Not too long ago, I visited the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dessau again at sunset. This church (which disbanded twenty-five years ago) and its cemetery are about all that is left of the little town of Dessau (though the area is growing rapidly today), which got its start in the late nineteenth century when German immigrants settled there.
But there is (sort of) one more link to that past that I wasn’t aware of until I met David and Dee Heap at United Christian Church in Taylor this past Sunday.
At the intersection of Dessau and Howard, not far from the church and cemetery, stands the third building to house Dessau Hall, and old Texas dance hall that dates back to 1876.
David’s father, Jimmy Heap, frequently played at Dessau Hall with his band, Jimmy Heap and the Melody Masters. One of their early hits was the “Dessau Waltz.”
You can read more about the history of Dessau Hall here:
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/xdd03
… and you can listen to “Dessau Waltz” here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a23XbNJDLgw