As I grow older, I find myself more appreciative of the natural elements of our environment and especially of the natural beauty of New Braunfels and Comal County. I’m not so naive to think that changes don’t have to be made to accommodate a bursting population. But, “those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end”.

I remember particularly the beauty of Landa Park with its lake, lined with elephant ears, and I remember “shooting the rapids” at Camp Warnecke in the area where the bottom of the water was solid soapstone. And then the cold, clear Comal River, so filled with crayfish that you couldn’t put your feet down without getting pinched.

When I got my driver’s license (which was at age 13) the River Road was a favorite route to drive. I was familiar with this road because it was a route that I went with my parents on their weekly Sunday drive. I wasn’t too happy about this entertainment that was forced on me at that time, and most of the time I slept in the car, which in itself was quite pleasant. But of all the places that we drove, the River Road was one to remember.

As an independent teenager, just driving along the road, never meeting another car, with the Guadalupe on one side and the bluffs with their flood-chiseled walls on the other, was a thrill. These were days when one could just stop the car, wade in on the smooth rocks and swim in the deeper parts. This was before the dam regulated the depth of the river and the water level was ever-changing.

As a young girl, my mother and her friends frequented the Guadalupe River even more than the Comal. That’s probably because in the 1920s they were part of the “touring car” crowd. It was probably much more exciting to drive out the River Road to the Guadalupe than to walk down to the Comal. The photo shows my mother in the center with some of her friends sitting on the rocks in the Guadalupe. When I see this picture, I am amazed that she is even in the water. She couldn’t swim. My grandmother told me that in the local culture, it wasn’t proper for females to swim in rivers. I guess I was lucky to have a father who at one time was a lifeguard at the pool at Camp Placid in Landa Park. He taught me to swim at age five.

Canyon Dam didn’t stop the flooding entirely on the Guadalupe but it did modify it. As you drive out the River Road, you can see how high and how forceful water has been in the past by the gouged-out bluffs of rock. It’s hard to imagine water that high and that forceful to create these canyons and cave formations.

Originally the River Road was just a narrow lane following the river used mostly by farmers and ranchers. The original rocky trail had four crossings that could be crossed only in dry weather. Sometimes the driver had to stop and clear a path. As can be seen now, large boulders line the road’s edge. Eventually concrete bridges were built. This easier access eventually contributed to the tourist industry.

In the 1930s, camp houses began to spring up along the road. One of the earliest resorts was Waco Springs Park owned by Bob Gode and leased to Phil and Gertrude Rawson. Waco was also spelled Huaco or Hueco, all referring to the same area. There were small cottages with fireplaces, and of course, swimming. Inexpensive to rent, they were perfect for family vacations. After WWII, Gode went into partnership with NBHS coach, Weldon Bynum, forming Camp Huaco for Boys. Football camps were very popular and many of the original buildings are still standing on the side of the hill by the first crossing. For more information on Waco Springs, see Sophienburg.com, Around the Archives, August 10, 2010.

Another such campground was Slumber Falls Camp, ideal for large groups. These camps offered basically the same accommodations as camps along the Comal in New Braunfels. (camps like Camp Warnecke, Camp Giesecke, Camp Ulbricht). Boats could be rented; even bathing suits.

Keep on driving on the River Road and eventually you come to the area known as the Guadalupe Valley with all its small settlements and big ranches. When Canyon Dam was being built, my husband Glyn, began taking slides of the building of the dam, which he did for the next five years. On the website for Comal County one can view this collection of about 50 of the best slides. The whole family would pile in the car and head out on the River Road towards the dam. Close to the end of the road lived Roland Erben and his family. Roland had a contract with the builders of the dam to sell them rock from his ranch, the rock that is hand-set on the side of the dam called rip-rap. Since he was a friend of my father, he allowed us to go rock hunting on his property. Dynamite had been used to loosen the rocks and amazing caves were exposed. What a joy! This experience started our whole family on one of our activities that we all love – rock hunting.

If you grew up in Comal County, you can’t help but have wonderful recollections of the River Road.

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The book, “Landa Park, Its Springs and Its People” by Rosemarie Leissner Gregory and Arlene Krueger Seales, is now available to pre-order. The New Braunfels Parks & Recreation Department and the Friends for the Preservation of Historic Landa Park, a non-profit organization, honor the 80^th anniversary of the acquisition of Landa Park by presenting this 438 page book, including two companion volumes, “Native American Artifacts, Comal Springs” and “The Comal Springs, Landa Park.”

The book begins with the history of the area millions of years ago up to the present. In other words, everything you ever wanted to know about Landa Park. Artwork and thousands of color and historic photographs paint a picture of what the park was and is now.

