Uvalde Visitor Guide

On the cover: June of 2023; Christmas at the Crossroads, Novem ber of 2022; and Palomino Fest Labor Day Weekend Celebration, September of 2022. Gonzales (Honey Fest) and Pete Luna (Christmas at the Crossroads, Palomino Fest).

THIS MAGAZINE IS

A PRODUCTION OF THE UVALDE

Publisher/Owner: Craig Garnett .................cgarnett@ulnnow.com

General manager: Pete Luna ............................pluna@ulnnow.com

Managing editor: Meghann Garcia ...................mgarcia@ulnnow.com

Staff writers: Melissa Federspill ........................... mfederspill@ulnnow.com

Julye Keeble ..................................... jkeeble@ulnnow.com

Newsroom intern: Alesandra Gonzales ...............edit@ulnnow.com

Classifieds manager: Norma Ybarra ..................nybarra@ulnnow.com

Graphic designer: Neil Sturdevant ...............nsturdevant@ulnnow.com

Circulation clerk: Joanna Garza ........................jgarza@ulnnow.com

Bookkeeper: Josh Haby ..........................bookkeeper@ulnnow.com

The downtown plaza continues to be a memorial site for the victims of the May 24, 2022, mass shooting tragedy.

Images from Uvalde Honey Festival,

Photos by Alesandra

cgarnett@ulnnow.com edit@ulnnow.com Visitor’s Guide 2023

History drives tourism

The broad array of reasons to visit Uvalde is diverse, from glistening rivers and hilltop vistas to antiques shopping and special events in the city. It is also the meeting place of three races – the Anglo-American, the German and Mexican – and their culture conflict and adjustment over the years have given the area its character.

The early history of this region from 1535-1844 was based on exploration and fugitive settlement.

In 1674 and 1689, a small mission was established on the upper Nueces River in an attempt to convert the LipanApaches.

On Jan. 9, 1790, the Lipans

were defeated in the Sabinal Canyon by the commandante of the eastern Interior Provinces, Juan de Ugalde, and a force of soldiers and friendly Indians.

The Mexican Army had sent Ugalde to punish the Indians that menaced Mexican settlers on the Rio Grande. The battle site was renamed for him after he defeated the Lipans.

Spain and Mexico controlled the Upper Nueces Country for 300 years. Their activity resulted in three abandoned settlements, a camino real, which translates from Spanish to royal road or king’s highway, a worthless mine and approximately 50 names of places.

The Anglo-Americans and Germans who came later operated under more favorable conditions and were more successful in their endeavors.

After the Republic of Texas was created, land speculators acquired large tracts in the Upper Nueces Country by purchasing headright certificates and locating on choice sites of their own selection.

Much of the land in Uvalde County, including the site of Uvalde, was patented in this manner.

Indian aggression was the only serious barrier to rapid colonization. The federal government assumed the responsibility of protect-

ing the frontier after Texas joined the Union.

FORT INGE

On March 3, 1849, Fort Inge was established by federal troops on the Leona River. It was one of a series of forts developed along Woll’s Road, which connected San Antonio with the Rio Grande. Confederate troops occupied the fort during the Civil War but federal troops returned in 1866 and remained until 1869.

Uvalde County was carved from Bexar County in 1850 and had enough citizens to organize in 1856. The county was named for General

PLEASE SEE HISTORY, PAGE 30

Plaza is gathering place

Like many North American cities founded in the 19th century, Uvalde was laid out with plazas in the central part of town, which provided gathering places for the citizens.

According to a story by Jane Knapik in the centennial edition of The Uvalde Leader-News, four central plazas were part of the design by the town’s founder, Reading W. Black.

“Survey work began on May 2, 1855,” Knapik’s article states. “This is considered the birthdate of Uvalde, or Encina (live oak), as it was originally called.”

Renowned Uvalde historian, the late Ike Moore, wrote, “Using the Eagle Pass road (now Main Street) as the axis, the surveyor

divided the town into 464 lots, four plazas, a park, a garden, a schoolhouse square and a cemetery.”

The inscription on a historical marker on the northwest corner of the plaza noted that the plaza once served as an early Texas wagon yard, a place of shelter for drivers, teams and wagons.

A block west of this site was the F.A. Piper Co. wagon yard, which Piper built and allowed his customers to use free of charge, according to the marker.

Later, a bandstand, used by the Evans Uvalde Band and other performers, was built. In 1961, a fountain was installed in the plaza. It was later converted to a garden area, but the fountain was

restored in recent years and is again in operation.

Today, three of the plazas are occupied by the Uvalde County Courthouse, Uvalde City Hall, and the United States Post Office. One remaining plaza still provides a gathering place for the citizens of Uvalde.

The garden plaza now contains park benches where area residents and visitors can enjoy lunchtime or anytime respites. In the aftermath of the May 24, 2022, mass shooting tragedy at Robb Elementary School, the area became a makeshift memorial site, which the victims’ families decorate seasonally. Many community events have also been staged at the site.

