High Hill, Texas facts for kids
High Hill is a small, unincorporated community located in southwestern Fayette County, Texas, in the United States. You can find it on Farm to Market Road 2672, about three miles northwest of the town of Schulenburg.
Contents
History of High Hill
The High Hill area was first settled in the 1830s. In the late 1840s, many German immigrants arrived and started several small communities. These included Blum Hill, Wursten, and Oldenburg. The Old High Hill Cemetery is located where Blum Hill used to be. Blum Hill was named after Robert Blum (1804–1848), a German activist who believed in education, free press, and the right to gather freely. He was sadly executed for his beliefs during the German Revolutions of 1848.
Oldenburg, another village, was named after a German region. It was founded around 1860. Today, St. Mary's Catholic Church stands where Oldenburg once was. Around the same time, the village of Wursten grew between Blum Hill and Oldenburg. People say it was named after the delicious sausage sold at Anders Butcher Shop there!
In 1858, these three communities decided to join together and became one place called High Hill. The name "High Hill" was chosen to remind the settlers of the mountains they had left behind in Germany and Austria.
Early Settlers and Growth
Many early settlers in High Hill came from Germany and Austrian-Moravia. Families like the Heinrich, Kleinemann, and Ebeling families were among them. Henry Ebeling opened a store in Oldenburg in 1847. By 1856, John F. Hillje had a cotton gin and a mill in the community.
In 1860, High Hill got its own post office. The community also had a "Turnverein," which was a German gymnastics club, and two private schools. People in High Hill loved music and theater! There was a drama group and a men's choir and orchestra that were very popular.
By 1869, High Hill was a busy place with six stores, three blacksmith shops, a hotel, and even a brewery. In 1874, the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway wanted to build a railroad through High Hill. However, some residents worried it would disturb their peaceful way of life. So, the railroad was built through nearby Schulenburg instead. This led many High Hill residents to move to Schulenburg.
Even with some people moving, High Hill continued to thrive. By 1884, it had 200 residents, four schools (including a Catholic school), two saloons, two general stores, a church, and a mill. In 1900, the population was 134. The post office closed in 1907. By 1940, High Hill had a population of 75, a church, a school, and three businesses. From the 1960s to 2000, the population was around 116.
Today, High Hill has three historical markers. St. Mary's Catholic Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The church is still a very important part of the community, hosting a big celebration every Sunday before Labor Day.
St. Mary's Catholic Church
The most noticeable building in High Hill is the beautiful neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church. It stands tall and can be seen from miles away! Its official name is Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but most people call it "St. Mary's." This church played a big role in keeping the German and Catholic traditions alive in Texas. Many church leaders grew up in High Hill.
Church Buildings and Design
The first church building was constructed in 1869. A larger church was built in 1876, and the first building became a school. The 1876 church had lovely stained-glass windows donated by the community. When the current, even larger church was built in 1906, these beautiful windows were carefully moved into the new building. The inside of the church was painted in 1912.
The current church is known as the "Queen of the Painted Churches" because of its amazing artwork. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2011, the church celebrated its 150th anniversary!
The famous Texas architect, Leo M.J. Dielmann, designed the current church building in 1906. He was young and had just finished studying architecture in Germany. Dielmann designed a classic gothic revival church for the German community of High Hill. At the time, church leaders in Texas often wanted churches built in a "Spanish" or "Mission" style, which was better for the hot climate. However, German and Czech immigrants preferred the gothic style.
Church leaders also wanted churches built from brick or stone because many early wooden churches were destroyed by fires or storms. This makes the handsome red brick exterior of St. Mary's Church very important. While the inside is made of wood, the strong brick exterior protects it from fire and storms.
Interior Art and Restoration
The amazing decorative paintings inside High Hill church were done by Ferdinand Stockert and Hermann Kern in 1912. They also painted another church in San Antonio. Old-timers in the parish remember their parents saying that Stockert and Kern first painted their designs on canvas, then glued them to the wooden walls. If you look closely from the choir loft today, you can still see some of the canvas bubbles!
In 2011, artist Robert Marshall and his team carefully restored the church. The restoration took almost a year. They repaired canvas surfaces, fixed plaster, and fully restored all the painted areas. They even discovered and restored German text from Psalm 47:10 and some decorative patterns in the church's entrance area.
Catholic Life Insurance
In 1901, a group of German-Catholic immigrants in Texas wanted to help and protect each other and their families. They started a special group called a "fraternal benefit society." This group is now known as Catholic Life Insurance. It began right here at St. Mary's Church in High Hill, Texas.
This organization was the first of its kind in Texas to allow both men and women to join. It also offered life insurance for children and used a modern financial system. Msgr. Henry Gerlach, who was the pastor of St. Mary's Church for a long time, was the very first person to get a policy from this new society.
Even though the name changed in the mid-1930s to Catholic Life Insurance, its goal to help people and protect families has never changed. Today, nearly 70,000 people rely on Catholic Life Insurance for their life insurance and retirement savings.
Old High Hill Cemetery
The Old High Hill Cemetery is a six-acre burial ground located on FM 2672, about one mile south of St. Mary's Catholic Church. The land for the cemetery was once owned by George Herder (1818–1887), a German immigrant who fought in the Battle of San Jacinto.
The land was originally meant for a school or college. However, when the school plans didn't work out, families who loved the beautiful High Hill countryside wanted it to be their final resting place.
Notable Burials
Many important pioneers who helped develop High Hill's farming, businesses, and culture are buried in the Old High Hill Cemetery. Some of them include:
- John Christian Baumgarten (1836–1912): He built the first cottonseed oil mill in Texas. He also worked hard to bring the railroad to the area that became Schulenburg and is known as "The Father of Schulenburg."
- Louis Schulenburg (1810–1887): The town of Schulenburg is named after him.
- Friedrich Gustav Seydler (1806–1869): He was the father of the first Wendish family to move to Texas.
- Paul Stuercke Sr. (1827–1902): He was a professor and led the public school for 30 years.
The oldest gravestones in the cemetery belong to August Wolters and Friedrich Eicholt, who both died in 1861. The cemetery has about 400 graves. For many years, the families of the old High Hill settlers took care of the cemetery. In 1963, the Old High Hill Cemetery Association, Inc. was formed to continue this important work. In 1976, an official Texas Historical Marker was placed at the cemetery.
First Cottonseed Oil Mill in Texas
The very first commercial cottonseed oil mill in Texas was built in High Hill by Frederick Hillje around 1866. It was a barn-like building made of stucco over brick. It used a sugar beet crusher from Germany that was changed to process cottonseed. Later, Hillje made the mill bigger with regular machinery for cottonseed.
After the railroad bypassed High Hill, Hillje moved the mill to Weimar in 1880. A historical marker was put up to remember this important mill, but it has since gone missing.
Notable Person: Edmund Creuzbauer
Edmund Creuzbauer (1826–1871), also known as Creuzbaur, was a Confederate officer during the Civil War. He was born in Germany in 1826 and served as an artillery officer in the Prussian Army before moving to Texas in the 1840s. He settled in High Hill, Fayette County.
In 1861, when the Civil War began, Creuzbauer formed a military company in Fayette County. This unit was mostly made up of German immigrants. Creuzbauer served as their captain. His unit was stationed in the Rio Grande valley for a while.
In 1864, Creuzbauer and his unit were ordered to Sabine Pass on the Texas Gulf Coast to help fight against Union attacks. On May 6, he helped in attacks on Union troops, which led to the capture of two Union gunboats. Soon after this, Creuzbauer left the army and returned to farming in Fayette County. He passed away in 1871 and is buried in the Old High Hill Cemetery.
