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2021-2 Remembrances Special Edition1 City of Schertz Remembrances Special Report 2021-2 Presented by: Schertz Historical Preservation Committee Schertz’s Most Historical Pathway – Main Street In the earliest of time, the landscape of what is today known as the Cibolo Valley was nothing but grassland, multiple varieties of trees, thick brush, briar patches, and a beautiful water stream first identified by Spanish explorers as the Rio Cibolo. As time passed, explorers and/or Spanish militias tracked across the landscape. They followed pathways made visible by earlier Native American occupiers. These travel routes crossing the Cibolo Valley were increasingly used, especially once settlements began to form along the Valley’s travel route. The evolution of the Valley’s immigrant settlements began in the early to mid-19th century with the arrival of western European immigrants in search of a better life than that offered in their home countries (particularly Prussia – today’s Germany). A few of these immigrant arrivals first set up isolated and single individual homesteads along the rugged routes leading from the Texas Gulf Coast into the South-Central Texas region. Once a firm settlement destination developed at New Braunfels, Texas (1845), some of the migrant population began to look beyond that site for land to the south and west. This would offer opportunity for a more independent farming lifestyle which would provide sustenance and eventually even cash crop profits needed for raising a family. The southern migration movement entailed establishment of small villages alongside the waterways of South-Central Texas to include the Rio Cibolo. One such village among a string of small towns that resulted from the European migration movement southward from New Braunfels was the village of Cibolo Pit, later to be named “Cut Off” and then (1877) Schertz, Texas. Photos contributed by Lula Mae Schertz 2 3 Photos contributed by Lula Mae Schertz The settlement of Schertz, Texas involved just a few original families, the most prominent being the Schertz, Schneider, Vordenbaumen, Pfeil, Seiler, Brotze, Dietz, and a half dozen other families.1 Needless to say, the road to success for these early settlers was not ‘paved with gold’. Among the necessities for success was the development of transportation 1. Schertz, Texas – The Story of Great Ancestry, Legacy and Development, Schertz Historical Preservation Committee, Second Edition, pp. 28-29 4 routes for movement of equipment, personnel, and commerce. Among the first pathways to be used in then Cibolo Pit were dirt trails carved by those early Spanish visitors, the main trail being what became known as the “Old Spanish Trail” (OST). The OST served as the main artery for movement east and west through the village. It served as the access trail across the Rio Cibolo and into the next villages along the Cibolo Valley—Selma, Texas to the southwest and Cibolo to the northwest. The OST was the access point for entrance into the Rio Cibolo (Cibolo Creek) for mining of limestone and gravel by regional road construction firms. The OST at some unknown time (probably late 1870s) became what today is known as Main Street, Schertz, Texas. As the name implies, Main Street was the central focal point for a small, but increasingly busy village of the late 19th century. The Schertz family built a home and an expansive business 5 operation along its pathway. The Schertz family, led by Sebastian Schertz, introduced the first cotton processing gin and a corn processing plant along side the Main Street corridor. Stagecoach routing was along the then dusty dirt trail of OST and Main Street. Probably inevitable was the future development of Main Street as additional elements of village life began to flourish. Sebastian Schertz’ sons, Adolph and Martin, continued the operation of the cotton gin following Sebastian’s death. Adolph eventually became the sole owner of the cotton gin and added to the importance of the Main Street real estate by donating acreage along Main Street for the construction of a two-story school (1917) to provide for learning in grades 1 thru 10. Adolph also established the Schertz Brothers Water Company at his home along Main Street utilizing the only safe and clean water well located on his property. Another of Sebastian’s sons, Wilhelm (William) Schertz, was a landowner within the Main Street corridor area, and with an interest in business matters, built the village’s first commercial business building along Main Street. The building was known as the William Schertz Mercantile Building, a two-story stand-alone structure providing any and all sorts of tools, equipment, clothing and merchandise farming families could need. That enterprise grew quickly into the largest operation of its kind throughout the Guadalupe County region. Within a decade, William added a second two-story building adjacent to the first and expanded his mercantile business. In 1899, William, in honor of his father, donated a parcel of his land along Main Street to the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad for the construction of a Schertz Depot at the corner of what is today Main Street and First Street. The Schertz Main Street Depot was an important element in the stimulus for economic and personal transportation needs of the community. William served the Schertz community as its Postmaster for 14 years and housed the post office at his mercantile store during those years. These Schertz family initiatives along Main Street were important first steps toward the development of the street’s place of importance to the historic growth of the community throughout future decades. From these beginning placements along Main Street followed construction of a combination of a village town hall, volunteer fire station, and police station on Main Street. A two-story hospital (1917) was constructed along the 800 block of Main Street, as well as a bank , a dance hall (above the mercantile store), a hotel, a blacksmith shop, and several residences. The structures mentioned above, less the hotel and blacksmith shop, although receiving some cosmetic restoration through the years, still stand as monuments to the early beginnings of the Schertz community.2 2 Ibid, chapter 8 6 Photo by Diana Webb 500 Block of Schertz Main Street showing right to left: Schertz State Bank; Wm. Schertz’ first Merchantile Bldg.; and the two-story addition to the Merchantile Bldg. City of Schertz leadership (Mayor and City Council) have shown their understanding and appreciation for the history that Main Street Schertz represents. Their involvements in focusing attention on the roadway have been seen most significantly through the establishment of programs meant to provide preservation, economic growth and citizen gatherings for the area. The City has established the Schertz Main Street Local Flavor Economic Development Program that is administered by the City Manager and or his/her designee. This program seeks to improve the image of the area around Main Street through an inducement of public money to promote local economic development and to stimulate business and commercial activities in the City. This program is intended to: • Encourage the attraction of small businesses that will create local charm and help develop a sense of place in and around Main Street • Promote commercial development • Stabilize and improve property values 7 • Foster civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the past, and to promote the use of the historic structures for the culture, education, and general welfare of residents • Strengthen the economy of the city by protecting and enhancing the attractiveness of the Main Street area to residents and visitors, as well as provide support and stimulus to businesses. In order to facilitate the promotion and enhancement of commercial activity, the City of Schertz is offering grants that will help new and existing businesses and properties within this area. Several Main Street businesses and property owners have benefited from this Economic Development Program. Another effort to foster renewal initiatives on Main Street has been the formation of a City Council subcommittee to address Main Street restoration/development issues. That subcommittee has been in existence since April 2017 and has prepared and begun implementation of a plan for renewal of Main Street with an emphasis on projecting design features once proposed as a part of a 2010 Main Street Renewal Bond package. Ultimately, the subcommittee hopes to make Main Street area a local destination for shopping, dining and leisure activities. Among the efforts to attract more citizen awareness and involvement with Main Street has been the introduction of a project referred to as “Movin’ on Main.” This initiative allows Schertz citizens to participate in walking, biking, games, art, entertainment and other outdoor events along Main Street free of charge. One such event occurred this April. These events appear to engender much citizen support and should lead to better awareness of the historic importance of the City’s Main Street.