Comfort Texas, Kendall County. (original) (raw)
History in a Pecan Shell
Comfort was established in 1854 by German immigrants moving further west from New Braunfels. They rested here and were so taken with the place, that they didn't see any need to travel further.
Comfort remains unincorporated.
Near the High School. High Street between 3rd and 4th.
This memorial is for German settlers who were established here, but were killed on their way to Mexico during the Civil War. They were attacked by Confederate forces near Brackettville on August 10, 1862. The bodies were not buried and the bones were retrieved and placed here in 1865. The monument was erected in 1866. The incident shares several similarities to the Bandera Tragedy Tree incident.
Comfort's Charm
From an architectural viewpoint - Comfort is extremely rich. Nearly the entire downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Many rock buildings and businesses remain in a splendid state of preservation and did not have to go through the rigors of restoration. The 1880 Ingenhuett-Faust Hotel is one such building and the 1930 Comfort Theater (originally financed through public subscription) is another.
A good deal of Comfort's charm is in its relative tranquility compared to Fredericksburg and Boerne. Visit on Monday and you'll find nearly the entire town closed.
The 1908 bank building now serves as a museum.
TE photo, 2008
Comfort Historical Museum
838 High Street
Open 2nd Sunday of each month or by appointment.
It is said that only this monument and Arlington National Cemetery are permitted to fly the American flag at half staff the year round.
The 1879 August Faltin Building
TE photo, 2008
A rare pre-signage traffic button.
TE photo, 2008
Bier Halle High Street
Courtesy Comfort Historical Cntr. Archives, submitted by Gael Montana
Historical Marker (301 State Hwy 27, Comfort):
FREIDENKER
Nineteenth Century Freethinkers
From 1845 to 1861, a number of German Freidenker ("Freethinkers") immigrated to the Texas Hill Country. Freethinkers were German intellectuals who advocated reason and democracy over religious and political authoritarianism. Many had participated in the 1848 German revolution and sought freedom in America. The Freidenker helped establish Bettina, Castell, Cypress Mill, Luckenbach, Sisterdale, Tusculum (Boerne) and Comfort. Laid out in 1854, Comfort soon was home to about half the population of hill country Freethinkers.
Freethinkers valued their newfound freedoms of speech, assembly and religion. Their settlements, where a knowledge of Latin was considered essential for a cultured intellectual society, became known as "Latin Colonies." They strongly supported secular education and generally did not adhere to any formal religious doctrines. They applied themselves to the crafts of physical labor and divided their time between farming and intellectual pursuits.
Freethinkers advocated universal equal rights, and their moral values were dominated by their respect for life. They actively supported such social issues as the abolition of slavery and the rejection of secession. Their loyalty to the Union during the Civil War cost many their freedoms and their lives. Following the war, many Freethinkers relocated to nearby urban areas, while others returned to Germany.
(2000)
Comfort, Texas Chronicles
- Armadillo Shell Baskets were Big Business in Comfort by Michael Barr "The Apelt Armadillo Farm, on Highway 27 between Comfort and Center Point, once sold armadillo shell baskets all over the world. The farm was a Hill Country conversation piece for most of the 20th century. As far as anyone knows it was the only business of its kind on the planet." more
The Heart and Soul of Comfort
TE photo, 2008
Kendall County 1907 postal map
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy Texas General Land Office
Kerr County 1940s map
From Texas state map #4335
Courtesy Texas General Land Office
Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.
| Comfort Tourist Information Comfort Chamber of Commerce High Street and 7th 830-995-3131 The book Hill Country by Richard Zelade covers Comfort's buildings in detail. The book proves its worth with its descriptions and histories of Comfort's buildings alone. Book Hotel Here > Comfort Hotels | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |