Seguin's festive fall tradition brings creative fright to downtown
Downtown historic pecan monument and the experts behind its story Legacy in a nutshell
Whispers
from the grave
Unearth histories of past Seguin residents in annual cemetery tour
Unearth
Downtown
Seguin's festive fall tradition brings creative fright to
This pie combines luscious pumpkin, velvety caramel and a whisper of bourbon for the perfect fall treat
Submitted
Vol. 11, No. 4
Seguin magazine is published twelve times a year by the Seguin Gazette.
Publisher
Elizabeth Engelhardt
Magazine Editor
Desiree Gerland
Writers
Felicia Frazar
Alex Lowe
Abbey Shultz
Danny Story
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There’s something undeniably magical about fall. It’s not just the arrival of Halloween, though that certainly adds a layer of fun, but the overall vibe that stirs our imaginations. It’s a season where everything feels a little more mysterious, a little more nostalgic, and a lot more creative.
For me, fall always sparks a creative energy that’s unlike any other time of year. It’s the time when stories start to come alive, when the past whispers its tales in unexpected ways and when we, as a community, find the joy in creating something new. Whether it's carving pumpkins, decorating scarecrows and skeletons, or sharing a recipe that’s perfect for a gathering of friends and family, this season invites us to express ourselves in all sorts of fun and meaningful ways.
This issue is a reflection of that spirit—the joy of crafting something, of playing with the spooky and the historical, and of sharing these moments with one another. We’ve explored some of the rich history embedded in our town but with the playful, vibrant energy that fall brings. There’s a unique magic in walking down the streets and seeing the creative displays popping up around every corner. It’s a reminder that we all have that creative spark within us waiting for the right moment to shine.
And, of course, the flavors of fall tie it all together. There’s something so comforting in a homemade treat, something that brings us all back to the simple pleasures of the season. It’s the little things, like a perfectly spiced pie, that capture the essence of the season’s warmth and sweetness.
As you explore this issue, I hope you feel that same creative energy and that spark of inspiration that come with the changing season.
Desiree Gerland
Magazine Editor
desiree.gerland@seguingazette.com
Whispers from the grave
Unearth Histories of past Seguin residents in Annual Cemetery
Tour
Story by Felicia Frazar
In the heart of Seguin, just south of downtown, a plot of land turned into a keeper of the town's history and the memories of its earliest families.
Riverside Cemetery was originally part of the land granted to Ezekiel Smith and his family, who were early settlers in the area in 1837. A portion of their land became the Smith family cemetery until 1880 when Smith’s son, French Smith, deeded it to the city of Seguin.
Just north of the Smith family cemetery, Riverside Cemetery, a public graveyard, was founded and had additional land given to the city from George B. Hollamon and W.E. Goodrich, increasing the cemetery’s size to 15 acres. Over the years, the cemetery has served as the final resting place for more than 2,000 Seguin residents including pioneer settlers, elected officials, business leaders, veterans, clergy and former slaves.
In an effort to keep these histories alive, the Affiliation of Seguin Women’s Clubs began a cemetery tour with a deep dive into some of the residents' past and brings them back to life for a day.
It started in 2012 with an idea from
Seguin resident Pat Hoppe with Sudi Bruns breathing life into the tour and carrying on until COVID, Affiliation of Seguin Women’s Clubs member Bobbie Maddox said.
“I believe Sudi Bruns became the driving force,” she said. “When she no longer was able to continue it, we rallied and tried to keep it going. We had the idea to do this to support the clubhouse that the three women’s clubs meet in today.”
Now, the group is bringing it back at the end of October during Pecan Fest and Heritage Days to shine more light on the community’s past.
The Riverside Cemetery Tour lets visitors learn more about Seguin’s historical figures with the help of local actors.
Bobbie Maddox’s husband, Marvel, has found himself portraying several former Seguin residents.
“I’ve portrayed Eugene Nolte with Pat Hoppe, as well as Samuel Millett,” Marvel said. “I just get a strong connection. Samuel and Clementine were a slave-owning family, so that is a little hard for me to reconcile. But you get a real strong tie and connect to these people. They become part of you.”
Photos Courtesy of Affiliation of Seguin Women’s Clubs
They became so much so a part of him that Marvel was able to recall much of Millett’s history without having to look at a script or cheat sheets.
