Originally founded in 1716 in eastern Texas, Mission San Juan Capistrano was transferred in 1731 to its present location. In 1756, the stone church, a friary, and a granary were completed. A larger...
Historic
Berclair School
I’ve come across a couple dozen abandoned schoolhouses across central Texas, mostly by happenstance — for some reason, it seems that Texas has an overabundance of faded one-room schools...
Texas Czech Center in La Grange
Like this oak near the Texas Czech Heritage Center, massive trees that are hundreds of years old were here before the streets of La Grange were laid out. In La Grange’s residential...
The Blue Hole in East Texas
Located on a private inholding within the Angelina National Forest in upper northwestern Jasper County, “Blue Hole” is a former sandstone rock quarry that flooded during the 1920s and...
St. Stanislaus in Chappell Hill
In 1888, Rev. James Grabinger, announced that a church would be built in Chappell Hill — St. Stanislaus. The great hurricane of 1900 that devastated Galveston destroyed this first church. The...
St. Marys Catholic Church in Plantersville
On February 2, 1894, the Right Reverend Nicholas A. Gallager, Bishop of the German Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Galveston purchased for $30.00 the parcel of land where St. Mary’s now...
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Galveston
This is not the first, but the second Sacred Heart church on this site. The first one, like most of Galveston, was taken by the Great Storm. It is modeled after the Grand Synagogue of Toledo, Spain...
San Fernando Academy in Pontotoc
A nearly deserted town an hour north of Fredericksburg in Mason County, Pontotoc was on the brink of becoming a boom town before a series of misfortunes. Settled in 1859, there was an established...
Johnson City Feed Mill
I don’t know the story behind the shoes on this wall, but here in Texas we have boots on fence posts, bicycles on barns, trees and on fences… seems anything is fair game to try out a new...
Hearn-Gidden House in Kosse
Kosse, located in Limestone County in Central Texas, has a colorful history dating to 1869. Born as a railroad village, Kosse has had booms and busts throughout its history. It is the birthplace of...
Fort Davis National Park
Established in 1854, Fort Davis was important in guarding and establishing America’s western frontier. Troops stationed at this historic military post served to protect emigrants, families...
St. Michael’s Catholic Church
Located in Weimar. Established as a Mission in 1888, by Father Edward Brucklin, who became first resident priest in 1892. An earlier frame structure was replaced by this stately sanctuary in 1913...