With cotton declining in the 1920s, Charles, who bought out Herman's share in 1922, shifted focus to the next wave of agricultural enterprises - livestock. With cattle, dairy, poultry and swine came a need for feed, so Charles and his sons Paul and . . . — — Map (db m204913) HM
Founded when Galveston Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad line intersected a main wagon road from south Texas to Austin. Many families of the Atlanta community (3 mi. SE) relocated here. Plum Creek Post Office, opened nearby in 1848, also moved here . . . — — Map (db m204678) HM
One of the great benefactors of Texas. Born in Brockton, Mass. Had business careers in shoe manufacture and rubber planting. On retirement, came here and in wildcat operation brought in Luling oil field, 1922. By 1926 had 215 producing wells. Gave . . . — — Map (db m159725) HM
Emory Bellard grew up one of 3 children here in Luling while his father was a geologist during Luling's oil boom in the 1920's. His legendary career as a high school football coach started in 1952 and it was during his High School coaching days that . . . — — Map (db m204709) HM
Luling's first church building. The Rt. Rev. Robert W.B. Elliott (1840-87), first bishop, Missionary District of Western Texas, enroute to his see city, held his original service in the district in a Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio railway . . . — — Map (db m204728) HM
1922 brought the discovery of oil, drought and a boll weevil infestation. Cattle ranches, dairy farms, and oil derricks gradually replaced cotton fields and gins closed one by one, but not Zedler's Mill. It survived by milling a bit of everything - . . . — — Map (db m204794) HM
Seventeen Charter Members, with encouragement from the Rev. G.W. Lane, District Missionary, organized this congregation on Dec. 3, 1875. Worship services were held outdoors and in the Masonic Lodge Hall until spring of 1876, when the first church . . . — — Map (db m159727) HM
Eula Nichols moved from a farm near Austin to Luling in 1891 to attend school. She persuaded the Rev. A.J. Bush to hold a revival service here in 1892. As a result, First Christian Church was organized with the Rev. G.S. Kimberly serving as . . . — — Map (db m204742) HM
After surveying Luling townsite in 1874, the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad deeded land for several church sites. In 1877 the Rev. Philip H. Hensley led 14 persons in organizing the Luling Presbyterian Church. Built in 1882, during the . . . — — Map (db m204727) HM
Doctor Sidney Joseph Francis (1867-1935) settled in Luling in 1889 after earning a medical degree from Tulane University. He purchased this site which included four town lots in October 1895. One month later he married Annie Davis Gregg, . . . — — Map (db m205533) HM
Cotton farmers brought in 1500 - 1800-pound wagon loads of cotton along with dirt and seeds. The cotton was sucked up into the mill where vacuums, a conveyer belt, gin stands, belts, shafts and a baler carried, cleaned and compressed the lint into . . . — — Map (db m204801) HM
Gears, shafts, wheels and belts captured and carried the force of the turbine's spinning shaft to power the millstones, gin stands, baler, elevators, augers and other moving parts of the mill.
Captions
Lower Left: In 1885 . . . — — Map (db m205210) HM
Do you know the history of your home town? Chances are that a grist mill played a key role. Ancient Rome valued bread so highly that bakers were freemen; all other craftsmen were slaves. Much has changed since then, but bread remains a staple in . . . — — Map (db m205208) HM
The Hall Community in this area was named for pioneer settlers John and Sarah Hall, who moved here about 1860 from Mississippi. A rural settlement gradually built up in the area, and in 1882 landowner J.R. Bishop deeded two acres to the community . . . — — Map (db m204636) HM
"Biz" Mackey played and coached semi-pro baseball and professional baseball for nearly 34 years from 1916-1950. The 18 year old Luling native began playing baseball in 1916 for the Prairie League's Luling Oilers, and started his pro career two years . . . — — Map (db m204722) HM
Once known as the "toughest town in Texas," Luling was established in 1874. Since it was originally founded as a railroad town as well as a rowdy center for cattle drivers along the paths of Chisholm Trail, Luling was not highly recognized until a . . . — — Map (db m204723) HM
Led by the Rev. B.F. Dixon of the San Marcos Baptist Association, members of the McNeil Creek community met on June 30, 1888, to organize a local congregation. The name chosen was McNeil Creek Baptist Church, and the congregation began to hold . . . — — Map (db m204652) HM