Millett, who is one of the featured Riverside Cemetery residents included in this year’s tour, wasn’t originally from Seguin and has connections to some of the literary greats.
“Born in Norway, Maine, in 1801, he was a college man, class of 1823,” Marvel recalled. “Classmates included Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Franklin Pierce. Frankie went on to be the 14th president of the United States in 1853 and then Calvin Stowe, he’s probably better known as the husband of Harriet Beecher Stowe.”
Those types of connections don’t end there, Affiliation of Seguin Women’s Clubs member and researcher Diane Gesick said.
“I love all of the connections,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of the research on people. Pickering Jones is in one of the old sections of the cemetery.”
Jones was once the roommate to Edgar Allan Poe at West Point Military Academy until Poe was “summarily dismissed,” Bobbie said.
The cemetery is home to three Buffalo Soldiers, one of whom is the grandfather of a famous baseball player who hailed from Seguin.
“Calvin Williams was the grandfather of Smokey Joe Williams, the famous baseball player, and he is part of our tour this year,” Gesick said.
The nearly 200-year-old cemetery is unique in who its residents are, Gesick said.
“What I find unusual about the cemetery is there are Black people and Hispanic people and Caucasian people all in the same cemetery,” she said. "It was not completely segregated. When you walk through the cemetery, you see so many family names that you recognize.”
Eugene and Claudia Nolte are among those recognizable names, and the club will soon display their history with John R. Jefferson, Alexander Madison Erskine and Amada Gonzalez.
“We’re going to have Betty Jean Jones, the first woman mayor and William Bob Campbell,” Bobbie said.
With as much research as Gesick has done on the former community members, they’ve become more than stories.
“These people are like members of my family now,” she said. “That’s what is so cool, to go into the records and see census records and death certificates all
handwritten. It shows that these people were actual real people.”
Helping the community connect with the past helps keep the history alive, Bobbie said.
“When people visit and do this tour, they’re not only supporting the history that is there in the cemetery, but they’re helping us to keep this building alive too, which is a piece of Texas history,” she said.
Legacy in a Nutshell
Downtown Historic Pecan Monument and the Experts Behind Its Story
The citizens of Seguin are nuts about their pecans. One pecan stands out above the rest. This pecan is not a real pecan but rather a concrete and plaster replica that is proudly and prominently displayed in front of the Guadalupe County Courthouse at 211 Court St. in downtown Seguin.
Who would have thought that something as simple and innocent as a giant pecan sculpture would contribute to four decades of controversy and rivalry between a pair of communities
in different states, each claiming to have the world’s largest pecan sculpture? That is exactly what happened. To this day, an internet search for the world’s largest pecan is likely to bring mixed results with some sources citing Seguin, Texas, as the current record holder. Others point to Brunswick, Missouri, as possessing the honor.
For those uninformed as to the history of the Pecan Wars, some background is necessary. There is no better source to provide information than Seguin’s own Mark Walls. The owner
Story by Alex Lowe photos by Alex Lowe and courtesy of 38 Pecans
of 38 Pecans, Walls, along with veteran Farm Manager Gary Rainwater, operates a magnificent, sprawling orchard and farm within Seguin that boasts 2,700 pecan trees of 38 varieties. Walls has a Bachelor of Science in environmental science and 20 years of entrepreneurial and business experience and has been a part of the Texas Pecan Association for the last 20 years. The man knows his pecans.
Walls maintains the huge orchard; harvests, develops and distributes the pecan-based products to supermarkets like HEB'; and sells directly to customers online. He is also the grandson of the man who put Seguin on the map as having the world’s largest pecan, Dr. Edmund “Doc” Darilek.
“Doc bought this farm around 1946,” Walls said. “When he started this orchard down here, he planted 2,500 trees, watering them with buckets by hand, small plants and tin cans. All of this came from that.”
Despite his formal education, Walls views the information his grandfather taught him when he was a little boy as being most responsible in pointing him on his path as pecan producer extraordinaire.
“I grew up in this orchard. When I was in the third, fourth and fifth grades, my grandfather would come out here and wait for me to wake up. Then I’d jump in his car and I became like a glorified gate opener,” Walls said. “He would tell me the same story every single weekend. As we drove through the orchard, he would tell me about each pecan tree and what they were and what they meant. He was so passionate about this whole place.”
