Serbin, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Serbin, Texas
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Texas Wendish Heritage Museum
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 Serbin, Texas
Location in Texas
Serbin, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Lee |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78942
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
Serbin is a small, unincorporated community in Lee County, Texas, United States. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Serbin is located about 50 miles east of Austin. It was first settled in the mid-1850s by immigrants from a group called the Sorbs (or Wends). They originally named their new home Low Pin Oak Settlement. Later, before 1860, the name was changed to Serbin, which means "Sorbian land" in their language. The Sorbs are a Slavic group from Europe, different from the Serbs, though their names sound similar.
Contents
The Story of Serbin's Founders
Serbin became a very important place for Sorbian immigrants coming to the United States. It was known as the "mother colony" for many of them.
A Journey to Texas
On September 20, 1854, a large group of about 550 Sorbian Lutherans decided to leave their homes. They came from areas in Europe called Lusatia, Prussia, and Saxony. Their leader and pastor was a man named John Kilian. They made a long journey all the way to Texas to start a new life.
Building a New Church
When these Sorbian families arrived in Texas, they became some of the first members of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod in the state. Their church, St. Paul Lutheran Church, was built in 1871. It's a great example of Wendish architecture, which is a special building style from their homeland. The church is still used today. One unique feature is that the pulpit (where the pastor preaches) is located above the altar (the table used for communion), in the front balcony of the church. You can see this in the pictures of the church's inside.
Discovering Wendish Heritage
Serbin is home to a special place where you can learn all about the Sorbian people and their history in Texas.
The Texas Wendish Heritage Museum
The Texas Wendish Heritage Museum is located right in Serbin, on the grounds of St. Paul Church. The museum is spread across three different buildings. One of these buildings used to be a school for St. Paul Church. The museum also has two outdoor exhibits. You can see a complete log cabin and part of a dogtrot house, which is a type of house with an open hallway through the middle. These exhibits show how the early settlers lived.
Language Changes Over Time
Over the years, the Sorbian language spoken in Serbin slowly changed. People started speaking German and English instead.
From Sorbian to German and English
Even Pastor Kilian, who led the Sorbian immigrants, had his wife Maria's tombstone carved in German in 1881, not Sorbian. The same was done for his own tombstone in 1884. Today, neither of the two Sorbian languages is regularly spoken in Serbin. According to a 2000 U.S. census, only a small number of people in the wider area (which includes nearby towns like Giddings) spoke a Slavic language other than Polish or Russian at home.
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1936 historical marker
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Front of St. Paul Lutheran Church
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Exterior view of the church
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Interior of St. Paul Lutheran, seen from balcony
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Interior of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, seen from the pulpit
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Floor level view of the altar
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View of the altar and the pulpit
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Interior of the church, facing the rear, showing the Bible verse in German, not Wendish/Sorbian
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Photos of the pastors who have served the congregation
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Maria Kilian's gravestone, in German
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John Kilian's gravestone, in German
