2014 Summer Remembrances Newsletter 1
Remembrances
Newsletter of the Schertz
Historical Preservation
Committee
Summer Edition
2014
The Committee welcomes two new members to its ranks. Sue Boissenneault and Louis
Segaloff were approved for membership by Schertz City Council and will begin
participation as of our July 10th meeting. Welcome aboard! The Committee has one
vacancy remaining.
In mid-June, the Committee sponsored a “landscape party” at the site of the Comal
Settlement historic plaque and monument display area (FM 482 & Old Nacogdoches
Road) to prepare the grounds for a scheduled historic marker dedication event held on
June 28, 2014. Members of the Comal Settlement Association donated their time and
labor for the day to work on the project. By days end the area was cleared of weeds and
grass, new ground covering was applied (mulch), trees, flowering plants and decorative
grasses were in place and a new look was given the area. A stone monument containing
an important artifact from the Post Road (circa 1915) was also constructed over a period
of several weeks. The final product resulted in a historic marker site that is something
the City of Schertz can be genuinely proud to claim as its own.
The June 28, 2014, historic marker dedication ceremony at Comal Settlement was a
great success. Approximately 60 guests attended. The ceremony was opened and closed
with songs sung by the Schertz Senior Center Choir (“Silver Serenaders”). The two
historic markers were unveiled by Comal County Judge Sherman Kruse and Schertz
Mayor Michael Carpenter. Dedication commentary was provided by Committee
Chairman Dean Weirtz. A reception was held at the Alamo Schuezen Verien (German
Shooting Range) picnic area following the official ceremony. Stop by and see the new
historic markers.
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On Friday, June 20, 2014, Chairman Weirtz led a historic day trip tour of features of
the tri-county (Bexar, Guadalupe and Comal) that was sponsored by the Comal County
Genealogical Society. Approximately 20 people participated in the event that took them
inside St. Joseph’s Chapel (Comal), the Stage Coach Stop (Selma) and several sites in
Schertz.
The application for selection of St. Joseph’s Chapel to be included on the National
Listing of Historic Places has been approved by the Texas Historical Commission and
has gone forward to the Department of the Interior for consideration. We expect to know
by September as to whether the Chapel as been placed on the National Listing.
This quarter’s Committee Remembrances Special Edition Articles 2014-4 & 2014-5
are titled: “The Historic Texas Rangers – Early Beginnings” and “Salado Creek – Local
Tributary Scene of Historic Battles”.
The Committee continues work on the amendment of the City of Schertz Unified
Development Code (UDC) proposal regarding inclusion of a “historic district” concept.
A presentation was made to City Council on May 27th and another draft proposal is under
consideration.
The subcommittee for outreach continues work on an initiative to try to involve city
youth in the matters of Schertz history.
Meetings were held with Schertz Public Affairs representatives in hopes of enhancing the
Committee’s exposure on the City of Schertz Web Site. The format of the Committee’s
link on the web site has been expanded and content for a “Looking Back” element in the
Schertz Magazine has been submitted and accepted for publication beginning in the
August issue.
Several new additions (Vol. 2-3)) have been added to the cemetery journals that
document the occupants of our Schertz area cemeteries. The new volumes will be placed
in the Schertz Library for all citizens to use.
Publication of a Landmark Property Registry was completed during the quarter. The
registry documents (with photos) all those Schertz properties that have been designated as
“Landmark Properties” as of May 1, 2014.