The giant pecan that sits in front of the courthouse in Seguin was Darilek’s idea. A successful dentist, Darilek utilized his plastering skills on a project to promote community pride. Erected in 1962, the pecan is 5 feet long, 2 1/2 feet wide and weighs approximately 1,000 pounds. Seguin began billing itself as “Home of the World's Largest Pecan,” a title it held on to for 20 years.
It didn’t stay that way, though. In 1982, George and Elizabeth James, owners of a farm in Brunswick, Missouri, created a 7 x 12-foot, six-ton pecan that dwarfed Darilek’s effort and usurped the title of World’s Largest Pecan.
“It was just a case of someone finding out about Seguin having the largest pecan sculpture and wanting to better it,” Walls said. “We did it first. We’ve got the original.”
News of the Brunswick behemoth traveled slowly. So slowly, in fact, that in 2005, when Seguin local pecan businessman John Pape had a new giant pecan created and mounted on a truck frame so it could appear in parades and at events, he was unaware that Missouri had bested Darilek’s 1962 sculpture in size. Pape’s 10-feet long, 5-feet wide fiberglass steel-framed sculpture of a “Desirable Pecan” stood next to the Pape Pecan House. Pape said that if he’d known about the mammoth pecan in Brunswick, Missouri, he would've built his bigger.
For Seguin, the Pecan War was now in full swing. In 2007, Sherry Nefford-Esse, president of the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce, visited Brunswick, Missouri, and brought back photos of the prodigious pecan. In late 2011, after collecting about $5,000 in donations and committing three months of work in constructing the noteworthy nut, Seguin produced a new champion, checking in at 16 feet long, 8 feet wide and 2,300 pounds. It sits outside the Texas Agriculture, Education and Heritage Center.
But none of this would have been possible if not for Doc Darilek’s original 1962 sculpture, which still sits in front of the Guadalupe Courthouse. Though three different sculptures have since exceeded it in size, the downtown Seguin entry remains the most well-known of all the prestigious pecans. Now bearing the title Original World’s Largest Pecan Statue, the Darilek creation remains a popular tourist destination with people posing for photo ops several times a day.
Seguin's Festive Fall Tradition Brings creative fright to downtown
Pumpkin patches, fairs, harvests and spooky decorations all have one thing in common: They mark the beginning of the fall season.
And in Seguin, it’s even more prominent in displays around town in store-front windows.
Typically, scarecrows are found on fences or in the middle of fields working to keep birds away from crops. But they’ve also become synonymous for all things fall, much like pumpkins.
By the time October hits, scarecrows are everywhere, including a scarecrow, skeleton contest in Seguin.
Story by Abbey Shultz
Photos courtesy of Seguin Convention & Visitors Bureau
“It’s all about fall and the harvest,” said Guadalupe County Fair honorary Director Jenny Siltman, who helped create the contest.
While it may be easy to stop at a local decoration store to pick up a pre-made scarecrow, there is the option to make a unique scarecrow.
Constructing a scarecrow is easy and the usual components include a flannel shirt, an old pair of jeans, a straw hat and some hay or cotton to stuff the clothes. But to make a great scarecrow, it’s a little more complex. What sets a scarecrow and a good scarecrow apart is a theme, Seguin Main Street Director Kyle Kramm said.
A theme doesn’t need to be too complicated, either. It can be aligned with a business or personal hobby. For example, Keepers Interiors and Furniture won the “Sold Out Award” for their art-themed scene, complete with pieces of inventory in last year’s scarecrow competition.
“We did a scarecrow who was an artist and painting,” Keepers co-owner Amber Ehrlich said. “We carry Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, and so our scarecrow had that and a bunch of cans of paint and paintbrushes.”
A reference to an online meme or movie scene can also make a scarecrow more interesting, especially if the scarecrow references pop culture or a current trend, Kramm said.
“If you go for something more traditional, those are nice, but what makes a really good scarecrow is generally something that makes (people) laugh or is kind of timely,” he said. “Try to find something that’s on brand for your business or organization but is still relevant. It will make a great scarecrow.”
A display can also improve with relatability, Kramm said. It’s easy to recreate an everyday scene with and around a scarecrow, whether the scarecrow is doing someone’s hair, painting like Keepers’ scarecrow or baking.
