Loading...
2018 Winter Remembrances Newsletter 1 Remembrances Newsletter of the Schertz Historical Preservation Committee Winter Edition 2018 An historical event took place in Schertz, Texas on December 7, 2017. It was a winter snowfall that left two inches of soft white snowflakes on trees, shrubs and lawns. It was a “winter wonderland” scene on the evening of the 7th and the morning of the 8th of December. The Committee would like to memorialize the event through the archiving of photos of some of the most beautiful scenes created by the snowfall. If you have such photos consider contributing copies to us via email at weirtz1@yahoo.com. The quarterly Remembrances Special Edition Article 2018-1 features the story of the mid-19th and early 20th century arrival of “the bells” to our area for placement at two of the area’s early churches. In both instances, the delivery of the bells was brought about by the ancestors of two Schertz families, the Friesenhahns and the Schaefers. A second Remembrances article (2018-2) discusses the recently completed (January 20th) Clemens High School’s 50th Anniversary Celebration event at which the Committee was a participant. The Committee considered one nomination for dedication of a Schertz Heritage Neighborhood. The neighborhood is the former Comal Settlement community, which has since become a part of Schertz municipal city limits and its Extra Territorial Jurisdictional (ETJ) area situated in the City’s northern sector, North of Interstate Highway 35. The Committee approved the Heritage Neighborhood designation and will soon present the nomination to Schertz City Council for approval. The Committee’s outreach efforts included participation in the judging and winner’s awards ceremony of the annual Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District’s (SCUCISD) Historical Art/Essay Contest. The Committee co-sponsors the contest with SCUISD. Student contest participation was greater than ever this year. There was also Committee participation in the 2 January 20, 2018 Clemens High School 50th Anniversary Celebration event by members Lou Foehrkolb, Lynn Foehrkolb, LaDonna Bacon, Pete Perz, and Dean Weirtz. The subcommittee working on oral history interviews has made contact with the Clemens High School Audio/Visual Department and as a result there will be joint efforts by the Department and our Committee members to pursue that project. The Committee participated in the City/church community sponsored neighborhood clean-up campaign at the Pecan Grove Mobile Home neighborhood. On November 7th the Committee Chairman Dean Weirtz gave a presentation to the Schertz Genealogical Society regarding Committee structure, goals and achievements. The Committee continued its involvement in the maintenance project at the Old Town Heritage Neighborhood memorial site. Architects assigned to two different local projects (Schertz Bank remodel/Comal Settlement’s country store restoration) requested photo history materials for placement within the eventual remodeled facilities. Subcommittees working on both the BiblioTech/Biblioboard (regional library archive) and the Social Media projects continue their work. The Bibliotec/Biblioboard subcommittee has completed phase one of it project and will soon begin phase two. The Social Media Subcommittee has begun posting items on Facebook via the City of Schertz Facebook link. The Aviation Heights Heritage Neighborhood banners and the Old Town South banners were damaged during the Hurricane Harvey event. Replacement banners have since been installed at the entrance to Old Town Schertz (south off Hwy. 78 at First St.) and replacements for the Aviation Heights neighborhood remain on order. The significance of the neighborhoods as relates to the City’s early history is set forth in Remembrances Special Edition Article 2014-7, copies of which can be supplied upon request. Committee officer selections for calendar year 2017 occurred and all of last year’s officers remain in their respective leadership roles (Chairman: Dean Weirtz; Vice Chairman: Debbie Krause; Secretary: Lynn Foehrkolb; Treasurer: Paul Ringenbach. The Committee’s annual report to City Council was prepared and will be presented to the Council in early February. Included in the report is the Committee’s assessment of its success in achieving the 2017 objectives and its newly posted 2018 objectives. Copies of the report can be supplied via email upon request. The Schertz photo history book remains on sale at the Schertz Visitors Center, the Schertz Public Library and at City Hall (Water Dept.).