ALESANDRA GONZALES|LEADER-NEWS June 2023.

MEGHANN GARCIA|LEADER-NEWS Christmas 2021.

Downtown Uvalde offers a mecca for shoppers, with small businesses selling clothing, jewelry, artwork, antiques and more, and it now features functional art in the form of painted benches. Conceived by former Main Street Uvalde manager Susan Rios, with financial assistance from the former Uvalde Convention and Visitors Bureau, the ‘Park Yourself in Uvalde’ project featured colorfully bedecked benches intended to beautify downtown while providing seating.

WELCOME TO UVALDE

Incorporated in 1888

Reading W. Black laid out the town of Encina, named for our magnificent live oak trees in 1855. The town of Uvalde was originally named for one of our most prized natural features.

Uvalde sits at the crossroads.... literally. U.S. highways 83 & 90 intersect in the middle of town. These highways go from Canada to Mexico and Florida to California.

City of Uvalde City Hall

101 E. Main St. |Uvalde, Texas 78801 830-278-3315

ALESANDRA GONZALES|LEADER-NEWS

Museum pays homage to towering political figures

The Briscoe-Garner Museum, 333 N. Park St., offers an array of exhibits honoring the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and the late U.S. Vice President John Nance Garner, who were both Uvalde residents. Admission is free.

The museum, part of the University of Texas system’s Briscoe Center for American History, was Garner’s home for 30-plus years.

Briscoe served as the Texas governor from 197379. According to the Briscoe

Center for American History, during his six years as governor, he presided during a period of reform in the state government as the Texas population grew and commerce expanded.

Garner, known as “Cactus Jack,” was the 32nd-vice president of the United States from 1933 to 1941, serving with president Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Typical hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Historical figures Dolph Briscoe Jr., John Nance Garner and Lyndon B. Johnson have a conversation in front of Garner’s home in Uvalde. According to the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, Garner – who served as vice president under President Franklin D. Roosevelt –was a mentor to Dolph Briscoe, who would go on to become governor of Texas. Both men were from Uvalde and became important political figures from Texas.

UVALDE LEADER-NEWS

City captured on 1950 census

ALLENE MANDRY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Where were you in 1950? Perhaps you weren’t born yet, but your parents or grandparents might have been living in Uvalde. If so, the 1950 Federal Census, released April 1, 2022, captured that very moment when the census taker knocked and someone in your family provided information.

The Uvalde census area was made up of 10 enumeration districts, extending north to the Farris Community on Highway 83 and Haby Crossing on Highway 55; east to the Frio River at Knippa; south to the Uvalde-

Zavala County line; and west to Cline on the Uvalde-Kinney County line. Other enumeration districts covered the remainder of the county. Enumeration districts

232-9 and 232-10, partly outside the Uvalde city limits, covered the most territory, although the population was scattered. Fred and Beatrice Brigman, Albert and Tennie Gremmel, and Charles and Anna Farris made their home in the Farris Community off Ranch Rd. 2690. Elmer and Lula Dotson lived on the Leakey Hwy. as did Joe Hargrove, just 8 at the time, who lived with his parents Homer and Verdis Hargrove. Dr. George Merritt and wife Mary resided on

Hwy. 55 and Florence Fenley, rancher, lived north of Hwy. 90 as did Milton Sutherland, service station operator.

Lee Graves, lumber yard owner, is listed on Hood Lane which ran south off Front St. E.D. 232-9 extended to Old Ft. Clark Rd. where Arthur Winans is listed as a mail carrier and Homer Anderson is an electrician. Anderson’s wife Ruth is listed as a clerk at a variety store. Actual businesses weren’t generally named, but for those who remember, Ruth worked at C. G. Morrison’s Five and Dime.

Elberto Aguilar, 22, lived on Highway 90 and worked at the U.S. Fish Hatchery while Henry Fernandez, 35, was part of a sheep-shearing crew. Highway 90 was home to many sheep shearers, railroad workers, and produce packers.

E. D. 232-10 was a vast area consisting of farmers, ranchers, laborers, beekeepers, fish hatchery workers, White’s Mines employees, plus a small residential area. Residents in this area included Wave Thompson, primary teacher; Leonard Ortiz, Painter Bus Co. auto mechanic; Samuel Bailey, night watchman at the traprock; Bobby Hicks, radio

announcer; James Pogue, dentist; Herbert Von Roeder, SWTJC president; Arah Hatley, school cafeteria manager; Burney Jones, radio station program director; and Arturo Ybarra, asphalt mines dynamite supervisor.

E. D. 232-2, covering a section of North Uvalde, was home to former bank robber Jess Newton, then 63. He lists no occupation. Also in

the area are Virgil Frasier, elementary teacher; Arthur and Alice Halbert, postal clerks at the North Uvalde Post Office; Edna Schaefer, 23, a sewing inspector at the garment factory; and Dave Galloway, contractor.

