Hedwigs Hill, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hedwigs Hill, Texas
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 Hedwigs Hill, Texas
Location in Texas
Hedwigs Hill, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Mason |
| Elevation | 1,286 ft (392 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 74 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-33056 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1379918 |
Hedwigs Hill is a small farming and ranching community in Mason County, Texas, United States. It was started in 1853 and is located near U.S. Highway 87. It's about 5 miles south of a place called Art.
Contents
How Hedwigs Hill Began
Hedwigs Hill was settled by German families. Two important early settlers were Christopher Voges and Louis (Ludwig) Martin. They came to Texas with groups from the Adelsverein, which helped Germans move to Texas.
Christopher Voges arrived in Galveston in 1846. Louis Martin came to Galveston in 1844 and was one of the first people to settle in Fredericksburg.
In 1853, the Martin family moved about 10 miles south of what is now Mason. They settled by the Llano River. The community became known as Hedwigs Hill. It's believed the name came from Louis Martin's mother and daughter, who were both named Hedwig.
Another early settler, John Kline, is thought to have built a special type of house called a dogtrot house. Louis Martin later lived in this house. In 1971, Martin's old home was moved to the National Ranching Heritage Center to be preserved.
The Post Office at Hedwigs Hill
The first post office in Hedwigs Hill opened in 1858. Louis Martin was the first postmaster, which means he was in charge of the mail.
Over the years, several people held the postmaster job. Louis Martin's nephew, Charles Karl Martin, became postmaster in 1861. He was in charge when Texas joined the Confederate States of America. After the Civil War, Charles was appointed postmaster again in 1866.
The post office closed for a short time in 1868 but reopened in 1874, with Charles Martin as postmaster once more. After he passed away in 1879, his wife, Anna Mebus Martin, took over the job.
The Hedwigs Hill post office finally closed for good in 1907. After that, people in Hedwigs Hill got their mail from Mason.
Business and Trade in the Community
The Martin families were farmers and ranchers. They also transported goods, which is called freight hauling. In 1864, Louis Martin and his niece's husband, Eugene Frantzen, were on a trip to Piedras Negras, Mexico. Sadly, they were attacked and lost their lives.
Anna and Charles Martin ran the community store in Hedwigs Hill. When Charles became ill, Anna took charge of the family business. She helped it grow a lot. She started trading in wool, cotton, barbed wire, and cattle.
Anna Martin became very successful. She eventually owned 50,000 acres of land in Mason, Llano, and Gillespie Counties. This made her one of the richest Texans of German background at the time.
In 1901, Anna Martin started the Commercial Bank of Mason. She ran the bank with her two sons for 24 years. Anna Martin passed away in 1925 and is buried in the family cemetery at Hedwigs Hill.
Churches and School Life
In 1870, a Methodist Episcopal church was built, becoming the first church in the area. Later, other churches like Art Methodist Church and Hilda Methodist Church were also established nearby. The Louis Martin family was Catholic and often held church services in their home.
Hedwigs Hill also had its own school district. The school operated from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, providing education for the children in the community.
Recent Years
The number of people living in Hedwigs Hill started to decrease in the early 1900s. By the 1950s, only about 10 people lived there. However, the population grew again. By the year 2000, 74 people lived in Hedwigs Hill.
Climate
The weather in Hedwigs Hill is known for its hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Hedwigs Hill has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm temperatures and plenty of rainfall throughout the year.
