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History in
a Pecan Shell
Schroeder was settled
by some of the first German immigrants who came ashore at Indianola.
The community grew around the local Germantown School. As the town
grew, it adopted the name and when a post office was applied for in
1890, the town’s official name became Germantown.
By the 1890s, Germantown had a gin, a blacksmith and a dance hall.
The school was used for church services by visiting clergy until 1893
when St. Luke’s Lutheran church was organized. The church built a
temporary structure, replacing it in 1905 with a brick building.
The town remained small, with a population under 100. After WWI
and a national resentment toward German names and the teaching of
German, the residents decided to rename their village. The name of
Schroeder was used to honor a soldier killed in “The
War to End All Wars.”
The town suffered a fire in the mid 1920s that took out most of the
businesses, but spared the dance hall. The population increased as
the town rebuilt but the post office closed its doors in 1944. The
population in the late 1960s had increased to just over 200 residents
which grew to 350 over the next 20 years.
The dance hall, which is still in business after 118 years has reached
legendary status – being a venue where some of the biggest names in
country music have performed.
Schroeder appears on the TxDoT Goliad County map where three cemeteries
are shown within a mile of town. The oldest is the Mistletoe
Cemetery – due north of Shroeder’s intersection. |
A Visit to
Schroeder, Texas
Photographer's
Note:
"Schroeder Texas is located in NE Goliad County on FM-622.
About 16 miles NE of Goliad.
Schroeder Hall
Famous for Schroeder Hall supposedly the second oldest Dance Hall
in Texas. Many famous Country-Western singers passed through here
on their way to stardom.
Picture of the hall shows a bands bus and cargo trailer getting ready
for a Saturday Night gig.
I had the experience of being at a dance here in the early 1980's
when a hail storm came through. The band had to take an early break
as music was drowned out from the roar of the hail on the old metal
roof. Worth a trip on a Saturday night if you ever get a chance!"
- Will
Beauchamp, May 2009
[See Texas Dance
Halls ] |
The old school
has a sign out front showing it can be rented for parties.
Photo courtesy Will
Beauchamp, May 2009 |
Germantown
Mistletoe Cemetery
Photographer's
Note:
"Photos from the Mistletoe Cemetery used before Germantown changed
it's name to Shroeder. I believe there are probably quite a few unmarked
graves in this place but only a few remain." - Will
Beauchamp, May 2009 |
| 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. |
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