Comfort Heritage Foundation

640 High St., Comfort, Texas 830-995-2641

Menu: Home Comfort Sisterdale Waring Welfare Contact

Upcoming Activities:

Ingenhuett-Karger Saloon - Marker in/near Comfort
Photo Credit: Bryden Moon	Ingenhuett-Karger Saloon Marker #15937 - 2009

Location of this marker:

Random order Sort by City by Title

Waring Schoolhouse - Marker in/near Waring

Photo Credit: Janis and Ted Maxymof

Marker #5719 - 1986   Anglo pioneers in a predominantly German-settled area built the west wing of this building in 1891. Land for this first public school was given by Robert Percival Maxwell Waring, a native of Ireland for whom the town had been named in 1888. Citizens volunteered labor, funds, and materials for the building, and paid their children's tuition of $1 to $1.50 per month. The east wing was added in 1903, and exterior braces were applied in the 1930s. The school closed in 1954. (108 Avenue, Waring - from Comfort take IH-10 2 miles S, then FM 1621 5 miles E to Waring)

Some years there was a shortage of money to pay the teachers, so a tuition fee was paid for each pupil. some years it was one dollar a month, or some $1.50, and that was hard on large families at times. Teachers' pay varied, too, from maybe $50.00 to $100.00 a month or more. Some years there were two teachers, depending on the number of pupils.<BR.
New settlers were coming to Waring, and that brought more children. The railroad had its section hands headquartered in Waring so there were always some Mexican children in school. At times there were as many as 60 or 70 pupils attending school.<BR.
Some of the early families were: Zoeller, Treiber, Waring, Nowlin, Manning, Stribling, Haufler, Geisler, Willie, Offer, Nichol, Bierschwale, Insall, Quigley, Safford, Cravey, Stanfield, Uecker, Fischer, Edwards, Rust, Meckel, Wray, Domeier, Marshall, McAlpine, McNutt, Dart, Brown, Jess, Hennings, Leidl, Voight, Wollschlaeger, Strube, Tomlinson, Grullimund, Blaschke, Poehnert and others.<BR.
Listed below are some of the teachers that taught in the Waring School through the years 1891 to 1955 when the school was consolidated with the Comfort Independent School District.

TEACHERS:Miss Agnes Robinson, later Mrs. R.P.M.
Waring,
was the first teacher
and taught for several years.
      Mr. and Mrs. William Lee, 1903.  He passed away later that year and is buried in the
Bend Cemetery.
      L.A. Koenig and Mary Norris, 1903.
      M.C.F. Schmidt and Ethel Weld, 1907.
      Prof. Wertheim and daughter, Rosie, 1908, 1909.
      Emil Hopf and Miss Tiner, 1912.
      Henry Hopf and Frankie Flack, 1915.
      Rose Thompson and Frankie Flack, 1916.
      Miss dilly Rumsey and Ruth Newton, 1915.
      Augusta Gaines and Ella Zoeller, 1916.
      Marguerite McFarland and Ella Esser, 1917.
      Mr. and Mrs. Ashmore Cowles had a private school at this time, but he taught in the
Waring school at another time also.  They had 29 pupils in their private school in 1918.
      Danny Ramft (Vogt) and Mrs. Welch, 1921
      Miss Willhelm and Mrs. Jake Insall, 1922.
      J.H. Armstrong and Danny Ramft Vogt, 1923.
      J.H. Armstrong and Mrs. Baughman, 1924.
      J.H. Armstrong and Sophie Wenzel, 1925.
      Morris Goforth and Norma George, 1926.
      R.E. Cottingham and Helen Kutz, 1927.
      H.K. Clump and Mrs. Paul Wendler, 1928.
      Noel Browning and Eva Rechenthin, 1929.
      James Seay and Eva Rechenthin, 1930.
      Anita Elsik and Mrs. Paul Wendler, 1932.
      Mrs. Mina Adams and Mrs. Paul Wendler, 1933.
      Mrs. Mina Adams and Mrs. Truitt, 1934-1935.
      Harold Ranzau and Nanny Maud Sommerville, 1936.
      Mrs. Buena Lea Sutton, 1939-1944.
      Beulah White, 1946.
      Lucille Dills, 1947.
      Mrs. Walker, 1948.
      Odis Strube Hohmann, 1949-1954, the last teacher.
      The building is still used as a community center.