To the east of North Park Street was E. D. 232-1. Joe Newton on Fannin St. lists himself as a trader in the cattle business while his wife Mildred managed a snack bar. Jack Pickens on North Getty lists his occupation as owner of a picture show, and on Houston Street lived Jack Mitchell, the owner/ manager of a dry cleaning business, and Norman Dillahunty, a mechanic at Ray Motor Company. Olen Ham on East Oppenheimer is the office manager at Horner’s.

E. D. 232-3, encompassing Uvalde High School, was a large residential area extending south from Oppenheimer to E. Leona. This district represents a myriad of occupations found in Uvalde at that time: Henry Hammer, master barber; Julius Farrell, court reporter; Zac Gray, grammar school principal; Herbert Miles, high school band director; George Horner, hardware store manager/insurance man; Leroy Guice, doctor; Wilfred

Fohn, insurance agent; Ned Chism, S.P. depot telegraph operator; George B. Cunningham, doctor; Linton Etheridge, football coach; Harry Hornby, newspaper editor, and wife Kathryn, society editor; Joe Carper, mercantile manager; Harold Anthon, grocery store manager; Clarence Hess, den-

Uvalde Grand Opera House in operation

Located in downtown Uvalde, the Uvalde Grand Opera House is a touchstone for the community, operating at the intersection of historic preservation and arts and culture.

Built in 1891 at a cost of approximately $35,000, the opera house offers yearround performances of local artists, touring musicians and theatrical productions. Recently, the opera house has been undergoing renovations and refurbishments,

to aid in preserving its long history in the Uvalde community.

Renovations include interior millwork, repainted window casings, and work in the attic space of the turret.

New historically-accurate double-hung windows have also been installed, along with the restoration of stained glass window panes.

Walking tours are welcome during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

‘Dracula, A Radio Play’ voice actors (front, left to right) Jay Cue, Otsie Nolasco, Barbara Chase, Wesley Casey, (background) Gabriela Patino-Diaz and Jordan Knapp rehearse in advance of welcoming a theatre audience last April.

Instagram-able art coming soon

Uvalde is getting three 12 to 18 feet high wooden art pieces depicting Matthew McConaughey, Los Palominos, and Dale Evans, after city council members approved the Uvalde Area Development Foundation’s request for about $21,400. The funds are to come from hotel occupancy tax revenue.

Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce past president Karla Radicke addressed city council on April 11 to say the artwork is a passion project of Uvalde Area Development Foundation vice president Kelly Faglie, who began working on the idea about two years ago.

The art pieces will dot Highway 90, with McCo-

naughey placed at the intersection of Hacienda Road; Los Palominos, in the 300 block of East Main Street at the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center across from H-E-B; and Dale Evans, west of town at the Uvalde County Fairplex.

“We thought these three were the most well-rounded and best group to start with, and certainly I think that this project could expand over the years,” Radicke said.

The city is not funding the mural of Evans. Radicke said the Uvalde Area Development Foundation has spoken with Texas Hill Country River Region staff, who administer county HOT

tax revenue, and they hope to receive the $6,200 from them.

“Essentially, our goal is to beautify Uvalde County with a warm and unexpected welcome for visitors through giant highway art. Three murals standing 12-18 foot tall each will greet guests at different locations throughout the county,” Radicke said. “They’ll highlight some of Uvalde’s history, serve as

a unique platform for content marketing, and advertising as guests post their pictures with tags on social media.”

She said hashtags can be created, and other relevant information can be placed on the artwork. Because the art enhances the area, promotes tourism, and can be used as signage to direct people to area attractions, it meets conditions needed to utilize HOT tax.

Radicke said the goal is to complete the project by the end of the year, in plenty of time to been seen by the large influx of people expected in 2024 for the April solar eclipse and summer World Gliding Championships.

¾ MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, intersection of Highway 90 and Hacienda Road

¾ LOS PALOMINOS, 300 BLOCK of East Main Street

¾ DALE EVANS, UVALDE County Fairplex

City pool open through Aug.

The city of Uvalde swimming pool on East Nopal Street, next to the Willie De Leon Civic Center, opened to the public on May 31.

The pool is open for general swimming Wednesday through Sunday

from 2-6 p.m. through Aug. 13. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday, and may be closed at any time due to inclement weather.

Swimmers younger than age 10 must be accompanied by an adult

¾ A CURRENT FISHING LICENSE IS REQUIRED FOR ANYONE WISHING to fish in the public waters of Texas, but is not required to fish in state parks.

¾ GAME FISH MAY BE TAKEN ONLY BY POLE AND LINE.

Fishing options abound in county

Fishing is a fun option for spending time outdoors, and options abound for finding a fishing spot in the Uvalde area with Nueces, Frio and Sabinal rivers nearby.

Lost Maples State Park in Vanderpool allows fishing on the Sabinal River which runs through the park, while Garner State Park in Concan also allows fishing on the Frio River.

