Boerne has a
rich history
B
oerne, the county seat of Kendall County, is bound by Cibolo Creek, Interstate 10 and Highway 87 about 30 miles northwest of San Antonio in the southern part of the county. In 1849, a group of German colonists from Bettina camped on the north side of Cibolo Creek, about a mile west of present-day Boerne. They called their new community Tusculum, after Cicero’s home in ancient Rome. In 1852, Gustav Theissen and John James laid out the town’s site and changed the name to Boerne in honor of Ludwig Börne, a German poet and publicist. Ironically, Mr. Börne never visited the town that was named after him. A post office was established in 1856 with August Staffell as postmaster. The community had only 10 houses in 1859, but it was chosen to be the county seat by a margin of 67 votes after the county was established in 1862. A courthouse was built in 1870 and is still in use, making it the second-oldest courthouse in Texas. Boerne developed the reputation of having a very healthy environment and quickly became known as a health resort. By 1884 it had five hotels, assorted businesses and 250 residents. Cotton, wool and grain were the principal shipments, but timber, cedar posts and building stone also were profitable commodities. 6
Boerne Visitors Guide Spring/Summer 2021
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