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History in
a Pecan Shell
New Ulm is one
of the premier German settlements in Texas. There's a lot of
history for such a small and tranquil place. Richard King of the King
Ranch passed through New Ulm and tried his hand at cigar manufacturing
before heading south and in the 1920s a New Ulm store was burgled
by none other than one of the Newton
Boys, although we can't remember which one.
Like many towns in Austin
and Fayette
Counties, the original settlers were Anglo-American settlers who sold
out to eager German buyers who arrived literally by the boatload in
the 1840s and 50s. The original name of Duff's Settlement was
replaced with the much more Germanic name with the founding of the
post office in 1852.
As early as the 1850s New Ulm had six general stores, five blacksmiths,
and three breweries. Tobacco was a major cash crop and cigars were
manufactured in homes and at least one factory. The arrival of the
railroad (Missouri, Kansas and Texas) in 1892 just increased New Ulm's
already prosperous economy.
There were 500 people in New Ulm in 1930. Current population estimate
is at 650, same figure since 1990.
There were enough surviving 19th century buildings to get New
Ulm featured in Texas Public Buildings of the 19th Century by Williard
B. Robinson, a favorite reference of ours. |
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1936 Texas Centennial
Marker (FM 109, New Ulm School grounds):
Site
of Town of New Ulm
Site of the town
of New Ulm. First known as Duff's Settlement in honor of James C.
Duff to whom the land was granted in 1841. Settled by Germans after
1845 and renamed in honor of the German city of Ulm.
(1936) |
New Ulm St.
John Lutheran Church
Photo
Courtesy Gerald
Massey, October 2010 |
Former Real
Estate Office
TE Photo, 2001 |
Cultivated flowers
in New Ulm
Photos courtesy Cissy Wong, 2000 |
| 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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