This cemetery was founded on land deeded to the Soda Springs Methodist Church about 1867 by early settler Margret Hinds. The first recorded burial was that of Henrietta Gant in 1868. The cemetery was first known as Soda Springs Methodist Cemetery . . . — — Map (db m204664) HM
In the late 1920s Charles Zedler and his sons built this mill to make feed for beef and dairy cattle, swine and poultry. Although exact locations are not known for all parts of the mill, storage bins and a milling separator were on the 2nd floor, . . . — — Map (db m204903) HM
With an ever-increasing demand for cotton clothes in the late 19th century, textile mills from America to Europe needed cotton thread to feed their looms. Meriwether and partners quickly added a cotton gin to the grist mill after the railroad . . . — — Map (db m205205) HM
"Skip" Rutherford, a native of Luling might not have been a man of many words, but what came from his mouth was "solid oak" according to former colleagues of the 4 Star General. His fascination with airplanes led him to enter the Air Force in 1961 . . . — — Map (db m204702) HM
Julius Rosenwald created the Rosenwald Fund in 1917 to endow new African American schools. Luling's Rosenwald school opened in 1925 to replace the Luling Colored School which began operation in 1874. The Rosenwald School employed four teachers for . . . — — Map (db m204666) HM
James Logan was born and raised in the Luling area and joined the Texas National Guard in 1936 at the age of 15. By the time his infantry division was landing at Salerno, Italy in 1943 during WWII, he was serving as Sergeant. On the morning of . . . — — Map (db m204721) HM
Born in Germany, Fritz Zedler (1840-1932) came to Texas in 1852. He moved to Luling in 1884 and began operation of Zedler's Mill, soon a thriving business. This house, built in 1900 from Zedler's own plans, testifies to his pride and prosperity. The . . . — — Map (db m204744) HM
What started as a grist mill quickly became a focal point of life in Luling. The gin sparked the town's first industry, the saw mill cut lumber for construction, and the grist mill churned out cornmeal. The steady stream of farmers, merchants, . . . — — Map (db m204792) HM
From mortar and pestle to massive millstones, humans have been grinding grain for millennia. More than 7000 years ago brute strength turned the stones. Draft animals replaced muscle power and wind and water replaced animals, but millstones still . . . — — Map (db m205203) HM
201 South Laurel Avenue Originally the Post Office Grocery & Market 1990-2014 The Law Office of Charles C. Wright
Dedicated September 18, 2014 — — Map (db m206573) HM
'Head' is the force generated by falling water. The further it falls, the more force it generates, which is why Meriwether dammed the San Marcos River to increase the fall of water.
Beginning in 1894, the Zedlers sold excess power to Luling. . . . — — Map (db m205211) HM
From about 1880 to the early 1920s, residents of Wattsville, Hall and other nearby towns used a cotton gin located here. Brothers Zechariah John and Thomas Watts settled the area ca. 1855, building the gin and also a general store and blacksmith . . . — — Map (db m204644) HM
Heritage Circle was created by the Luling Main Street organization as a platform to recognize several extraordinary people from Luling who achieved nationwide acclaim for their outstanding contributions. A partnership with the annual "Night in Old . . . — — Map (db m204707) HM
On August 9, 1922 the trajectory of Luling changed forever when oil was discovered 6 miles northwest of town on a 126 acre plot of land named "El Rancho", which was owned by Mexican immigrant Rafael Rios, Sr. The Rafael Rios #1 discovery well opened . . . — — Map (db m204668) HM
The arrival of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad in 1874 led to the sudden appearance of Luling, Texas, which quickly grew to 800 - 1000 residents. The demand for cornmeal prompted John and Jim Meriwether and Leonidas Hardiman to . . . — — Map (db m204789) HM
The Rev. William Johnson (1822 - 89), Farmer and Baptist Minister who came to Texas in 1833, built this shotgun style cabin near Tenney Creek (11 Mi NE of Luling) in 1870s. Family included five children. His son W.E. (Billie) became a Physician in . . . — — Map (db m159705) HM
John and James Meriwether and Leonidas Hardeman in 1874 built gristmill and sawmill at this site, with a stone dam across the San Marcos River. Bob Innes, John Orchard, J.K. Walker, and Fritz Zedler, as Luling Water Power Co., bought mills in 1884, . . . — — Map (db m76908) HM
This graveyard is the last visible reminder of the Old Nixon Community, which grew up here in the mid-19th century. The settlement was named for Robert T. Nixon and became known as Old Nixon after another town in Gonzales County took the . . . — — Map (db m156443) HM