More info and Map Link

Kuhlmann-King House - Marker in/near Boerne

Marker #2977 -    This structure was built in the late 1880s as a residence for German native William Kuhlmann (1856-1918), a successful pharmacist and landholder. He sold the home in 1908 to Selina Long King (1831-1910), whose sons operated the local King & King Lumber Co. The Boerne Independent School District owned the house from 1920 to 1951, using it for rental property as well as for school-related purposes. Hill Country artist Harry Anthony DeYoung (1893-1956) leased the house for two years while teaching art in San Antonio. The Kuhlmann-King house has been owned by the city of Boerne since 1951.  (on W side of city hall)

Two story rubblestone symmetrical with two story gallery across the front (West) side. Originally the house had two upper and two lower rooms. The gallery on both floors extended around to the entire south side. The stairs to the upper floor were on the outside of the house on the East, or back side. As was the custom, there were no closets in the entire house. The house has one central chimney, with the fireplace on the southwest room. The remaining three rooms had openings into this same chimney and wood stoves were used for heating. The walls in the house are approximately 15" thick and the 9 foot ceilings inside are beaded board. The upstairs floors are still the original random width planks varying between 10" and 12" in width. The floors on the first floor have been replaced and are now of 3" narrow pine flooring. The house had a gabled roof and 6x6 sash windows.,br>Today the gallery on the south side of the house is gone. It is believed that the south portion of the porch was removed in the late 1920s when a major change in the house was made.The wooden portion of the house was added to the east side about the same time the south side gallery was removed. This new addition brought the house the newest conveniences. The outside stairs were removed. Traces still show on the rock and the door upstairs is still there. New stairs were built inside the southwest room. Closets were built in this room as well as the room directly above. A gallery and a modern kitchen (to take the place of the separate outdoor kitchen) were added to the first floor. On the second floor, a bathroom was added above the new kitchen and a second floor gallery was added above the new one on the first floor. With this new addition all the plumbing and water pipes were used without having to go through the thick rock walls.

The land, out of Lot #9 and #10, on which this house stands was sold by John and Helene Werner to William Kuhlmann on March 26, 1883. Just what year the house was built is not known thus far. It was built by William Kuhlmann between 1885-1890.

Mr. Kuhlmann became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. on Feb 5, 1890. He was born July 2, 1856 in Germany. He died in Boerne of pneumonia on Dec. 18 1918. The doctor in attendance was Dr. Wright. Undertaker - Ebensberger & Wendler - buried in Boerne Cemetery.

Mr. Kuhlmann returned to Germany to marry his sweetheart, Marie, and brought her back to live in this house. On Dec. 27, 1896 Marie died during childbirth. The child never lived. Marie was born Sept 13, 1854 in Germany. The couple is buried in the same grave in the Boerne Cemetery.

Mr. Kuhlmann sold this house with improvements to W.F. Shirer but Mr. Shirer sold it back a year later because of the lack of finances.
In 1902 Mr. Kuhlmann sold the house to Selina Long King. The King family lived in the house until 1920 when Mrs. King died. The house was sold to the Boerne School District.

The house was used to extend the facilities of the school which was in the adjacent building just south of the house.
In 1951 the school system no longer needed the buildings in this location, thus it was sold to the City of Boerne.
In 1971 the Boerne Area Historical Preservation Society was given a twenty-five year lease on the house for a museum.

More info and Map Link

Comfort Community Church - Marker in/near Comfort

Photo Credit: Bryden Moon

Marker #998 - 1986   Dedicated in 1892, this Gothic revival building first served the Deutsche Evangelische Gemeinde (German Evangelical Congregation), founded the previous year by the Rev. Frederick Bauer. The bell tower was added about 1898. For over 50 years, the Lutherans shared their building with other denominations, and the structure became known as the Comfort Community Church. It continues to serve the Immanuel Lutheran Church, as the congregation was renamed in 1947. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986 (High Street, between 2nd and 3rd, Comfort)

