Erste Fischerstechen in Texas
By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — On Sunday, October 12, 1884, Texas witnessed its very first Fischerstechen right on the Comal River. Earlier in 1882, Clemens Dam had been completed and destined as a source of power for a textile mill. That same year, a benevolent society, the Knights of Honor, had been organized and one […]
Remembering a time of war, air raid drills, victory gardens and sacrifice
I really haven’t lived through a major war, but my mom and dad did. I have heard their stories and they are very different because Mom lived on a ranch/farm north of Fredericksburg and Dad lived in New Braunfels. Myra Lee Adams Goff grew up with my dad and she described those times through the […]
Lost map becomes found treasure
Detail of K. W. Pressler & W. Völker 1851 map of Texas. This map was issued as part of G. M. von Ross’ 1851 book, Der Nordamerikanische Freistaat Texas. By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — Among a stack of “orphaned” papers, I found an old map of Texas. “Orphans” are those papers or artifacts that either […]
One hundred years and counting for St. Paul Lutheran
By Tara V. Kohlenberg — When I was 6 years old, I remember proudly being able to finally count to 100 without messing up. I counted 100 pennies. I counted 100 M&M’s (though I rarely made it through that without eating some). Those were tangible. It is still very hard for me to wrap my […]
Traditional sausage making: a time-honored process
By Tara V. Kohlenberg ─ One might think that New Braunfels knows sausage because of Wurstfest, when it is really the other way around. New Braunfels has Wurstfest because We Know Sausage. Sausage making is an art that requires patience, skill, and attention to detail. A food staple of many cultures, sausage evolved as a […]
Scholl Peters house gone missing
By Tara V. Kohlenberg — I watch rooftops multiply daily as I look out from our house of more than 30 years. I will not lie. It is distressing. It truly makes me appreciate the beautiful well-built 100-plus-year-old buildings that grace our city. Being a native, I often wonder what has become of the many […]
The Timmermann house: Memory of its haunting beauty is all that is left
By Tara V. Kohlenberg — We are fortunate to live in a community proud of its heritage, culture and architecture. Our historic districts and downtown are proof of that pride. It seems so very idyllic, people creating a community by the river, building homes and businesses. The town prospers and new brick buildings to replacing […]
Haelbig made lasting music impression
By Myra Lee Adams Goff — An outstanding early citizen of New Braunfels and one who contributed much to the culture of the community was a man named Stefan Haelbig. Haelbig organized many of the early musical groups and was the music instructor of hundreds of children and adults alike in voice as well as […]
Weather reports from New Braunfels
By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — I wake up in the morning and the first thing I do is pull up the weather app on my phone. I want to know temperature and precipitation possibilities in order to get dressed appropriately. Humans have always watched the weather. Where to settle, when to plant and harvest, what […]
History of the Moeller House
By Tara V. Kohlenberg — New Braunfels historians have told us that the first immigrants arrived with very little in the way of belongings. And, unlike today’s new arrivals in New Braunfels, our founding ancestors had a lot to do before settling into a house. They had to secure materials (chop trees for lumber, make […]
