Proclaim liberty throughout the land

By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — It was a comfortable warm evening, Valentine’s Day, 1976, in fact. I was one of a group of NBHS seniors sitting on the hoods of several cars parked in front of Ortiz’s Bar across from the Brauntex. We had been told that the Freedom Train was making its way from […]

New Braunfels’ Fourth of July celebrations, then and now

(This is a special edition of Around the Sophienburg for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.) By Tara V. Kohlenberg — Today, July 4, 2026, marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. America’s 250th birthday. New Braunfels has celebrated America’s birthday for 170 years. The celebrations have changed […]

4th of July Parade That Wasn’t

By Tara V. Kohlenberg — That place we call HOME, New Braunfels, has long been a “go to” place for summer vacations. It seems especially so for the holidays, like the upcoming July 4th. Each year the excitement grows as Main Plaza is draped in her patriotic finery and the stars and stripes appear on homes, […]

Collecting, restoring, repurposing, categorizing, and identifying at the Sophienburg

By Myra Lee Adams Goff What’s going on at the Hill? The Sophienburg Hill, that is. Busy, busy. There is constant change by collecting, restoring, repurposing, categorizing, identifying, and just about all of those “ing” words. Probably the biggest change in the museum itself is the closing of the year-long Lindheimer exhibit and preparation for […]

Sophienburg named for Princess Sophia

By Myra Lee Adams Goff As far as New Braunfels history is concerned, the most important historic place is and always has been the Sophienburg Museum and Archives. This organization is now working on historic designations for the site of the Sophienburg Hill. Here’s a thumbnail history of the place: In 1842 a group of […]