Garner State Park also participates in the Texas Parks and Wildlife on-site fishing tackle loaner program, which allows visitors to borrow rods, reels and tackle boxes complete with hooks, sinkers and bobbers.

Individuals fishing in state parks do not need a license to fish from a shore or pier, per Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

To fish on the Nueces River, Uvalde County’s Wes Cooksey Park in Camp Wood, offers a day use option for visitors. Although there is a pier near the boat ramp at the park, fishing is perhaps more successful by boat or kayak. A fishing license is required to fish at this location, as it is not a state park.

Fish that can be found in Uvalde County’s rivers include black bass, Rio Grande cichlid, spotted gar, and carp.

at all times. Fees for using the pool are $2 for children 13 years old and younger, and $4 for anyone age 14 and older.

Smoking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

The Rev. Michael K. Marsh, rector of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 343 N. Getty St., invites the public to the Camino Sagrado/Sacred Path, a walking path for peace and prayer, open any time of the day. It includes established landscaping, benches, lighting, signage, and a water feature.

Watch eclipse from here

For thousands of visitors planning to see the annular eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, and the subsequent total eclipse on April 8, 2024, Concan and Uvalde County are premiere destinations. Per NASA, the annual solar eclipse this fall will cross North, Central and South America, and Uvalde County is located in the cross spot, with about four minutes of visibility for both eclipses.

An annular, or partial eclipse, happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, while the Moon is orbiting far from Earth which makes it appear smaller. In this instance the moon does not fully block the sun, and creates a ring of fire effect as the Sun edges halo the Moon. NASA data says the next time an

annular eclipse is visible from the U.S. will be in 2039. This leads up to the big event, in April of 2024, when a total eclipse is expected. Total eclipses happen when the Sun, which is 400 times wider than the Moon, appear to be the same size in the sky due to the angle. The Moon will block the Sun, and the sky will darken similar to dusk and dawn. Per NASA, the next total eclipse visible from the contiguous United States will be in August of 2044.

¾ ECLIPSE GLASSES, WELDER’S glasses rated 14 or higher, or a special solar filter is essential, as sunglasses are not enough to protect vision.

¾ THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL Society has a list of vendors offering glasses and solar viewers at https://eclipse.aas.org/ resources/solar-filters.

Murals capture liveliness

With a roadmap in hand from a life of using art as tool for healing, Abel Ortiz, the visionary behind the Healing Uvalde portrait murals, knew that a public art installation would help mend his shattered community reeling from the senseless murder of 19 fourth-graders and two teachers at Robb Elementary.

Ortiz, a professor of art at Southwest Texas Junior College, immigrated to the United States as a child in 1973. His first day of school,

nearly 50 years ago, was a traumatic experience that is forever imprinted in his mind – like it was yesterday. As a young Spanish-speaking student, Ortiz was unable to communicate with his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson, who he describes as a tall, red-headed lady with a 10-gallon hairdo, because she only spoke English. His classmates were also English speaking. As a result, he took to drawing as

an outlet. “I know that art heals, that art can calm, that art can point us in a positive direction,” Ortiz said. The mural project centers on healing and remembrance. He said he wanted portrait murals, versus one general mural, because he never wants anyone to forget the children’s faces. In this effort, he says, the murals keep the children’s memory alive.

In launching the project, Ortiz garnered the support of art collector George Meza, of Collectors of Chicano/ Latinx Art and Allies on

MELISSA FEDERSPILL STAFF WRITER

ALL MURAL PHOTOS BY ALESANDRA GONZALES|LEADER-NEWS

Abel Ortiz

Murals: Project spanned three months

FROM PAGE 15

Facebook, who hosted an art auction fundraiser. Monica Maldonado of the non-profit MAS Cultura in Austin joined as project manager and helped coordinate with the artists.

All in all, Ortiz said the group completed 25 murals in three months and 10 days.

Finding the walls for the murals, which dot the downtown landscape, brought some challenges, Ortiz said.

“The first one I was trying to get was rejected,” Ortiz said. “Maybe I didn’t sell my vision. The rejections, of course, they weren’t going to stop me.”

Ortiz has worked in the Uvalde community for decades, leading art camps for students, organizing and working on public murals, and creating a space for art to be shared. He operates ArtLab, a contemporary art space in downtown Uvalde,

in the building once occupied by El Lasso theater.

The mural project has gained national attention, and visitors have come from across the nation to see the murals and pay tribute to the victims.

“Everything has been positive. Not only positive, but emotional. Not only from local people, but especially from people coming from out of town,” Ortiz said.

“When I was painting Ellie, [9-year-old Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia] so many people stopped by from all over the place. The one I remember the most, besides Kelly Clarkson, is an Air Force officer that had a meeting at Lackland Air Force Base. He and some other officers decided to rent a car and drive to Uvalde to come see the murals,” Ortiz said.

