Telling the stories of Texas with photographs (and words too...)
Built on the Rock, the Church doth stand…
Built on the Rock the Church doth stand,Even when steeples are falling;Crumbled have spires in every land,Bells still are chiming and calling,Calling the young and old to rest,But above all the soul distrest,Longing for rest everlasting. Constructed in 1890. Abandoned Read More …
Central Christian Church – Bartlett, Texas – 1890-2019
On May 7, 2019, I received fantastic news by way of a comment on a photograph of this lovely building that I’d posted on Instagram back on February 15, 2017. The long-abandoned Central Church of Bartlett had been lovingly restored, Read More …
Krieg Brothers Chevrolet – Thrall, Texas
I love that this old building in Thrall is still with us. I found a photo of it from about 1935, and it doesn’t look like it’s changed much over the years. https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth159996 I also found a postcard showing the Read More …
Downtown Taylor, Texas
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
How Thrall, Texas Got its Name
Learned something new last night. Thrall, Texas was originally named Stiles Switch, after the Stiles family that owned a large ranch in the area. It was later re-named to honor the Rev. Homer Spellman Thrall, a Methodist pastor that the Read More …
How the Town of Lincoln Got Its Name
The town of Lincoln takes its name from a circuit-riding preacher by the name John Lincoln, who lived nearby. Lincoln was part of what is called the “Restoration Movement,” which more or less originated in the Second Great Awakening and Read More …
Parochial School vs. Public School in Lincoln, Texas
Several people have asked about the history of Lincoln, Texas, and though I’ve looked, I’ve found very little information outside of the history of St. John’s and what was published in the 1974 History of Lee County volume produced by Read More …
Holy Cross Warda’s Links to Concordia Texas
The school that is now Concordia University Texas has more than a few links back to the churches that can trace their roots to Serbin. One that I found interesting is that when classes began at Lutheran Concordia College of Read More …
Did Kilian and Teinert Reconcile?
In 1873 the rift between Pr. Kilian and his long-time organist, cantor, and friend Carl Teinert had grown so great that Teinert left Kilian’s congregation and helped found the church that is now Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda. Three Read More …
Pr. Gottfried Buchschacher’s Divine Call to Holy Cross Warda
Wishing I was in Texas so I could attend the Warda Church Picnic today! Won’t be arriving back in Austin until far too late, though. Check this out though… on this page you can see a scan (and the German Read More …