Heritage Caldwell County Working Copy by Humberto Martinez

HERITAGE Caldwell County

Photo: ÂŠ MMXIII Humberto Martinez

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AD 3-1 8.75 in. X 11.25 in. 17.25 in. X 11.25 in.

HERITAGE M A G A Z I N E S

PRESIDENT, HERITAGE MAGAZINES Humberto Martinez PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Humberto Martinez EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Robyn Gamill COPY EDITOR Robyn Gamill WRITER AT LARGE Tam Francis

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WELCOME Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros.

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LOCKHART

Photo: © MMXIII Humberto Martinez

Caldwell County Jail and Museum

by Tammy Francis

ou’ll find their ghosts rattling the rooms of the Historic Caldwell County Jail and Museum. Established in 1908 and within walking distance of the courthouse this example of Norman Castellated style of architecture brings Lockhart’s rough past to life. The original log jail built on site in 1855 was burned. Temporary use of the courthouse basement took its place until 1875 when criminals were held in the Luling Jail. The red and yellow brick building that now stands on site was built by architect T.S. Hodges in 1908. He is the noted builder of Lockhart’s Eugene Clark Library as well. If you enjoy old west memorabilia this is a must stop. The ground floor is dedicated

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to preservation and education. One room displays arrowheads, tools, blankets, old shackles, cell keys, slap-sticks, guns and leg irons. Saddles, ranching paraphernalia and pictures tell a story of the dangers and hardships of this wild time. Other rooms exhibit domestic life, a recreated nineteen-hundred’s bedroom to a hodgepodge of textiles, loom, organ, shell art, toys and crib. You get a real feel for living conditions of criminals housed and men and women that took care of them. “My mother always told me the story of the “Town Drunk” Dickey. He would come in to sober up

here [jail] frequently. He’d be singing and mopping the floors in the early morning hours waking up the prisoners. This was his home away from home,” recalls Rebecca M. Zapata. The Sheriff and his family were required to live in the jail and to cook and clean for the prisoners. Through the years the jail saw many sheriffs and families. The first, J.H. Frank was the first sheriff to reside in the “new” jail (19081915) was assassinated May 12, 1915. There were no arrests made and to this day no one knows why or how no witnesses could be found. The brutal murder occurred in the middle of the afternoon as he

strolled from jail to courthouse. There is a rich history of strange and interesting stories like the one told by Kendra William Harris. “My grandfather was the sheriff Ed Williams (1947-1952). My dad lived in the basement with his father and brother. At one time three prisoners escaped through the basement and stole my dad’s car and escaped.” This story is supported by a 1953 news article from the Lockhart Post Register. “Three men who escaped from the Lockhart Jail down the dumbwaiter Monday afternoon just before 6:00pm were apprehended in Del Rio, Tuesday.” There are purported if unsubstantiated testimonials of ghostly activity going on at the Jail. They are included in Haunted Texas: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Lone Star State. Cheyene Mario recalls, “After reaching the fourth floor and everyone else was downstairs, I could hear voices in the cells around me. The voices were like from a distance, but the closer you got to a cell the louder they were.” (July 2011). Then there’s this story as reported by the Bluebonnet Electric Coop Feb. 2007 edition about Stephanie Shunick’s experience. “Several times, always on a Sunday afternoon between 3:00-3:30 I heard a door slam at the back of the building. Not only is no one around to slam the door in question, but it’s actually been nailed shut for years.” Interestingly enough, when this writer visited with her children they both reported a loud banging or slam that neither myself nor the docent heard. It was a Sunday between 3:00-3:30 pm. Regardless of whether the jail is haunted you’ll get a chance to find out for yourself. One of the most delightful parts of visiting the museum is that after you’ve heard the docent’s recitation and visited the exhibit rooms you are handed a flashlight and set free to explore the third, fourth and fifth floors unaccompanied. Climb narrow stairs to low ceiling rooms. Shut yourself in cells with creaking doors. Pretend to eat at rusty tables as decades old graffiti talks to you from the past. Whether you find a ghost at $2 dollar admission for adults and $1 admission for children under twelve it’s a great way to experience a slice of Texas history. ❧

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LOCKHART

Brock Log Cabin

Brock Log Cabin L

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Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna,

tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. â?§

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Photo: ÂŠ MMXIII Humberto Martinez

Gaslight Baker Theatre L orem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus seget eros.