“So they stopped by, I got off the ladder and they they asked me some questions. And I was telling them what

I was planning to do with the mural. I was explaining what the design was and why she is carrying the basketball,” Ortiz said. “And I told him that Ellie had won the basketball championship for her age group in the Tree City League that Saturday before.”

Ortiz said the officer put his head down, shook his head, and started to cry. “And he’s from Wichita, Kansas, and said, ‘My son just won the championship last week.’ And so he related, right?”

Ortiz says the power in the murals is that everyone, no matter what walk of life, can relate.

“The images, everything that they [the victims] did, we all relate to. Because we all played basketball, or our kids did. Or TikTok. Or little love notes,” Ortiz said. “That guy from Kansas? That hit his heart. And that’s only one story of so many.”

PETE LUNA|LEADER-NEWS

UVALDE-BORN MATTHEW MCCOnaughey (right) stands with mother Kay McConaughey and brother Mike “Rooster” McConaughey Feb. 7, 2020, outside the Uvalde County Fairplex after the trio related anecdotes about their time living in Uvalde. (Right) Seven-yearold Matthew as he appeared on Page 1 of Thursday, Sept. 29, 1977, edition of the Uvalde Leader-News for winning runner-up honors at a Little Mister Texas Cowboy pageant in nearby Bandera.

UVALDE NATIVES WILLIS, WYLIE “DOC,” JESS, AND JOE NEWTON formed a gang which, between 1919 and 1924, robbed 87 banks and six trains across the U.S. and Canada. All four brothers, as well as their parents, are buried in Uvalde cemeteries. Matthew McConaughey, another famous Uvaldean, played the part of Willis Newton in the 1998 film, ‘The Newton Boys.’

RON LOSEY PHOTOGRAPHY

SABINAL NATIVE JOHNNY

Rodriguez, who over the past 40 years has released 35 albums and charted 45 singles. He recently released a book, co-written with Austin Teutsch, called ‘Desperado.’

UVALDE RESIDENT VANN MCELROY, who is a former Uvalde Coyote, Baylor Bear and Los Angeles Raiders free safety. McElroy’s 10-year pro career included a Super Bowl victory.

UVALDE RESIDENT OSCAR

“Shotgun” Albarado, a bit bruised but victorious, holds the Junior Middleweight World Boxing championship trophy after upsetting Koichi Wajima on June 4, 1974. Albarado disposed of the former champ with a knockout at the 1:57 mark of the 15th round in a title match in Tokyo, Japan.

UVALDE NATIVE BROOKS RALEY was among the 15 pitchers named to Team USA's World Baseball Classic in March of 2023. Raley, then a 34-yearold left-hander, went to the New York Mets from the Tampa Bay Rays.

DIGITAL RESEARCH LIBRARY OF ILLINOIS

JORGE, JOHNNY, JAMES AND JULIO ARREOLA, UVALDE BROTHers who make up the Grammy Award-winning Los Palominos. The annual Palomino Fest, held over Labor Day weekend, is held in their honor.

UVALDE LEADER-NEWS ARCHIVE

HOLLYWOOD STARS ROY

Rogers and Dale Evans.

Frances Octavia “Dale

Evans” Smith was born in 1912 at 726 Fort Clark Road on her grandparents’ 40-acre farm. Roy and Dale, married in 1947, often returned to Uvalde to visit relatives.

THE REV. BEN KINCHLOW, BEST known for co-hosting The 700 Club on television, during a November of 2012 ceremony to dedicate the Texas Historical Commission plaque at Nicholas Street School. Kinchlow was born in Uvalde in 1936, the son of a Methodist minister.

JOAQUIN JACKSON, THE FAMED TEXAS

Ranger who helped launch Johnny Rodriguez’s career. Jackson and his wife, Shirley, lived in Uvalde at one time with their two sons.

killing

HOLLYWOOD ACTOR DANA

Andrews, who was born in Mississippi in 1909, attended school in Uvalde, where his father was a minister at First Baptist Church.

KING FISHER, A RANCHER, outlaw, and lawman who abandoned his outlaw life and became a deputy sheriff of Uvalde County in 1881 and later acting sheriff in 1884. He was killed in a shootout in San Antonio and is buried in Pioneer Park Cemetery at the intersection of North Park and Florence streets.

DICK BAXTER

FORMER UVALDEAN Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garrett – best known for

Billy the Kid – from ‘The Story of the Outlaw: A Study of the Western Desperado’ by Emerson Hough, 1907.

UVALDE LEADER-NEWS

Visit Fort Inge, Cooks Slough

Fort Inge Historic Park, located south of Uvalde off Farm to Market Road 140, is filled with history, natural beauty, and discoveries that easily highlight any vacation or weekend excursion.

Best known for its rich history, Fort Inge Park was the southernmost U.S. Army post active during the mid 1800s.

The fort was actively gar-

risoned from 1849-1869. The park is dominated by an ancient 140-foot volcanic plug on the northern most boundary of the park. This extinct volcano dates back several million years.