More info and Map Link

Tunnel of the Fredericksburg & Northern Railway - Marker in/near Comfort

Marker #5568 - 1978   In 1913 area residents raised money to build a railroad linking Fredericksburg to San Antonio. The 920-foot tunnel beneath this hill increased the cost by $134,000 and required five months of hard labor. It opened a faster trade route for area merchants and farmers. Each time passenger trains entered the tunnel, small rocks, loosened by engine exhaust, were removed from the track and the windows closed to keep out coal smoke. The railroad operated until 1942 when the trackage was sold for scrap. Incise in base: Marker Sponsor: S. O. A. W. Enterprises, Inc. (1978) (at tunnel overlook, from Comfort take FM 473 east about 4 miles - turn N onto county road and continue about 9 miles to marker)

More info and Map Link

Vogt-Clegg Log House - Marker in/near Boerne

Photo Credit: Dietert Historical Archives -
Patrick Heath Public Library (Boerne)

Marker #5660 - 1993   German immigrants Wilhelm (1826-1912) and Ernestine (1830-1907) Vogt built this house about 1860 as a one-room log structure. As their family of nine children grew they built two additional log pens connected by dog trot passages. In the 1870s they moved into a larger home next to the log house. San Antonio residents Luther and Laura Clegg purchased the property from the Vogt heirs in 1919 and it remained in their family until 1984. This cabin and the adjacent historic smokehouse serve as reminders of pioneer German architecture in Kendall County. (  **On Private Property**)

More info and Map Link

Freidenker (Nineteenth Century Freethinkers) - Marker in/near Comfort

Photo Credit: Bryden Moon

Marker #11673 - 2000   From 1845 to 1861, a number of German Freidenker ("Freethinkers") immigrated to the Texas hill country. Freethinkers were German intellectuals who advocated reason and democracy over religious and political authoritarianism. Many had participated in the 1848 German revolution and sought freedom in America. The Freidenker helped establish Bettina, Castell, Cypress Mill, Luckenbach, Sisterdale ,Tusculum (Boerne) and Comfort. Laid out in 1854, Comfort soon was home to about half the population of hill country Freethinkers. Freethinkers valued their newfound freedoms of speech, assembly and religion. Their settlements, where a knowledge of Latin was considered essential for a cultured intellectual society, became known as "Latin Colonies." They strongly supported secular education and generally did not adhere to any formal religious doctrines. They applied themselves to the crafts of physical labor and divided their time between farming and intellectual pursuits. Freethinkers advocated universal equal rights, and their moral values were dominated by their respect for life. They actively supported such social issues as the abolition of slavery and the rejection of secession. Their loyalty to the Union during the Civil War cost many their freedoms and their lives. Following the war, many Freethinkers relocated to nearby urban areas, while others returned to Germany. (2000) (301 SH 27, Comfort)

More info and Map Link

Joseph Dienger Building - Marker in/near Boerne

Marker #2857 - 1981   This limestone commercial structure was built for Joseph Dienger (1859-1950) shortly after he purchased the site in 1884. The ground floor housed his grocery and the second floor provided living quarters for his family. A later addition was used for the dry goods store of Dienger`s sisters Lina and Louise. Owned by family members until 1967, the double galleried building features Victorian styling with German influences. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980

The plot of land north of the town plaza was purchased by Joe Dienger, oldest son of Karl Dienger, in 1882 for the purpose of building a general store to meet the needs of a growing community. He began by building the first floor, finishing it and stocking it completely before adding the second story. The second story, which was reached by an enclosed stairway on the west side of the building, was home for the Dienger family. Since it was much too spacious, Mr. Dienger turned half of the area into a meeting room. Most of the lodges and clubs held their meetings here and many times their annual feasts or celebrations or anniversary parties. 

The one story portion on the north side of the building was added later. That part was used to house a dry goods store that was operated by his sisters, Lina and Louise Dienger. These good ladies never married. They gave their entire life to the operation of the store and to taking care of their widowed mother who lived to be 93 years old. They resided at what is now the corner of Hosack and S. Main. See file: Dienger-Eckert House, 108 Hosack Street

In 1967 a group of Boerne business men purchased the building visualizing it as a restaurant/supper club. The Antler's Restaurant was born. They rented the north part of the building to a grocery store owned and operated by the Rodriguez family (the local family managers were Anna and Michael Schoch)

In 1982 the building was again sold, this time to Bill and Paige Ramsey-Palmer. They again renovated the building to suit their needs.

In 1991 the building became the home of the Boerne Public Library after extensive internal alterations. Alterations were done very carefully to maintain the outside the integrity of the building.

More info and Map Link

Ingenhuett-Karger Saloon