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his unique and historically significant building was built with a $10,000 bequest from Dr. Eugene Clark. Dr. Clark was a native of New Orleans, and his father died on the battlefield during the Civil War when Dr. Clark was only three. Mr. Clark’s life-long friend E.H Purcell was with him as he lay dying and Mr. Clark requested that Purcell take care of his wife and son. Three years later Mrs. Clark lay on her death-bed. She entrusted the care of her young son to her dearest friend Miss H.M Young. Miss Young raised the boy as if he was her own and Mr. Purcell watched over the progress of the young boy as he grew. The young Clark was a great satisfaction to both Miss Young and Mr. Purcell. He graduated from Tulane Medical School with highest honors and did his residency at Charity Hospital. He graduated in May of 1883 and came to Lockhart.

He entered practice with Dr. Lancaster, but Lancaster soon abandoned his practice, leaving the 21 year old Clark to handle the practice alone. He practiced medicine for 13 years in Lockhart and during this time a mutual love between Dr. Clark and the town grew. In 1896, Dr. Clark left Lockhart to study in London and Vienna. In 1897 he returned to Texas to set up practice in San Antonio in his new specialty -- ear, nose and throat. While practicing in San Antonio, Dr. Clark became very ill. He went to New York for surgery. On his way to New York he came through Lockhart to see his old friends. In New York his condition was pronounced incurable and he left to return to the only home he had known in New Orleans. On his death bed, with Mr. Purcell and Miss Young by his side he dictated a will specifying that the citizens of Lockhart

should have a library and lyceum. His will left $10,000 to the people of Lockhart, of which $6,000 was to be used for construction, $1,000 to buy books and the remainder was to be put in a trust to maintain the building and purchase new books. The Library served as cultural center for the city of Lockhart for many years. President William Howard Taft has spoken from the stage in the library and Dorothy Sarnoff has performed here, remarking to her audience, “If you are bored with my performance tonight, you can just reach over and grab a good book to read.” Many local community groups and organizations held theatrical productions, recitals and concerts in the library. The Local Community concert group held seasonal programs in the building until 1956. Many local residents fondly recall the days of performing on the stage in the library.

Dr. Eugene Clark Library Dr. Eugene Clark Library

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Photo: © MMXIII Humberto Martinez

The library is a two story, Greek cross plan and is a Classical Revival building of red brick with limestone trim, with four projecting pediment pavilions forming the arms. The main facade facing east is divided into three bays by pilasters and contains a central stained glass memorial window classically framed by pilasters and a round keystone arch. The southeast entrance has double doors with a mullet-lighted fanlight also framed by pilasters and entablature and supports the central dome. The architecture of the building has been a source of curiosity to many professional architects, and the library is visited annually by many amateur and professional architects, including regular visits by architecture majors from the University of Texas. Inside the building the pressed tin ceiling, woodwork, lighting fixtures and perimeter shelving are all original to the building. When built, the library had auditorium style seating in the center of the building and on the balcony. In 1956 the seating was removed to allow for the expansion of the book collection.

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Today the library continues to serve as a focal point for community activities and is the major source of informational and pleasure reading for Lockhart and Caldwell County residents. The Library Today While an historical treasure in the community, the Library operates as a modern, efficient and functioning Library serving the information and recreational needs of Lockhart and Caldwell County citizens. The Library provides the use of six Internet computers as well as public access computers with word processing and printing capabilities. The Library has a multitude of CDROM databases to coincide with about 135 magazine/newspaper subscriptions. Today the Library can easily obtain any required book not carried in the existing collection through the use of the Inter-Library Loan.â?§

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Historic Lockhart Square L

orem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Maecenas at justo id velit placerat molestie. Donec dictum lectus non odio. Cras a ante vitae enim iaculis aliquam. Mauris nunc quam, venenatis nec, euismod sit amet, egestas placerat, est. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Cras id elit. Integer quis urna. Ut ante enim, dapibus malesuada, fringilla eu, condimentum quis, tellus. Aenean porttitor eros vel dolor. Donec convallis pede venenatis nibh. Duis quam. Nam eget lacus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Quisque dignissim congue leo. Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Inte-

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ger orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, Brock Building

viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. â?§ Photo: ÂŠ MMXIII Humberto Martinez

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Photo: © MMXIII Humberto Martinez

