The interesting history of Esser’s Crossing
By Myra Lee Adams Goff When I was a child, people used to just ride around to sight-see. If you want to see what people saw in that practice, just drive up Farm-to-Market Road 311 about 19 miles to a place called Esser’s Crossing. You’ll enjoy the sightseeing. Esser’s Crossing was one of the first […]
New Braunfels from conquistadores to state of United States
By Myra Lee Adams Goff Hermann Seele in his book Die Cypress summarizes the German immigration story to New Braunfels and the surrounding areas and how it relates to the history of the state of Texas. The detailed account by Seele was translated into English by the late historian Oscar Haas and published over several […]
Dollhouse collection displayed at Sophienburg
By Myra Lee Adams Goff Don’t we all love the feeling of an old-fashioned Christmas? Once again, the Sophienburg has decorated for the Christmas season, but this year wins the prize. The collection and exhibit ladies have put together a dollhouse display of 14 different dollhouses plus small doll collections. Entering the foyer is a […]
Weihnachtsmarkt is coming to town
By Myra Lee Adams Goff Now everybody sing: “You better watch out, you better not pout, “You better not cry, I’m telling you why, “Weihnachtsmarkt is coming to town.” Yes, indeed, Weihnachtsmarkt begins Friday morning at New Braunfels Civic Convention Center. The local Christmas Market, patterned after those in Germany, is the major fundraiser for […]
More Meriwether story revealed
By Myra Lee Adams Goff After writing the column about the digging of the Comal Canal by William Hunter Meriwether, much personal information has come to light about this man about whom we knew so little, but was so important to the development of New Braunfels. Refresh your memory in the sophienburg.com website for Sept. […]
So, what exactly is under Canyon Lake?
By Myra Lee Goff What is under about 100 feet of water in Canyon Lake? Or better still, what would still be there if the lake had not been constructed? I started looking and found out: ranch land, farm land, trees, cemeteries, Guadalupe River and the site of two very small communities, Hancock and Cranes […]
Wurstfest uses lots of icons
By Myra Lee Adams Goff Icons are very important. When we think of the iconic Dirndls and Lederhosen, what do we think of here in NB? Wurstfest, of course, and that will be Nov. 4-13. Both items of clothing have been around in Europe for a long time, particularly Austria and the Bavarian part of […]
What’s the connection between von Coll and Clemens Dam?
By Myra Lee Adams Goff Did you know that there was a connection between Jean Jacques von Coll, the Adelsverein’s bookkeeper, and the tube chute at Clemens Dam? It’s not inner tubes. Give up? In my last column, I wrote about why von Coll came to Texas. (See Sophienburg.com, July 12, 2011) This one’s worth […]
Twist of fate brings von Coll to Texas
By Myra Lee Adams Goff Last month a group from the Nassau Historical Society in Germany came to the Sophienburg. Von Hartmut Heinemann, group historian, handed me a small book in German about the life of Johann Jakob von Coll. You know him as Jean Jacques von Coll, but they were one and the same.Von […]
New Braunfels Coffee Company popular until 1950
By Myra Lee Adams Goff The Zuehl Family Book at the Sophienburg contains a rather well-known story to local historians. It was written by Wilhelm Zuehl when he was in his 70s as he recalled coming to Texas with his family as an 18-year-old in 1846. His family was on a brig going from Galveston […]
