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Loyola
Beach vegetation
TE Photo |
History
in a Seashell
Our text entry for Loyola Beach is in the form a letter we received
from a descendant of the man Loyola Beach was named after. The letter
follows:
"I am the descendent of Remlinger Underbrink. My great great grandfather
was the one who drew the floor plan for the Church at Vattmann.
The name of the Church is Our Lady of Consolation Church. Ignatius
Underbrink (grandfather) was the architect. Orlando Underbrink (great
uncle) built the three solid oak altars.
Loyola Beach was named after my grandfather Ignatius Loyola Underbrink.
My great uncle Orlando Underbrink built the Cafe [at Loyola Beach]
which at that time was called Orlando's Cafe. In 1945 he leased the
Inn and opened a restaurant specializing in fish and chicken.
Further down South Texas nearly at the near end of the King Ranch
near Raymondville, my Dad's brother-in-law
and nephew went duck hunting behind the King Ranch in the 40's and
they disappeared. To this day they have never been found." - G.
Walker, February 19, 2003
Editor's note:The disappearance of the two men mentioned above has
become one of South Texas' most enduring mysteries. |
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The
commercial district of Loyola Beach
TE photo |
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Kings
Inn Restaurant in Loyola Beach
Photo courtesy Gerald Walker, October 2007
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Wedding
photo of Orlando Unterbrink and Mammie Remlinger.
Orlando Underbrink was the man who built the King's Inn Restaurant.
Photo courtesy Gerald R. Walker |
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Seagulls
in Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Park
TE Photo |
Loyola Beach
Texas Forum
Loyola Beach
and Riviera
Upon reading your article regarding Loyola Beach and Riviera,
I noticed it was written by a Wayne Simms. As I remember, Wayne
was stationed at site 55 in Riviera,
in the Navy base located in Kingsville.
I corresponded with him while he was stationed in Alaska. Then,
I lost track of his whereabouts. He was a family friend. He would
have known me as Lynda or Lynn Pace. My mother, Gracie, owned the
Ranch Cafe in Riviera. By the way,
my Mom owned, operated, and named the original The Green Frog, and
coined the phrase, "Service with a hop!" I would be inerested in
knowing if this is the same "Wayne Simms" I knew. I write prose
and poetry, jingles and songs, and a few articles, all about Texas.
In fact, I am now in the process of developing the old "Hitching
Post," of which you showed a picture. You ought to see it now! ...
Thank you.- Lynn (Pace) Sasser, August 11, 2006
Subject:
Loyola Beach
...from about March, 1961 through March. 1962, I was in the US Navy
stationed at the Riviera Beach Radar Site #55. We made excursions,
when we had money, to all of the local communities. Riviera
and Luke`s HWY 77 Bar...most of the floor was gone from it...a Mexican
bar just across the tracks, 2 restaurants, neither of which I can
remember the name of. The one on the north side of town was owned
by 2 sisters, I believe, and other relatives of theirs were always
there, including the two brothers/cousins? who operated the gas
station/garage. A one room barber shop next to Lukes, in about the
same disarray. The grocery store, owned by a man whose son was a
star football player for Riviera High School. The other restaurant,
operated by a lady and her boyfriend, mostly a BBQ joint, located
on the South end of town. Riviera beach, a bait stand and beer joint,
operated by a treasure hunter, his wife and about 5 kids. Their
last name was Brown.... Vattman, or Loyola Beach, as we called it..Henry
Kush, his wife and ex-wife operated The Green Frog, sold and drank
lots of beer..and Henry and his red headed British wife could cook
just about anything. And cook it good. The Bayview Inn, on the water,
mainly a beer joint, the little Trading Post, and, of course, The
King`s Inn which had about the best sea food I have ever eaten.
The rest of the village was a collection of dilipidated tourist
"courts", a rusted trailer or two and a few homes here and there.
I had a fine year there, even if I can`t remember the names. The
school principal`s mother lived out near the Site and would bring
us fresh grapefruit from her trees.... - Wayne Sims, October
10, 2004
To share history or photos of Loyola Beach, Texas, please contact
us.
Special thanks to Mr. Walker who furnished these details of the
area's history.
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