Pedernales, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pedernales, Texas
|
|
|---|---|
 Pedernales, Texas
Location in Texas
Pedernales, Texas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Gillespie |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Pedernales was a small town in Gillespie County, Texas, started by German immigrants a long time ago. It was part of a big plan called the Adelsverein colonization, which helped Germans move to Texas. Today, you won't find any buildings or signs of the old town. It was about 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Fredericksburg, close to where Texas State Highway 16 is now. The old Pedernales school even got a special historical marker in 1993!
How Pedernales Started
In 1846, a man named Wilhelm Victor Keidel moved to Fredericksburg. He became the first doctor in Gillespie County. In 1848, he also became the county's first Chief Justice, which was like being a main judge and leader. He was one of the people who signed a paper asking for Gillespie County to be created in 1847.
Mr. Keidel later moved about 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Fredericksburg. He settled near the Pedernales River and started a new community, naming it Pedernales. He promised free medical care to anyone who would move there with him. This made him the first leader of the new town.
Other early residents included Hermann Lungkwitz, a famous photographer and artist, and his brother-in-law, Friedrich Richard Petri, who was also a painter. After another German community called Bettina didn't work out around 1848, Jacob Kuechler and his wife, Marie Petri Kuechler, moved to Pedernales. By 1850, the small town had 44 people, all of German background.
The Pedernales School
On September 11, 1854, Wilhelm Keidel held a meeting to plan a school called Live Oak School. He was chosen to be a trustee, which meant he helped manage the school. About ten years later, Pedernales had its own school district. The town also had two stores and a cotton gin, which was a machine that separated cotton fibers from their seeds.
The Pedernales school taught students from first to seventh grade, all with just one teacher! The school building was made from local limestone. The school was the center of community life. At the end of each school year, students had "schulpruefung," which were like final exams. After the exams, everyone celebrated with a picnic. The school was paid for by both private fees and the state of Texas.
During World War II, fewer students attended the school. In 1949, the Pedernales school joined with the Wrede School, which was closer to Fredericksburg. The original school building is now a private home. Nothing else remains of the old Pedernales settlement today.
