SHADY GROVE COMMUNITY - LOCATION: County Road off RR 1174, 5 miles N. of
Bertram.
In the 1850s and 60s families settled on
this farm and ranch land along the Middle Gabriel River. The Old
Austin-Lampasas and Burnet-Belton Roads intersected here. Six
acres deeded by Alexander M. Barton in 1877 later became the site
of a schoolhouse, church, and cemetery. At first the community was
called "Russell Gabriel." The Cumberland Presbyterian Church
organized and met in the school building in 1878. Soon the name
changed to "Grove" because the schoolhouse was located in a grove
of live oak trees.
The settlement boasted a cotton gin and
corn mill, a general store and blacksmith shop, a doctor and a
Masonic Lodge. In 1882, the Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist
Congregations built a Union Arbor for camp meetings and revivals.
For a few months in 1902 there was a post office. Since there was
another Shady Grove in Texas, the name "Tamega" was used. A
general store by that name operated here for 50 years.
The Presbyterian Fellowship erected this
church structure first and then in 1905 built this tabernacle. The
school consolidated with Bertram in 1942. When the Presbyterian
congregation merged with Bertram in 1966, this property became a
community center and homecoming site. (1979) [Photo]
SMITH CEMETERY - LOCATION: 2 miles SW of Oakalla on FM 963, then 2 miles west on
gravel road.
James Gibson Smith, a native of
Tennessee, married Sarah A. James, a native of Arkansas, soon
after settling in this part of Burnet County in 1850. Together
they raised eight children and set aside this site as the family
cemetery. Their granddaughter, Anita Fay Smith, who died of
diptheria in 1901, was the first person buried here. A neighbor,
Charles McLean (d. 1901) was the second person buried here,
followed by James G. Smith (d. 1902). A cemetery association
formed by Smith family descendants in 1981 maintains this site,
which includes veterans of the Civil War and World War II.
(1993)
SOUTH GABRIEL (VILLAGE OF) - LOCATION: County
Road (Old SH 29) 0.5 miles East of FM 1174, 2 miles S. of
Bertram.
The South Gabriel post office open in
postmaster Thomas Lewiston's mercantile store on Sept. 29, 1871.
The village, named for the South San Gabriel River, was also
called Lewiston.
Located on the Austin-Burnet Road, the
hamlet soon had two stores, a hotel, saloon, cotton gin, school,
church, and wagon, saddle, blacksmith, and carpentry shops. The
population in 1880 was 39. The Austin and Northwestern Railroad
passed to the north of the settlement in 1882, and on Dec. 8,
1882, the post office moved to the new town of Bertram (2 miles
N.) and South Gabriel disappeared. (1974) [Photo]
STEWART PIONEER HOME - LOCATION: Off FM 243, 10 mi. NE of Bertram.
Benjamin Hansford Stewart (d. 1932), a
native of Tennessee, came to Texas in 1851. A farmer and rancher,
he also served as burnet County sheriff, 1874-75. He constructed
this frame house in 1905 as a residence for his son Homer and
daughter-in-law Viola. The Texas style home, similar to other area
ranch houses of the early 1900s, features a chimney of hand-hewn
limestone. Descendants of B.H. Stewart have owned the home for
over 75 years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980.
STRICKLING, TOWN SITE - LOCATION: 8 miles north of Bertram on Ranch Road
1174N.
Once a busy community, named for Mrs.
Martha (Webster) Strickling, who settled here in 1853 with
husband, Marmaduke. As a child, she survived Webster massacre near
Leander, 1839, and months of Indian captivity. Post office opened
here, 1857, and Strickling became a mail terminal and stage stop.
Tons of lumber and buffalo hides were hauled through here. The
town had a school, churches, a doctor's office, livery stable,
blacksmith shop and saloons. Strickling gradually declined when
bypassed by the railroad, 1882, the cemetery remaining. (1970)
[Photo]
STRUVE HOUSE -
LOCATION: on country road, 11 miles SE of Marble Falls. (From
Marble Falls, 5 miles S on U.S. 281; left on SH 71 about 2 miles;
right on country road, about 2 miles to the Shovel Mount School;
ahead 2 miles to Double Horn Ranch.)
Amand Von Struve (1838-1902) came to
Texas in 1848 with his father, a former Imperial Russian officer.
Buying land here, 1858 and later, he amassed over 8,000 acres,
with herds of horses, cattle, and sheep. To the wooden dwelling he
added (1869) this stone spring house-kitchen, to protect food and
water from Indians and animals. He married (1871) Christiana
Fissler Ebeling; had 8 children. Their main dwelling was razed in
1940s. Stone annex was restored for preservation, 1950s. Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark - 1973.
THE HILLS OF HOME
- LOCATION: at lookout park on 281 up
the hill south of the Colorado River at Marble Falls.