“There was a funny one last year that had a scarecrow in a recliner watching TV.”
Decorators shouldn’t feel confined to one scarecrow, either. A scene can become more interactive and intricate when additional ones are added to the mix.
“Having an active scene really helps, not just having just one scarecrow in a window but having two or three interacting and doing something,” Kramm said.
Scarecrows are a perfect way to mix traditions with modern events and comedy this fall., Adding them can personalize any decoration scheme but, more than anything, they offer a way to participate in yearly traditions and take part in community celebrations for the season.
“It’s a way to celebrate agriculture,” Kramm said.
Bourbon & caramel Harvest Swirl
This Pie Combines Luscious Pumpkin, Velvety Caramel and a Whisper of Bourbon for the perfect Fall Treat
Hey there, friends. Fall is back again. Around this time, I live for the crisp mornings, not melting in the sun during the day, and my obligatory pumpkin spice drink exactly once a year. As with any time of year, I always try to make the best of what comes around but I’ve always felt that the last few months of the year are a cook’s dream. There are so many holidays where food is at the center of a huge family gathering and who isn’t a huge fan of that? You get to break out the family traditional recipes like my cornbread dressing (maybe I’ll share that with y’all sometime) but you also get to try out new things.
Story and photos by Danny story
This time, I thought I’d share something that I’ve had in my brain since last fall that I’ve been waiting for a good excuse to make. Now, normally when I make a dessert, I find something I like and improve on it over several iterations. That’s kind of what I’ve done here. What started as just a run-of-the-mill pumpkin pie evolved with the choice of spices, making my own take on pumpkin spice. Then, due to dietary restrictions, I had to start making all of my food gluten free (bet y’all haven’t been able to tell that), so pie crust became harder. I started craving a creamy element with my pumpkin pie the next year, so instead of a topping of whipped cream or cool whip, I decided to add a cheese cake swirl to it. Now we’ve come to this year and I think I’ve finally gotten it where I want it with the addition of a sticky, sweet, oaky, bourbon caramel added to the top with some pecans. It adds a flavor, texture and depth that just really brings the whole pie to the next level. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has.
- INGREDIENTS -
Crust: Choose your favorite recipe or premade crust. (I’m not going to make y’all eat gluten free like me.)
Pumpkin filling:
1 can of pumpkin puree
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ can evaporated milk
2 large eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Cheesecake swirl:
1 block cream cheese
1 egg
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
Caramel topping:
1 cup white sugar
4 tbsp butter
½ cup of heavy cream
1 shot of a high-quality bourbon
Pecans (optional)
- DIRECTIONS -
1: Preheat your oven to 350 F. Once hot, make sure to par-bake your crust for about 7-8 minutes. This ensures nothing falls apart in the process. While that’s getting ready, mix all of the ingredients for the pumpkin filling together with a whisk.
2: Let the crust cool and pour your pumpkin mixture in. Then in a separate bowl, using a mixer, thoroughly mix all of the cheesecake ingredients until completely smooth. Using a spoon, scoop dollops of the mixture into the pie filling. Then get a toothpick or skewer to swirl the two together. Once done, put the pie in the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
3: While that’s going, put your sugar for the caramel into a sauce pan and begin to warm it on low. While it’s important at this stage to not stir constantly so the sugar has time to melt, it’s very necessary to make sure the sugar doesn’t burn. As it melts, you will get a beautiful brown color. That’s when you’ll know it’s time to take it off the heat and add the butter right away. Stir until the butter melts and everything is smooth. Follow that with the bourbon, mix well and then the cream after that. What you’re left with is an extremely decadent caramel that’s ready to top your pie.
4: Once the pie is out of the oven, top it with the caramel, then put it in the fridge to cool. I like to put pecans on top for decoration and texture but you do what you like.
I had a blast with this one and I really do feel like I may have cracked the code for the perfect fall pie. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did and don’t be afraid to experiment and make it your own as well. Until next time.
Pumpkin Patch
September 28th thru October 31st 30th Annual
10am - 7pm Mon-Sat • Noon - 7pm Sunday
First Methodist Church Seguin 710 N. Austin St. Corner of N. Austin & College St. 830-379-4112
Like us on Facebook: FMC Seguin Pumpkin Patch www.seguinmethodist.org
Seguin’s Premier Medispa
Breast cancer incidence in the United States
• 1 in 8 women, or approximately 13% of the female population in the U.S., will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers.
