2010-2 Remembrances Special EditionCity of Sc hertz
Remembrances Publication Special Edition 2010-2
Presented by® Sc hertz Historical Preservation Committee
A Schertz Historic Neighborhood
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Time, place and persons contribute to making this neighborhood historic.
In pre-settlement times, this area was the fruitful hunting grounds of the plains
Indians. The Rio Cibolo (Cibolo Creek) served as a strategic staging area for hunts.
When the Spanish missionaries arrived in San Antonio they cultivated the area's farm
land. The birth of the Republic of Texas (1836) brought about land grant offers that
prompted the migration of European immigrants to the area. It was in the late 1860s
that German and French immigrants began to settle along the banks of Cibolo Creek in
Western Guadalupe County. Among the first of the German immigrants to arrive was
Christian Schneider and his family. On February 1, 1869, Christian purchased 300
acres where the neighborhood now stands. Christian eventually subdivided the family
farm among his children. On April 20, 1876, Christian's wife Margertt sold a strip of
land to the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad that assisted the railroad
with right-of-way passage through Schertz. In about 1899, William Schertz (son of first
settler Sebastian Schertz) donated a parcel of his land to the railroad for construction of
a train depot that sat adjacent to the railroad tracks at First and Main Street for many
years. In July of 1903, William Schneider, one of Christian's sons, donated an acre of
land for the construction (in 1904) of a Methodist church. That church (today called The
Children of God Church) still stands within the neighborhood at the corner of First and
Church Street. The church has undergone a fagade change from wood to white stone.
In its early years, the church was the centerpiece of town social and religious life.
By 1900 a small community had begun to emerge in the area by the name of Cibolo Pit,
later to change to Cut Off and later still to Schertz. The photo below shows the
businesses along First Street in the early 1900s. From right to left are the Gerlich,
Schulz and Co. General Merchandise Store, two unknown shops, a Saloon, and the
Schertz Train Depot.
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The building housing the Gerlich, Schulz Company Store is the only building in the
above photo still standing. The building is now the Vineyard Fellowship Church where
the June 19th centennial birthday celebration took place.
Below is a December 1934 aerial photo of the neighborhood that captures the look and
size of Schertz at the time. The seventeen properties labeled are those that were in place
as of December 1934 many of which are still in place as of 2010.
Legend: 1. Schertz Cotton Gin 2. Schertz Mercantile Store 3. Schertz Hotel 4. Schertz Railroad Depot 5.
Gerlich & Schulz Store 6. Schneider Homestead and Residence 7. Residence 212 Lee St. 8 Residence 307
Church Street 9. Residence 401 First Street 10. Former Methodist Church 11 Residence 201 Church Street
12. Residence 111 Church Street 13. Residence 107 Church Street 14. Residence 104 Church Street 15.
Schertz Family Homestead and Residence 16. Original Schertz City Hall, Fire Station, Police Dept. & Library.
17. Schertz Garage and Boarding House.
The people that first settled this neighborhood supplied dedicated labor and business
expertise that caused the community to prosper. Several names of families that
occupied homes in the neighborhood are those of persons who held prominent positions
in the community as doctors, pharmacists, school teachers, police chief, fire chief, city
councilman and business leaders. Family names such as Wuest, Pfiel, Wiederstein,
Beck, Vordenbaum, Schertz, Ackermann and Schneider all represent significant early
Schertz community and business leaders who have family ties to this neighborhood.
Several homes in the neighborhood would be considered historic either because of their
age or because of who once occupied the homes. Some that might deserve to be classed
as "historic" include the following:
111 Church Street - Built by Ferdinand Wiederstein sometime prior to 1900.
109 Church Street - Former home of O.G. Wiederstein, renowned school teacher in
Schertz-Cibolo for over 50 years. Wiederstein Elementary (Cibolo) named after him.
107 Church Street - Hearsay evidence dates the home to 1895. Inscription in former
garage slab dates slab to 19 03 .
104 Church Street - Former home of Henry and Wilhemine Pfeil. Approximate date of
construction about 1916.
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00 Church Street - Former home of Carl and Alvina Wuest dates back prior to 19 10.
302 Church Street - Former home of Schertz first Volunteer Fire Chief, Archie
Woodward.
308 Church Street - Believed to date back to 1903.
401 First Street - Former home of Richard and Augusta West. Exact age of the home
is unknown, believed to be early 1900s construction.
212 Lee Street - Former home of William F. Vordenbaum and believed to be early 1900s
construction.
216 Lee Street - Former owner was William A. Schneider and dates back to before 190 1.
104 Church Street 401 First Street 200 Church Street
216 Lee Street 212 Lee Street
There is more historic significance to the neighborhood when the homes on First,
Second, Dowman, Zuehl, and Mill Streets are considered. These homes were all the
product of a post World War II housing boom. Most were constructed over fifty years
ago during the decade of the 1950s. Their architectural styles reflect the period's
affection for quality and efficient space layout. The builders of most of these homes were
Hilmer and Herbert Seiler, descendants of a first generation immigrant family that first
settled Schertz.
This historic neighborhood is one worthy of special attention and worth resident
support for preserving its character.
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