News and Events

HCHC Book Signing/Reception Planned at Courthouse for December 11

Thursday, December 11th, from 5:00-6:30pm at the courthouse rotunda All the HCHC books will be on sale. Ophelia Philo will be there to sign her book, Suenos y Recuerdos del Pasados; A Community History of Mexican Americans in San Marcos, Texas. Refreshments will be served aswell.

HCHC Participates In Veterans Day Parade

Linda Coker and Mr. Nick Unger at the Veterans Day. Nick of San Marcos is the owner of the 1923 Model T that he drove in the parade. (He's from San Marcos). I'll send a second photo of Linda and Nick so you'll have two.

Kyle 2008 Dia de los Muertos Party

HCHC Chair Kate Johnson mans the commission’s holiday-appropriate, book-selling booth during Kyle’s 2008 Dia de los Muertos party.

The City of Kyle celebrated the traditional Mexican-American holiday of Dia de los Muertos Saturday, November 1, 2008, and the Hays County Historical Commission was on hand with a booth to (appropriately) sell both volumes of its “Hays County, Texas, Cemetery Inscriptions,” as well as “Clear Springs and Limestone Ledges,” the county history, and “Suenos y Recuerdos del Pasado,” the community history of Mexican-Americans in San Marcos. The party coincided with the opening of Old Town Gift Emporium, where owners John and Michelle Hawn have restored the 111 year-old Sledge building.

Enjoying the beautiful fall evening at Kyle’s Dia de los Muertos party were (L-R) HCHC’s Mary Ann Mattis, Kate Johnson, “Clear Springs and Limestone Ledges” co-author Gene Johnson, and husband (and longtime HCISD Superintendent) Mo Johnson.

Butler Cemetery Marker Dedication

Among descendants on hand for the October 2008 dedication of the Butler Cemetery state marker as a Historic Texas Cemetery were (L-R) Ed Wendler, Blue Johnson, Joshua Ueckert, Ben Steen, Ronda Ueckert, and Melissa Ueckert.

Approximately 25 family descendants gathered on an early October morning to place and dedicate a Texas Historical Commission Medallion marker for historic Butler Cemetery, located near Onion Creek in the Driftwood area. HCHC’s Bob Flocke and his daughter represented the commission at the event, during which descendants performed their usual twice-a-year mowing, weeding, shoveling, and sprucing. Bob reports family members got the marker posted, stopped briefly for picture-taking, and resumed the clean-up at the isolated Hill Country site.

El Camino Real Mural

Blanco Vista Elementary School, Camino Real has a foyer like none other. On the floor lies an outline of the state of Texas and El Camino Real, a famous trail blazed more than 300 years ago by travelers on foot, horseback and wagon going from Mexico to Louisiana through Texas, funded by the Burdine Johnson Foundation.

El Camino Real, also referred to as Old San Antonio Road, Spanish Royal Road or King's Highway roughly follows an old American Indian set of trails. The Spanish also used these trails in the late 1600's and early 1700's who traveled from Mexico City to Spanish outposts north and named them El Camino Real. These routes passed through Eagle Pass, San Antonio and San Marcos leading to Nacogdoches, Texas and Natchitoches, Louisiana for transporting supplies to priest, soldiers and colonists along the way. The trail was paved as county roads and highways in recent years as people have continued to use them, now driving automobiles. It meanders through Hays County due east of Interstate 35 and goes by several names; Old Bastrop Highway, Kings Highway, El Camino Real and blends at one point with Highway 21. Granite markers

Photo left to right: Camino Real Principal Marivel Sedillo, Kate Johnson and Bill Johnson

along the historic Camino Real have recently been restored and replaced by the Daughters of the American Revolution, marking the Texas trail for children to come.

Hays Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees recognized Kate and Bill Johnson, who represent the foundation, during their meeting September 15. Hays County Historical Commission members Mary Ann Mattis and Jim Cullen were also recognized for their assistance in completing the project. Principal Marivel Sedillo was on hand for the recognition and invited the public to attend the formal dedication of Camino Real Elementary School on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 9 a.m.

Representing the Burdine Johnson Foundation, Lucy Johnson (far right) accepts an appreciation plaque from Hays CISD at dedication ceremonies for Camino Real Elementary School. Hays County Historical Commission member-and keynote speaker--Mary Ann Mattis (left) made the presentation in appreciation for the foundation's funding of the beautiful Camino Real floor mural in the school's foyer. Translator Enrique Garcia is at center.

The Kyle Family Pioneer Cemetery

The Kyle Family Pioneer Cemetery received a sign--believed to be the cemetery's first--for its gate from the Hays County Historical Commission Thursday, October 2, 2008. Long-time San Marcos activist Ollie Giles assisted the Cemetery Committee in choosing the exact site for the new sign and a Hays County Road Department crew posted the sign for the cemetery, which is adjacent to the Kyle Cemetery.