• It is estimated that in 2024, approximately 30% of all new female cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer.
• On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States.
• Approximately 66% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, before cancer has spread outside of the breast, when it is easiest to treat.
• The 5-year relative survival rate for cancer diagnosed at the localized stage is 99%.
• Approximately 15% of women diagnosed have a family history of breast cancer. Those with a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer are nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer themselves.
Breast cancer in men statistics
All people are born with some breast cells and tissue, including men. Although rare, men get breast cancer too.
• In 2024, an estimated 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States.
• An estimated 530 U.S. men will die from breast cancer in 2024.
• The lifetime risk of a U.S. man developing breast cancer is about 1 in 726.
• Black men with breast cancer tend to have a worse prognosis, or outlook, than white men with breast cancer.
But there is hope. When caught in its earliest, localized stages, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. Advances in early detection and treatment methods have significantly increased breast cancer survival rates in recent years, and there are currently over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
Awareness of the facts and statistics surrounding breast cancer in the United States is key in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer?
Every person should know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and any time an abnormality is discovered, it should be investigated by a healthcare professional.
Most people who have breast cancer signs and symptoms will initially notice only one or two, and the presence of these signs and symptoms do not automatically mean that you have breast cancer.
By performing monthly breast self-exams, you will be able to more easily identify any changes in your breasts.
Be sure to talk to your healthcare professional if you notice anything unusual.
Info from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc
Choose local and independent for all your shopping needs! Thank you for continuing to support our community.
Spooky Fall Decor Keepers Interiors & Furniture
Elevate your space this season with our wide range of fall and Halloween decor, perfect for creating a cozy or spooky atmosphere. From warm autumn accents to playful Halloween touches, you'll find everything you need to transform your home with seasonal charm.
615 N. Austin St. | 830-379-9995 www.keepersinteriors.com
Stance Barnacle Beanie Culture - $24.99
The Barnacle Beanie is just what you need to hit the mountains and look good while doing it.
114 E. Court St. | 830- 401-3352 www.culture8thirty.com
The Oxford Brotherhood by Guillermo Martinez Pecantown Books and Brews - $14.87
A thrilling novel from the author of The Oxford Murders, inspired by true, strange stories from Caroll's life, The Oxford Brotherhood is sure to make you curiouser and curiouser.
212 S. Camp St. | (830) www.pecantownbooks.com491-9155
EVENT CALENDAR
Annual Pumpkin Patch: ends October Thirty-first
Monday - Saturday | 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday | 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. The Pumpkin Patch is officially open! Marking it's 30th year of making memories!
Location: First Methodist Church, 710 N. Austin St.
Camp HavenHeart Youth: Twelfth & thirteenth
Hope Hospices' Grief Center is excited to host their annual overnight grief camp for children ages 7-17. Join them for a weekend of healing and support. Location: Fischer, Tx.
Third Thursday: Seventeenth – 4 - 8 pm
Businesses and shops in downtown Seguin are open with sales, events, snacks and fun!
Location: Central Park, 201 S. Austin St.
Wine and Cigar Soiree: seventeenth – 6 pm
Get ready to sip on exquisite wines and enjoy premium cigars in a cozy and elegant setting.
This pickleball showdown is an exciting tournament bringing together players of all skill levels for a day of friendly competition and fun.
Location: Seguin-Saegert Pickleball Complex, 418 W. Mountain St.
Seguin Fall Festival: Nineteenth – 10 am - 11 pm
Car Show with a $500 cash prize. BBQ and Chili Competition with a $500 cash prize. Live Music, kids Activities, food and craft vendors.
Location: Central Park, 201 S. Austin St.
Pecan Fest: twenty-sixth – 10 am - 4 pm
Are you ready to GO NUTS? We have a day full of fun activities including shopping, history, pub crawl, and (of course) PECANS! For more information go to www.seguingonuts.com
Location: Central Park, 201 S. Austin St.
Pistols & Petticoats: twenty-sixth – 6:30 pm
33rd anniversary of western-themed entertainment, gourmet fare and signature cocktail, games, as well as live and silent auctions.
Location: Seguin Events Complex, 950 S. Austin St.