Memorial to Oscar J. Fox, Composer of
this song. 1879-1961. This is the view which gave inspiration for
this beautiful song. (1962) [Photo]
THOMAS, Henry (LODGE A.F. & A.M.) -
LOCATION: South of Farm Road
1431, 10 miles East of Marble Falls. Building is on the banks of
Lake Travis 1 1/2 miles south of highway
In settlement started by Noah Smithwick,
when he built water mill here in 1855. In 1861 he moved to
California, but the mill continued in operation. A.M. Cox erected
this building in 1874. Minister Henry Thomas moved the Lodge
(chartered June 15, 1865) from Turkey Bend, Texas, to this place
in 1876. A store occupied the lower floor. Lodge obtained upper
story at death of Mr. Cox. By his will F.P. Lewis gave lower story
in 1952.. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967. [Photo]
THOMAS RANCH HOUSE - LOCATION: On right of Hoover's Valley Road about
2 miles West of Burnet.
In 1864 a log home and a "spring house"
(used to cool milk) were built on this site by Frank Thomas,
rancher. Present rock house, built to catch breeze, was added
1880-82; is of limestone quarried 3 miles northeast. Fire (1910)
razed log house. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1968.
TOBEY CEMETERY - LOCATION: Burnet County Road 221, 3 miles NE of
Oakalla.
This cemetery, which began with the
burial of Mary J. Tobey in 1872, overlooks a stretch of the
Lampasas River Valley named for nathaniel Wheeler Tobey
(1810-1892). A blacksmith from Connecticut, Tobey settled on
several hundred acres here about 1870 and built a two-story rock
house nearby in 1875. Nathaniel Tobey, his wife Winnie (Dennis)
(1828-1878), and Mary J. Tobey are the only Tobeys buried
here.
About 1875 William H. Reavis (1821-1885)
and his wife Harritt (Ellis) Reavis (1830-1893) purchased land
along the Lampasas river east of this site. William and Harritt
and a large number of their descendants are buried here. In 1895
John Priest, Sr., (1839-1908) and Mary (Castleberry) Priest
(1841-1925) purchased a significant portion of the Tobeys'
original estate, including this cemetery. John and Mary Priest and
many of their descendants are also buried here. Successive
generations of the Reavis and Priest families have owned land in
this area of Tobey Valley.
Tobey Cemetery contains the burials of
many of the pioneer families and their descendants who lived in
Tobey Valley including the Bell, Williams, Shed, Castleberry, and
Black families. This historic cemetery is maintained by a cemetery
association. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995.
TOBEY COMMUNITY CEMETERY - LOCATION: On Dobeyville Road, via FM 1431, 7 miles
NW of Marble Falls.
The Nat Tobey family moved from Indiana
to Northeast Burnet County in the 1850s. Sons Avery and Samuel
bought land here in Backbone Valley in 1868. At the death of N.W.
Tobey, aged 12, this cemetery was opened in 1872. A church and
school stood nearby, serving people of the ranches and farms of
the valley. Within a century, over 200 graves were placed in this
burial ground. In 1964 Tobey Cemetery Association was formed to
care for the one remaining community landmark, since church and
school were phased out in the 20th century. (1976) [Photo]
VANDEVEER, LOGAN HOUSE - LOCATION: Fort Croghan Museum complex.
Logan Vandeveer (1815-55) came from
Kentucky in 1833. He was badly wounded fighting for Texas at San
Jacinto, 1836. Moving here to sell beef to Fort Croghan, 1849, he
was one of the organizers of the county and original postmaster of
the town. In the early 1850s he built this house near Hamilton
Creek for a daughter. It stood at 502 South Water Street. Burnet
County Historical Society moved it here for preservation in 1973.
Porch was floored with stones from an early Burnet county
courthouse.
Cabin Donors: Mmes. Leona Rogers Huges;
Nancy Riggs Young; Helen Riggs Woodard; and Patricia Riggs
Phinney; all Vandeveer descendants.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -
1974. [Photo]
WHITAKER HOUSE -
LOCATION: 802 S. Main Street,
Burnet.
Built 1870 by George Whitaker, early
settler, of hand-hewn rock. Has inside cistern, stones from old
courthouse used in 1939 addition. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
- 1966. [Photo]
WIRTZ, ALVIN (DAM) - LOCATION: at the south end of Wirtz Dam just north
of Ranch Road 2147, south of Marble Falls bridge to West.
Respectfully dedicated to the memory of
Alvin J. Wirtz, a man of vision; pioneer water conservationist;
Under-Secretary of United States Department of Interior; State
Senator; legal council. He conceived, fought for and led
development of Lower Colorado River authority and its mighty dams,
his idea of controlling and putting to useful work the waters of
Colorado River today have been realized.
WOLF, MR. AND MRS. JACOB - LOCATION: just west of Highway 281 about 12 miles
north of Burnet.
Jacob Wolf (1812-1874) and wife Adeline
Faulkner Wolf (1814-1870) came from Tennessee to Texas about 1850.
Obtaining land in Burnet County, they settled at Dobyville, and
were pioneers, supplying their own provisions, buildings,
medicine, and school. Menaced by Indian raids and aware of need
for government, Wolf in 1854 helped organize Burnet County. Of
their 8 children, 2 sons became sheriffs, one in Burnet, one in
Lampasas County. (1967) [Photo]
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