LOCKHART

by Eric Beck

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he courthouses in Texas’ small counties and towns stand at the center of community life. Traditionally, in addition to courthouses’ roles as the seats of justice and of county government’s business, they have also acted as community centers, meeting places, and even dance halls. Today, many of these functions have moved to other buildings and parts of town, but courthouses still center their towns geographically, spiritually, and as a community. The Caldwell County Courthouse in Lockhart is no exception to this rural social dynamic. It anchors the downtown business and residential area. It is the town’s most visible landmark, easily sighted by anyone driving through town. And at the last century, when it was ramshackle and in need of repair, the community came together to restore the symbolic heart of their common history. But the building is also unique in a way most of Texas’ 254 county courthouses are not -- architecturally. Completed in 1894, the courthouse is a rare still-existing example of the Second Empire style that was the vogue in public buildings in the United States from the 1870s through the 1890s. Named after architectural elements popular the Second French Empire, which commenced when Napoleon III declared himself emperor in 1851 and lasted until 1870, the style was characterized by audacious and unconventional design features: short, sharply steeped roofs, called Mansard roofs; a central clock tower; protruding and decorative dormer windows; and ornamental arches. All of these Second Empire hallmarks are on abundant display in the Caldwell County Courthouse. But they are given unique twists and combined with other elements in ways that aren’t seen in most other Second Empire buildings. For instance, the traditional rectangular Mansard roofs of the corner towers contrast sharply with the cluster of towers in the middle, which have gently arched outlines central tower’s Mansard dispenses with the typical rectangular design and opts for a gently arched and sloped outlines.

ety of arches: from ornate designs to austere placements, from perfunctory horizontal arches to to pointed triangles to long, sloping semicircles, each doorway and window is accented with shapes that help give the building its ornate but not garish appearance. Pulling all of this together are the materials, the Muldoon limestone as the base and trimmed with red Pecos sandstone, giving the building a plethora of texture and a stark contrast in coloring while remaining warm and inviting. Even though many public buildings used the Second Empire style in the United States in the last decades of the 19th century, those elements never really took hold in Texas. There are a few examples, however: the Fulton Mansion in Rockport, and county courthouses in Ozona and Goliad, the latter of which looks very similar to Caldwell County’s and was designed by the same architect as Lockhart’s building. Other than those buildings, though, most examples are in the upper Midwest and on the east coast (the Suffolk County Courthouse in Boston is a famous example), and of course in Paris, where the famed Champs Elysses is littered with example of the Second Empire style. But there’s something quite a bit more daring and graceful in the Lockhart building than in most examples in the United States.

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Another unique feature is the eclectic vari-

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LULING

Photo: ÂŠ MMXIII Humberto Martinez

by Tammy Francis

reen leaves stretch over a lazy river; the rustic 1800s Mill ripples in reflection. Just fifteen minutes from downtown Lockhart, Zedlers Mill and Gin Site is nestled in the most picturesque bucolic setting in Caldwell County. Emerald hills are landscaped with native plants, walking paths, butterfly gardens, sitting areas and archways, an idyllic spot for a picnic; take your Lockhart barbecue. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only remaining example of mills built in the 1800 in Texas. In 1874 Leonidas Hardeman, his two brothers and John and James Merriweather built a stone dam to harness the power of the San Marcos River. The first grist (grain to be ground) mill was established. It was known as Merriweather Mill. By 1885 the mill had four new owners, one of them Fritz Zedler. They renamed it Luling Water Power Company and the partners added a lumber sawmill. In order to generate more power Zedler replaced the

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stone dam with a wooden dam and added penstocks (a sluice or gate for regulating water flow). In 1888 Zedler bought out his three partners and his oldest son Berthold joined him to run the business. Just months after his acquisition, the three story mill was destroyed by fire. The Luling cotton farmers and community united in efforts to help the Zedler family rebuild the mill. It took only seven weeks. The Zedler family improved the cotton-grist-lumber mill by adding steam engines, a concrete dam, mule barn and a blacksmith shop. Sons Herman and Carl Zedler installed a generator in 1894. This was the sole supplier of electricity in Luling. They also added modern roller mills to mill flour along with animal sweet and chop feed products. Unfortunately by the late 1950s the need for water powered mills became obsolete. The mill fell into disrepair and the equipment and power apparatus was sold for

scrap. For fifty years the mill sat idle, decaying until 2002 when the Luling Economic Development Corporation purchased the property for the city of Luling. By 2007 the non-profit, The Zedler Mill Foundation had begun restoring the site. After fiveyears and more than $1.5 million dollars the area is now a gorgeous city park and historical landmark. The park and restored feed mill and cotton gin museum show the ingenuity and determination of early Texas settlers. The restored scale house, once used to weigh wagons full of cotton and produce, is the hub of the complex. The grounds are open daily with an audio cell phone tour, ADA restroom facilities, free WI-FI and picnic tables. Zedler Mill is located at 1170 S. Laurel, Luling TX 78648 512.227.1724 The park and parking are FREE.

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