Visitors and weekend adventurers might enjoy the challenge of hiking to the top of Mount Inge.

The trail head leading up

the mountain is found near the main park road. Wearing sturdy shoes, hiking boots, jeans and other durable clothing is recommended. The trail is rocky with a variety of thorny cacti.

The south face of the mountain has several stony alcoves and crevices worth exploring.

Those making it to the flag pole at the top of Mount

Inge will be treated to scenic views overlooking the surrounding farmland and city of Uvalde.

Activities at the park include fishing, hiking, climbing, bird watching, and picnicking. Deer and other wildlife can also be observed at the park as the Leona River serves as a water source for them.

and accessible to the public year round.

Cooks Slough Sanctuary and Nature Park was opened by the city of Uvalde and Edwards Aquifer Authority in 2007.

The park includes 25 acres of wetland, two wildlife-viewing stations and five shaded rest stations along its numerous trails. It has been designated by the National Audubon Society as one of the best birding locations in the United States. Although the park has only a couple of miles of hiking trails, the covered pavilions provide an all-weather platform to see a variety of migratory and resident birds, dragonflies and butterflies.

It is also possible to spot such landbased animals as deer, foxes and armadillos rooting around the brush.

Numerous species of fish, turtles, liz-

ards and snakes can also be seen on any given day in the 200-acre park.

Built on the site of a former landfill, the park runs in conjunction with the wastewater treatment facility to improve the quality of water in Uvalde and educate the public about the water cycle.

Wastewater is cleaned through a natu ral multi-step process of settling ponds and mud flats that break down bacteria and filter the water before it is reintro duced into the Leona River.

Cooks Slough is open seven days a week during daylight hours with no admission cost. It is located on County Road 106 just south of Uvalde. To get to Cooks Slough from U.S. 90 in the center of Uvalde, head south on U.S. 83 and merge onto Farm to Market Road 117. Make a right on County Road 106; the parking lot is located at the end of the road.

For information, call 830-278-4115.

Garner Park is home of new, old traditions

Garner State Park has become a Texas tradition, with visitors flocking to see both the Frio River and to take part in a myriad of activities offered at the historic getaway site.

The park is located 31 miles north of Uvalde, and the spring-fed Frio River and a jukebox-driven dance are Garner’s heart and soul.

That part of the nightly entertainment is among the major factors contributing to the park’s popularity.

There are also hayrides and serenades, along with swimming and canoeing, hiking and bird watching all in the scenic park.

Summer interpretive programs teach about the park’s natural and cultural resources and performance.

The park originally opened in 1941. It was acquired in 1934-1936 and named for the late John Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner of Uvalde, U.S. vice president from 1933-1941. The Civilian Conservation

Corps developed the facility. While the park has been called a paradise for teenagers, the dance and other activities attract people of all ages. Nestled in the Frio Canyon, the park is situated on 1,420 acres of rolling hills 31 miles north of Uvalde.

Wildflowers grow throughout the park. The hills surrounding the park are dotted with cedar, wild cherry, persimmon, madrone and other Hill Country shrubs.

Deer, turkeys and other ani-

mals are among the wildlife found in the hills.

The solid-rock base of the Frio River offers ample places for wading and pockets of deep water for swimming. Several rope swings dot the Frio River, and kayaks and paddle boats are available to rent. Large cypress trees line much of the riverbank, while pecan, elm and oak trees populate the valleys where 17 fully contained cabins, 40 screened shelters and numerous campsites are located.

Lost Maples can be anytime destination

Fall is probably the most popular time to visit Lost Maples State Natural Area –

about 200,000 visitors arrive each year – but Lost Maples is open year-round for visi-

Who knew you could own

tors to enjoy 3,000 scenic acres nestled in Real and Bandera counties, north of Vanderpool on the Sabinal River.

Popular activities include backpacking and hiking, with 11 miles of designated trails. The clear streams afford visitors fishing and swimming opportunities.

Other attractions include Lost Maples rich history and abundant wildlife. Visitors are invited to study the nature of the area and spend time on sightseeing, photography, nature study and bird watching.

The area is home to a number of rare bird species. It is one of the few places the green kingfisher can be seen year-round. The endangered black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler nest and feed in the park in spring and early summer.

During the summer,the park offers a variety of interpretive seminars. Schedules can be found on the Lost Maples page on Facebook.

A variety of wild animals also roam the area, including

gray fox, white-tailed deer, armadillo, raccoons, bobcats, rock squirrels and javelinas. Park facilities include restrooms with showers, picnic sites, a comfort station, a trailer dump station and a Texas State Park store.

The park takes its name from the bigtooth maple trees abundant in the area but found sparsely elsewhere in Texas.

These “lost” maples have special habitat needs: moderate temperature and humidity, retained moisture and minimal solar radiation.

The trees primarily grow in small, protected pockets scattered across several western states and northern Mexico. Along with maple trees, more than 90 plant families, including more than 350 species, have been identified in the park.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, archeological evidence shows the area was used by Apache, Lipan Apache and Comanche Indians and Spanish explorers.