Storm Ranch Cemeteries Visit

HCHC Cemetery Committee members Dorothy Gumbert (left), Jim Cullen (right), and Luanne Cullen (photographer) joined Storm Ranch owner Scott Storm (center) for a recent orientation to three cemetery sites located on his ranch. The group visited Gatlin-Garrett, Cherry Springs, and Weaver Cemeteries as an orientation to the sites' locations and return visits for the entire committee are anticipated.

One of Hays County’s richest and most concentrated areas for historic cemeteries is the area defined by the boundaries of the Storm Ranch, located between Wimberley and Dripping Springs, along and west of Ranch Road 12. Among the sites documented in 1988 by Dorothy Kerbow and Jo Ann Elam Hearn (aided on the ranch at the time by “Clear Springs and Limestone Ledges” co-author Maxine Storm) are the Gatlin-Garrett, Cherry Springs, and Weaver Cemeteries. Current ranch owner Scott Storm graciously offered a recent tour of these sites to HCHC Cemetery Committee members Dorothy Gumbert and Jim and Luanne Cullen. The orientation to the sites’ locations updates the commission’s awareness of the sites’ locations and owner Storm promises open access to the sites for the foreseeable future.

Wimberley 4th of July Parade

The driver of the vehicle was John Hawn of the Old Time Gift Emporium in Kyle. The truck is a 1931 Model A truck. Linda represented HCHC in the parade. I believe there were over 80 entries in the parade.

County Government Week

Hays County Employees enjoyed a festive time during County Government week. The week began with Safety and Benefits Training sessions on the Court House lawn and was followed by a employee luncheon and awards ceremony the following day.

The Hays County Historical Commission and their hard working volunteers provided employees with a nostalgic background reminiscent of a more simple era in the counties history that was appreciated by all who were able to attend.

Approximately a hundred people turned out of the Buda Elementary School marker dedication, including longtime local friends, dignitaries, and Hays CISD administrators (L-R) Cecil Alan Clark, former trustee Lloyd Hennig, former (and current) trustee Ralph Pfluger, Buda City Councilmember Sandra Tenorio, Supt. Kirk London, native son Bob Barton, former principal Carolyn Hitt, former superintendent Mo Johnson, former principal Nolan Kunkel, current principal Lauri Schroeder, current trustee Mark Jones, and current assistant principal Charla Salmeron.

Buda Elementary School Marker Dedicated Febuary 22, 2008

Buda Elementary School was the site (and subject) of a Friday morning, Feb. 22, 2008, historical marker dedication and celebration. Former Hays CISD Superintendent Mo Johnson and the current superintendent, Dr. Kirk London, delivered reminiscences of the old school…and remarks on the future. A reception and a student assembly followed. The Hays County Historical Commission, in conjunction with its parent organization, the Texas Historical Commission, oversees the placement of such local historical markers.
Hays CISD press release

Bon Ton Store Historical Marker Dedicated

Three generations of the Word family joined members of the Kyle City Council Jan. 22 to unveil a Texas historical marker at Kyle’s new city hall, the former site of the Bon Ton store, which was operated for many years by Wallace Alexander "Lex" Word.
The marker outlines the contributions of Lex Word to the city of Kyle and traces the role of the Bon Ton as a primary community gathering place from the time it was opened in 1926 until the building was destroyed by fire in 2002. The store, still operating under the original name, though no longer owned by the Word family, is now located on Highway 21.
Representing the Hays County Historical Commission, chairman Kate Johnson presented the marker to the city of Kyle prior to the City Council meeting. A permanent location for the marker has not yet been chosen.
Lex Word (1896-1982) was born in Kyle to William Alexander and Mamie Sledge Word. His father died two months before Lex was born. After graduating from Kyle High School in 1913 as the only male in a class of six, Lex worked in his uncle's bank in Mathis. He later attended Texas A&M College, leaving to serve in World War I.
In 1926, Word moved back to Kyle and partnered with Alex Kercheville and Jack Sledge to open the Bon Ton, a general store and grocery. Initially located in the historic Masonic Building, it soon moved to the site of the new city hall. At about the same time, Word bought out his partners. In 1929, Lex married Taylor native Louise "Bobby" Gossett (1904-2000) who came to Kyle to teach school. Word expanded the store in the Great Depression, adding a feed store and hatchery at a time when many downtown businesses closed. A fatal fire killed Cal "Big Boy" Clark in 1934, but the store was rebuilt.
The Words were church and civic leaders and were active in the First Baptist Church of Kyle. When the Kyle State Bank closed in 1932, Word helped reorganize the town's only depository as Citizens State Bank. He also opened an adjacent implement store and helped restart the cooperative cotton gin in the 1930’s. The Words donated
space in the back of the Bon Ton for a reading room that was the town's first library in the 1950’s.
The store retained the Bon Ton name under new ownership until fire destroyed the building in 2002. In 2006, the City of Kyle built the new city hall at the Bon Ton location.