Browse Exhibits (7 total)
Aue, Max Stage Coach Stop
“The Aue Stagecoach Inn Complex is an outstanding historical site, representing a broad, evolutionary spectrum of architectural styles as well as the changing needs of the Max Aue family and the Leon Springs community. Constructed between the years 1850 and 1880, the group of buildings represent the simple immigrant-Germanic construction which was common to the area, as well as the more sophisticated and refined transitional Greek Revival/Victoria style.” (THC Atlas)
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Beauregard Ranch
The Beauregard Ranch was created from land previously owned by Spanish mission ranches. In1852, Augustin Toutant-Beauregard consolidated the initial 7,971 acres of the Beauregard Ranch by recording two purchases from Henry and Francis Radaz with the Bexar County Clerk. The first purchase of 2,951 acres was executed in 1849. The second purchase of 5,000 acres was executed in 1852. The establishment of the approximately 8,542-acre Beauregard Ranch predates the
creation of Wilson (1860) and Karnes (1854) Counties.
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Heermann Store
The Heermann Store stands as one of the few surviving examples of the commercial buildings of rural south Texas. It has served multiple functions throughout its history. During the first few years after its construction, this building was a combination general store, post office, and residence (1892 to 1896). As a general store and post office, it would have served the community of Oak Island, with an estimated population of 600 agriculturalists scattered throughout the area. The building later served as a residence for farmers (ca. 1910 to 1939), and between 1945 and 1970, possibly a support building for a cotton gin. In addition to the main building, the Heermann Store site also includes ruins of an historic building reported to have been a saloon, and possibly at one time a gristmill. The saloon likely operated sometime between 1910 and 1920. The overall property may have been the site of commercial activities serving the Oak Island community for much of the time between 1892 and 1920. Rural general stores throughout this area were often short-lived business ventures, and many of them were abandoned after they ceased to be stores. The Heermann store demonstrates the early rural commercial building’s inherent adaptive characteristics. (Source: HABS report)
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Herrera, Blas Ranch
The Blas Herrera Ranch, located in southern Bexar County, Texas, represents an important survival of an early 19th century homestead complex in south Texas. The structures comprising the compound reflect the simple character of central Texas vernacular architecture during the early 19th century and the simple Tejano structures which were common to the area. Historic built features throughout the ranch reflect the evolution and changing uses of the land, from active ranching, to one of scaled back ranching activities, to social and community events, to the simple pasturing of horses. At the heart of the ranch stand two jacales dating from the 1830s-1840s, the larger jacal having been one of two Herrera-Ruiz homesteads. Other structures include two wooden buildings, a pavilion and a few additional structures related to ranching and social activities. The jacals are indicative of the early Tejano construction techniques.
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Polley Mansion aka Whitehall
Joseph Henry Polley and his wife Mary Bailey Polley, the builders of this house, are Old 300’s, the first settlers under Stephen F. Austin’s colony in Texas during the 1820’s. Joseph H. Polley was born in Whitehall, New York, in 1795. After serving as a teamster in the War of 1812 he left home and headed west, with accordingly to family history, “a horse, a rifle, and 50 cents in his pocket.” Along the way west, he befriended Moses Austin and traveled with him to Texas in 1820. After Moses Austin died, Polley came to Texas with Stephen F. Austin as one of the first twenty-two immigrants to come to Austin's Colony in 1821. After living for a short time at San Felipe de Austin, Polley settled at Bell's Landing on the Brazos. In 1823 he married Mary Bailey, daughter of the celebrated James Britton “Brit” Bailey, another “Old 300.” It is worthy of note that the marriage ceremony was performed three times, first, by the local Alcalde, and second, by a visiting priest, in conformity with Mexican law. Thirty couples were married at the same time in the second ceremony. Just to make the knot secure a third ceremony was performed by a Protestant minister.
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Trueheart – de la Garza House and Ranch / The Goeth Ranch
The James L. Trueheart Ranch Complex, also known as the Trueheart-de la Garza Property, Casa Vieja, the Berry Ranch, or the Goeth Ranch has been recognized on the local, statewide and national levels for its significance as a historic farm and ranch in association with agriculture and conservation, a cultural landscape and as important vernacular architecture in the mid-19th century. Just as significant is its association with important historical persons such as James L. Trueheart and his father-in-law, Jose Antonio de la Garza, who were key figures in the history of the property, as well as members of the Goeth family, owners of the property during the early 20th century.
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Yndo - Thomae Property
This is the story of the old Yndo Ranch at Canada Verde, the house being built in 1868 by Miguel Yndo. The tract of land where the ranch is situated was bought by Mr. Yndo from Pedro Antonio Flores and wife, Melchora Yndo.
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Featured Exhibit
Hoffmann, Caroline and Jacob
Few women owned property in their own right in the nineteenth century. In the Helotes settlement, Carmel Marnoch owned her...