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Bergheim Post
Office, TX 78004
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2012
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History in
a Pecan Shell
Andreas
Engel, an Austrian immigrant to Texas in 1885 is credited with founding
Bergheim, which translates into English as Mountain Home. Engel
married and became a storekeeper, opening Bergheim’s first store in
1900. A post office was applied for and was granted in 1901, with
Engel serving as postmaster.
A permanent limestone building was constructed in 1903 and remains
as the community’s post office in 2009 – still operated by a descendant
of Andreas Engel.
Bergheim became a center for cedar fence posts, perhaps the largest
in Texas. The store would barter cedar posts for groceries and necessities,
providing an income for cedar choppers. These were itinerant workers
whose work cleared land while providing fence posts, usually camping
out on the properties they worked and then moving on.
The Bergheim store and post office received a state historical marker
in the 1980s. |
Bergheim Post
Office
TE photo, February 2009 |
1907
Kendall County
postal map showing Bergheim
From Texas
state map #2090
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. |
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