Falfurrias, Texas, Brooks County seat. (original) (raw)

Falfurrias Main Street in 1940
Click on image to enlarge
Postcard Courtesy Lisa Lozano

Falfurrias' name has several suggested origins. One was after a local shepherd who was refered to as "Don Falfurrias" and another was "Heart's Delight." Prior to receiving the photos provided by Ruben Hernandez we were inclined to go with the former - but we are now decidedly on the side of Heart's Delight.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT BUTTER

Edward C. Lasater & the Dairy Industry

Edward C. Lasater had a hand in just about everything happening in Brooks County - including the dairy business. But unlike political bosses and other nefarious characters, Mr. Lasater's hands were clean. It was these clean hands that brought in the cows that at one time formed the largest herd of Jersey cattle in the entire United States.

Mr. Lasater started in 1895 with a plain run-of-the-mill cattle ranch. In 1904 he encouraged the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad to run a line to his property and in 1909 he brought in his Jersey cows and started his creamery. In those days, the real milk money was in products like cream, butter and cheese (which is where grade "B" milk goes, in case you ever wondered). In the 1800s, city dwellers lived in fear of tuberculosis and undulant fever and it wasn't until Louis Pasteur invented his sterilizing bottle-washing machine that they could enjoy the peace of mind their country cousins had from drinking milk from cows they knew personally.

The Falfurrias chamber of commerce informed us that the butter that made the town a household word across Texas is no longer produced locally. The name was bought by a large dairy company and butter is still marketed under the famous name - but it doesn't come from South Texas. Falfurrias' famous butter is still remembered in a vintage sign that remains mounted on a downtown wall.

A reminder of the region's most famous product
TE photo

Oil and gas discoveries in the 30's and 40's saw Falfurrias in good times. The population started to decline in the 50s but those who weren't tempted to go to the larger cities, the quality of life continued - and still does.

Today, Falfurrias sits and waits for your visit. A short but picturesque main street includes some downtown trees - a rarity anywhere in Texas - and until recently there were two theaters from the glory days when they were packed with people every Friday and Saturday night. The Alameda Theater which had had a unique hand-painted tile facade was recently demolished - a sad loss for South Texas architecture.

The Falfurrias Chamber of Commerce is right on Business U.S. HWY 281.

1939 Photo courtesy TXDoT

The Pioneer Theatre in downtown Falfurrias
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, September 2011

Falfurrias Public Works Department
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010

FALFURRIAS, TEXAS

VINTAGE PHOTOS

Falfurrias High School Marching Band
Click on photo for larger image

"This was a small band, but huge in heart and spirit. They performed at several out of town events such at the Buccaneer Days in Corpus Christi and the Battle of Flowers Festival in San Antonio. Some of the band members included [band leader Carleen Frazier], majorette Isaura Garza, 2nd row, 3rd from left; Betty Morales, 1st row on the left; David Gonzales, 1st row, 2nd from left; and Oscar Lopez, 1st row, 2nd from right." - Ruben R. Hernandez
"I graduated from Fal Hi in May of 1952, and that's me leading the band. I was Drum Major for the school years 1950-51 and 1951-52. Thanks!" - Carleen Frazier, July 31, 2008

Premont High School Cheerleaders, 1953
Photo courtesy Ruben R. Hernandez

The Ruth Story Ranch circa 1980
Photo courtesy Ruben R. Hernandez

	First National Bank, Falfurrias, Texas Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ More Texas Banks

Falfurrias, Texas Forum

• Falfurrias, Texas
  I graduated from Fal Hi in May of 1952, and that's me leading the Marching Band. I was Drum Major for the school years 1950-51 and 1951-52.
  The FIRST movie theater, called the "Cactus", was on Main St. near the Creamery. After the Pioneer was built it was kept open for awhile, showing only the B-rated "oaters", while the "new" Pioneer Theater showed the "latest" shows. It was closed after a relatively short time. I don't know what happened to the building it was in. Then, the Alameda was opened across Hwy.281, and, as your site shows, it is no longer in operation. Thanks! - Carleen Frazier, July 31, 2008
• Born in Falfurrias
  I recently found the site about Falfurrias, and I wanted to make contact to see if there were a remaining citizen who might have known of my family there in the the late 40's early 50's. My parents worked for Sun Oil, and supposedly I was born there in Falfurrias. I have a birth certificate from a Dr. Crippen there at Mercy Memorial Hospital, but it states my birthday to be March 5, 1951, while my birthday was always told to me to be March 4, 1951. I have some old hospital bills and receipts, but they actually do not support either date, and are not consistent. My dad, now with Alzheimers, has some interesting "thoughts". My parents had three other children, all much older than me, all with severe handicaps. I believe this was known to the community--and my father refers to my coming as "when you came to live with us." I believe my parents were known there, but the story goes that maybe I wasn't born at the hospital. The only name I have heard of from there was Canales. My name is Judy, and my parents were Voelkels. Maybe the birth certificate needs correcting, I just don't know, or maybe every thing else is wrong. There is some kind of story about being born also at a butane company. - Judy Green, March 19, 2008
• Friendly Folks of Falfurrias in the 1930s
  Dear TE, I lived in Falfurrias from 1936 to 1937. I was 13 and living there with my parents and 2 sisters. [Our family was] escaping the cold weather in Iowa. My sister Jane worked in the bank shown in your picture. In all my travels I have never met a more friendly group of people than those in Falfurrias. A man named Scott owned or operated the bank; his son was my scoutmaster. When we first moved there we stayed at a tourist court run by the Knowles family. We attended the Presbyterian church which was a few blocks off the highway. The grade school and high school were close to the courthouse. I remember the name Lancaster while living there. My father was a linotype operator at the Falfurrias Facts newspaper located on main street. I really enjoyed my one year there. We moved to Kingsville in 1937. - Clark Bolt, Central Texas, January 03, 2007
• Subject: Pictures of People and Places in Falfurrias, Texas
  I had sent you some pictures about Mackay about a year ago and you were kind to post them. My wife, the former Betty Guerra Morales, was born in Falfurrias and was in the Class of 1953, Falfurrias High School. Attached are some pictures of people and places in Falfurrias. Perhaps you can use them.
  The congregation of the Bethel Presbyterian Church was Mexican for the most part. Here's a personal note. One of my uncles, Rev Jose Angel C. Hernandez, was pastor of the church in the mid 1950s. He had graduated from the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1931. It was the time in South Texas history when discrimination against Mexican-Americans was at its peak. For example, on business trips with Anglo pastors, Jose Angel was not allowed in restaurants to eat with the other pastors, but was served separately by himself in the kitchen or even outside. For Jose Angel, these were very painful and humiliating experiences. - Ruben R. Hernandez, June 11, 2006

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