It’s difficult to do justice to a book like this in a review, so I chose the last small section of the book that recalls personal recollections of the park by individuals and what meant the most to them. Over 75 people were asked those questions. If you have lived here awhile, you will relate to their recollections. If you’re not from here, you will be surprised at a lot of what you read.

In all of the stories, some subjects emerged over and over. I am assuming that these subjects were the most important to the individuals. It’s a little bit like being asked, “In one word, what did Landa Park mean to you?” Names are in the book, but only a few in this column.

Over and over, the spring-fed swimming pool came up as the most memorable spot. I recall that this pool was a byproduct of Meriwether’s damming up the lake and digging the channel. The area of the swimming pool was part of the old channel. Harry Landa later created the pool as part of his tourist business. It has been a meeting place for friends and the slanted grassy place next to the old bath house was always covered with sun bathers on towels. Participants recollected that once you learned how to swim, your parents would let you loose in the pool.

One name that will be mentioned here because it was repeated so often was lifeguard Tommy Ortiz. He meant more to swimming youth than even he can imagine. He taught hundreds of children to dive with his own diving ability. His encouraging personality inspired many young swimmers. Imagine this: Ortiz would allow children to climb on his back and he would then proceed to jump off the high diving board.

During the summer, swimming was a daily experience for city kids. The pool took the place of air conditioning that they didn’t have and with so much time in the pool, it became inevitable that children made up their own games. This was true in the spring-fed pool because it had two rafts and the game, “King of the Raft” with the winner being the last one remaining on top of the raft was invented. I remember this as a pretty tough game. The other game was “Rag Tag” where the winner was hiding under the raft so as to not be caught.

In later years, the name Bud Dallmann surfaced. Organizing the first Aquatic Club in the spring-fed pool, the club eventually moved mainly over to the Olympic Pool. He was a great inspiration to swimmers of all ages for many years.

Bucky Warwick Smith was remembered for her teaching of synchronized swimming and organizing the Miss Texas Pageant. This was a big event in New Braunfels and her synchronized swimmers put on a spectacular show in the spring-fed pool.

Water played an important part in collective Landa Park memories. Most remember swimming, wading, boating, fishing and even the drying up of the springs and Landa Lake in the 1954 drought.

Another word mentioned in the collection of memories was “dancing” and of course, dance floors. The wooden covered dance hall that was located between the Founder’s Oak Tree and the concrete dance slab was the foundation of many memories. Dancing stories, particularly during World War II told of entertaining soldiers stationed at San Antonio bases.

Several local bands were mentioned that played on the dance slab, particularly those that played for the public dances around the big oak tree. Some types of dances mentioned at the wooden dance hall were the Hokey Pokey, Mexican Hat Dance and Herr Schmidt. Who remembers the local band, “The Trackers” of the 60s entertaining the younger crowd?

By far the most single dance event mentioned was the Kindermaskenball. After the parade downtown, participants would stop at Bock Motor Company where, over the years, thousands of Coca Colas were given by Ben Bock to the thirsty paraders. Then they would walk on to Landa Park. Many remember the wooden dance hall being the location of dancing during the day and the dance slab being the location at night. The families would picnic and sometimes go home during the day. At night they would come back for the ever popular Grand March.

All sorts of celebrations were mentioned like July 4, birthday parties, and several New Braunfels anniversaries, especially the 1946 Centennial Celebration. Some remembered the 1926 Venetian Carnival on Landa Lake that they had heard of from their grandmothers.

New Braunfels has always been a sports-following town and so it was natural that many had in their memory bank the New Braunfels Tigers, a semi-pro team whose field was located where the Olympic Pool is now. Names like Dizzy Dean who was in the military at Ft. Sam Houston, pitched and became the most valuable player for 1934 in the pros. Also, spring training for the Minneapolis Millers took place in Landa Park.

Some bemoan the tearing down of old buildings like the bath house built by the WPA. The old meri-go-round and the spinning top in the spring-fed pool became too dangerous to keep. Many remember nature at its finest: the snowstorm, trees, and the glass-bottom boat on the lake. This column is a small smattering of the information that is in just one section of the 438 pages.

Many people were involved compiling this book, but all in all, the main writers and coordinators were Rosemarie Leissner Gregory and Arlene Krueger Seales. This is a collection of history and photographs well worth the price. Pre-ordering at a discount may be done now by calling 830-625-3186 between 2-5pm or using www.friendsforlandapark.org . When a book is ordered and paid for now, it will be ready to be picked up on Monday, May 2 at the Landa Haus at 360 Aquatic Circle in Landa Park between 2-7pm.

That same day books may be purchased at full price. Check the Friends for Landa Park web-site for more information.

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