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KNIPPA,
TEXASUvalde
County, Texas Hill Country
US Hwy 90, FM 1049
11 miles East of Uvalde
11 miles West of Sabinal
On the Rio Frio
Population: 360
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Uvalde
Hotels
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The Bridge at Just West of Knippa
TE Photo, 6-01 |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Shortly after the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad laid
tracks into the area, one George Knippa moved his family to the railroad
siding that was called Chatfield. Our source The Handbook of Texas
gives no explanation of this name – perhaps it was a description of
how the people entertained themselves in an agricultural area. George
had been to Uvalde County and was impressed with how verdant and bountiful
the land was.
He convinced his family to leave their home in Fayette County and
move west.
Of course fate couldn’t resist making a liar out of Mr. Knippa and
a drought soon appeared that sent most of the settlers back to where
they came from.
A post office was opened in Knippa in 1898. Small amounts of gold
were found in the area and a gold mine was opened west of town – but
it soon proved too costly to remove the miniscule amounts of gold.
Instead the railroad used the abundant traprock for its roadbed.
Knippa
Trap Rock Plant Historical Marker >
The material is still mined today and the main gates of the quarry
open onto Highway 90. This is part of the operation that mines asphalt
south and west of Uvalde. |
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Downtown
Knippa
TE Photo,
6-01
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In 1900 Knippa had a one-room school, which was expanded to a two-room
building by 1907. The population was a mere 50 people in 1914. A directive
prohibiting the speaking of German was instituted when the US entered
WWI. This seemed unfair, unnecessary and uncalled-for to the German-speaking
townsfolk and they took the matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme
Court. The court agreed.
A Reverend Rubottom ministered to the Baptist flock in Knippa in 1915.
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Coca Cola
ghost sign
TE Photo, 4-04
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A water drilling
rig in Knippa
TE Photo, 4-04 |
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