Hunters’ Roundup set in November Palomino Fest held over Labor Day

People come from all over the state to attend Palomino Fest each year. The event features three days of music, four days of carnival fun, and a petting zoo, professional rodeo, and parade.

The event is held annually on Labor Day Weekend at the Uvalde County Fairplex.

Uvalde’s own Grammy Award-winning Los Palominos traditionally perform on Sunday, the final day of the festival. The band won a Latin Grammy in Novem-

Uvalde is popular bird-watching site

Birders took a heightened interest in the area in 1992, following the first sighting of the collared plover in the United States in Uvalde County.

Popular areas for birding include Fort Inge, Lost Maples State Natural Area, the National Fish Hatchery, Chalk Bluff and Cooks Slough Wetlands Park.

Texas has more birds than any other state. This attracts bird watchers from everywhere, both in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to the Concan and Uvalde area, the Rio Grande Valley and the Gulf Coast region are prime birding sites and very attractive to many birders.

More than half the birds recorded for Texas have been seen in Uvalde County, indicating the importance of the area for birds as well as the economic potential for Southwest Texas.

ber of 2017 for Best Norteño Album. They previously won two Latin Grammys, in 2000 and 2007 for Best Tejano Album, and has been nominated several times.

A full concert lineup complete with dates and times will be made available at a later date.

Hunters from across the state will make tracks to Uvalde on Nov. 3 for what has become a ritual night of fun and information for sportsmen visiting our game-rich region.

Hunters’ Roundup, hosted by the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place at the Uvalde County Stardust Pavilion at the Fairplex from 6 to 10 p.m.

Hunters’ Roundup began in 1981 as an appreciation dinner to welcome hunt -

ers and their families to our area and to celebrate the opening of deer season.

The main draw to the event is the expo, which features comprehensive information for sportsmen.

Guns, ammunition, knives, blinds, game calls, camouflage, ice chests and much more are highlighted. A large variety of food booths, live music and family-oriented activities are also part of the evening’s events.

El

Memorial Library

ALL TEXAS RESIDENTS OVER 6 ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE LIBRARY CARD

Regular Library Hours: Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Wednesdays now open til 7 p.m. for game night! 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday. Check website www.elprogreso.org and Facebook page for updated info

Pre-school bilingual Story Hour in-person live-streaming 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays

301 W. Main Street • Uvalde, Tx (830) 278-2017

Parks offer family fun

Uvalde Memorial Park is one of approximately a dozen recreational spaces maintained by the City of Uvalde, and it offers a lit amphitheater on the Leona River, a volleyball court, playground equipment, skate park, walking trail, and a nine-hole disc golf course.

Located on East Main Street in Uvalde, between Wood Street and First Street, the sprawling park has been in existence for more than 100 years.

In the 1990s, a walking trail was added to the river bed along with new playground equipment, benches, a pavilion and picnic tables. The original tennis courts were converted to sand volleyball courts.

In 2015, a skateboarding ramp area was added to what was originally known as Grove Park and the local

landmark is a memorial to fallen World War I soldiers.

The disc golf course was completed in 2013, opening in November at the south end of Memorial Park, and discs may be purchased at the golf course shop.

Disc golf is a sport in which players throw a disc at a target using rules similar to those in golf. Players complete a hole by throwing discs from a tee area toward a target, then throwing again from where the previous throw landed until the target is reached. The number of throws a player uses to reach the targets are tallied in relation to par, and players seek to complete each hole in the lowest number of total throws.

The Professional Disc Golf Association worldwide website says it has more than 200,000 lifetime members representing 54 countries.

JULYE KEEBLE|LEADER-NEWS

The Uvalde Rotary Club’s lighted amphitheater, constructed on the bank of the Leona River on the north end of Uvalde Memorial Park, is used for family movie nights and outdoor concerts, including the club’s Uvalde Palooza held March 19, 2022.

Golf course open six days a week

Golf is a great way to enjoy some fresh air, and visitors can get in some exercise while taking in the lush greenery on the 18-hole Uvalde Memorial Golf

Course. Built in 1940 and maintained by the City of Uvalde, the course is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The course is located

along the Leona River at 221 East Doughty St., and the club house may be reached to arrange equipment rentals and tee times at 830-2786155.

Visit Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce

The Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce, 300 E. Main St., aims to provide information, support business development, improve the economic base, and promote quality of life in the Uvalde area.

The non-profit chamber represents businesses, civic and professional organizations, and leaders in the business community. Staff works with area officials to improve the business environment in the community.

The chamber director serves as

a standing-member of the Uvalde Area Development Foundation to further support efforts in retention and expansion of existing businesses in the area, while also working to bring new ventures to Uvalde’s industrial park.

The chamber assists existing businesses, encourages new business and individuals to move to the area, and continues to create economic stimulus by encouraging guests and residents of Uvalde County to shop local.

