The cold facts of New Braunfels
By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — New Braunfelsers were giddy with joy when snowflake clusters fell on December 7th. Waking up that next morning was a “blessed event” of sorts for us locals. Some newcomers amongst us wondered at our ecstasy over snow, and in trying to explain, I realized that
New Braunfels calling
By Tara V. Kohlenberg — The multitude of seasonal well wishes received over the past month got me to thinking. Christmas cards and actual phone calls seem to be dwindling while texts, Instagram and Facebook posts (at least at my house) are on the rise. It’s amazing to consider just how
Christmas brings peace, even in time of war
By Tara V. Kohlenberg — Quiet doesn’t happen often in the Sophienburg, so I make the most of it when I can get it. Today, the week before Christmas, I attack the pile of mail on my desk, complete with Christmas cards. One in particular strikes me as I read
Four phases of education in rural Comal County
By Alton J. Rahe — Education was of paramount importance to the German immigrants. Basic education classes were started for their youth in the more populated areas soon after their arrival to Texas. However, this was not the case for rural settlers where more formal education was slower in coming. There
The Greatest Show on Earth
By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — Well before the Civil War, circus troupes had made their way to Texas. The earliest mention of a circus in our local newspaper was on Jan. 7, 1859. My interest in the NB circus scene began with an early 1900s photograph featuring a circus parade of
Armistice
“The leaves had fallen from the trees of Compiegne Forest at Rethondes, where two railway trains waited in the dawn mist. It was close to 5 a.m. on November 11, 1918. In a car of one of the trains sat a tired group of men about to sign a document
The rest of the story …
By Tara Kohlenberg, Sophienburg Executive Director — You might remember the article written a couple of weeks back about Karl Klinger and Sophienburg Hill, where I mentioned that the old Sophienburg Verein Headquarters was destroyed by a storm. It wasn’t just any storm and now you get to hear the