect Hans Christiansen, the Comfort Community Theatre opened in 1930, providing the town . . . — — Map (db m212513) HM
From 1856, when Comfort's postal station was established, until this building was constructed in 1910, the town's post office was housed in various mercantile stores. In 1910, while Hermann Ingenhuett was serving as postmaster, this building was . . . — — Map (db m155792) HM
Comfort was founded by a group of German immigrants in 1854. By 1856, there were enough children in the area to warrant a public school and a one-room log cabin was built on Michael Lindner’s lot no. 258 with some classes held in homes. The . . . — — Map (db m111290) HM
Dan Holekamp (1851-1931) and his second wife, Franciska "Frances" (Wiedenfeld) (1862-1947), both children of founding families of Comfort, operated several businesses beginning in the 1880s. Among their interests were a mercantile and a combination . . . — — Map (db m292911) HM
This Comfort town lot was purchased by Eduard Degener, Eduard Steves, and William Heuermann from John Vles of New Orleans, through his attorney Ernst Altgelt. The price was $20.00 and the date was 19 August 1865, the day before the mass burial. . . . — — Map (db m163972) HM
Founder of Comfort Texas, with a group of seven men in his surveying party, Altgelt officially proclaimed the founding date of Comfort as September 3rd, 1854. This public park and another town-square, the site of Altgelt Field, were donated to the . . . — — Map (db m157198) HM
From 1845 to 1861, a number of German Freidenker ("Freethinkers") immigrated to the Texas Hill Country. Freethinkers were German intellectuals who advocated reason and democracy over religious and political authoritarianism. Many had participated . . . — — Map (db m157298) HM
The procession of three hundred people, headed by the fathers of four of the victims, old men of sixty and seventy years, preceded the funeral car drawn by four white horses. Under the Union banner lay the remains. A detachment of Federal troops . . . — — Map (db m163973) HM
This site was the homestead of Herman (1870-1944) and Antoine (1873-1941) Ingenhuett from their marriage in 1895 until their deaths and remained in the family until the end of the 20th century. Hermann acquired the Ingenhuett livery stable . . . — — Map (db m307864) HM
Representatives of Cibolo Nature Center, The Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy in Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Land Trust Alliance first met with Kendall County Commissioner's Court in the spring of 2003 to propose . . . — — Map (db m188450) HM
Early trails in the Hill Country were game trails that were traveled by prehistoric Americans, American Indians, Spanish explorers, cowboys, military troops, and then European settlers. To the east, near Sisterdale, was the ancient and well traveled . . . — — Map (db m188453) HM
This shingle style structure was built in 1918 to attract and house bats in an effort to eradicate mosquitoes and thereby reduce the spread of malaria. It was designed for Albert Steves, Sr., a former mayor of San Antonio, by Dr. Charles A.R. . . . — — Map (db m183069) HM
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