Full of large trees and inviting emerald grass, the golf course is a great place to spend a day relaxing in Uvalde.

JULYE KEEBLE|LEADER-NEWS

Green space at the 18-hole Uvalde Memorial Golf Course, located at 221 E. Doughty St.

JULYE KEEBLE|LEADER-NEWS

The Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce office is at 300 E. Main St.

Cooksey Park affords spectacular views

Wes Cooksey Park, Uvalde County’s only county-owned public park, has been in operation since the 1960s, providing a fun retreat for families with its camping facilities and adjacent lake.

It is located off High-

way 55, three miles south of Camp Wood and about 40 miles from the city of Uvalde, with an address of 33719 Highway 55.

John Wesley “Wes” Cooksey donated the park property to the county in 1962,

and the Lake Nueces Dam was built that same year. The park offers picnic and camping sites, a playground for children, fishing and swimming opportunities, 31 camping sites – some for tent and RV, and some just

for RVs. It also offers 30-and 50-amp hookups, a volleyball court, a kayak and boat launching area, and a grassy area with river access.

Park staff recommends calling in advance to check on availability, 830-597-3223.

MELISSA FEDERSPILL|LEADER-NEWS

The Nueces River at Wes Cooksey Park

PETE LUNA|LEADER-NEWS

The Uvalde Rexall building, located at the northwest corner of North Getty and West Nopal streets in downtown Uvalde, sports a colorful mural featuring several notable Uvaldeans. The mural was unveiled March 15, 2022, during a ceremony that featured an acoustic performance by the Grammy award-winning Los Palominos, featured on the mural alongside Dale Evans, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., and Matthew McConaughey.

Veterans’ wall a sight to see

Everyone knows a hero. They might be called grandpa, aunt, dad, abuela, or maybe this hero is a neighbor instead of a relative. Maybe he was drafted into the armed forces, or maybe she heard the call of duty and enlisted.

Maybe he was killed defending his country or maybe came home with scars – some visible, others hidden inside. The Uvalde County Veterans Memorial Wall, erected just west of Fairplex, honors all of these heroes, and everyone is invited to peruse the wall featuring the names of hundreds of veterans, deceased and living, who helped steer the course of history.

The wall, which is a collection of four double-sided walls surrounded by flags representing branches of the military and the United States, bears the name of hundreds of local heroes – some

who gave their lives while serving the United States, and still others who came home and continued their service by volunteering in the community.

From World War I and II, to Vietnam and Korea, and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Uvalde County’s men and women have set out for far-off lands, not knowing if they would return to their families and friends.

Some did not, and their bricks are differentiated with an engraved star to signify killedin-action status.

Veterans’ names are etched into bricks, which also display branches of service and other pertinent information.

Despite there being more than 2,500 veterans who have called Uvalde County home, there is still ample space to commemorate additional veterans.

Library is major resource center

From the Music on Main live music series to its free legal clinics and children’s story hour, El Progreso Memorial Library offers a plethora of services. Built in 2004 and designed by architecture firm Hidell

Associates of Carollton, the $5.7 million library is an approximate 36,000-square foot building that houses about 57,585 books, a used bookstore, the Virginia W. Davis Archives, the Weisman Museum of Southwest Texas,

and meeting rooms.

The library was founded in 1903 by a group of women with the goal of starting a new civic organization, the El Progreso Club.

Along with offering reading materials, the library

is also a civic and cultural center. Hundreds of community programs, ranging from free income tax assistance to sewing classes, games and book signings take place there every year, said library director Mendell Morgan.

39TH SUMMER ON THE FRIO

Census: 1950 was memorable year

FROM PAGE

tist; Ray Eads, doctor; Dexter Stephens, beekeeper; William Evans, jewelry store owner; Annie Pulliam, hospital dietitian; Walter Painter, bus station president; O. D. Berry, department store manager; Jay Harpole, radio station manager; Maurice Fulmer, Baptist Church pastor; Arlena Dooley, firstgrade teacher; Edgar Schawe, service station manager; William A. Kessler, lawyer; Dolph Briscoe, rancher; Eugene Kincaid, rancher; and Raymond Blackburn, grocery store manager.

E. D. 232-2 North Getty residents included Nick and Laura Patts, retired candy makers; Mary Barber, piano teacher; Emmett Holland, pharmacist; Austin Wampler, crop duster; Harry Goldberg, furniture store manager; Acree Carlisle, realtor; Bert McNelly, bank vice-president; Fred Speir, drug store manager; Bertha Dalton, primary school principal; Darwin Suttle, lawyer; Joshua Ashby, bank president; Mabel Knox, first grade teacher; Homer Lard and F. W. Calvert, insurance agents; Clarence McBee, game warden; Milton B. Morris, school district superintendent; Jefferson Keele, grocery store manager; David White, lawyer; Lee Schwartz and Julian Dart, dress shop managers; and Wilton Fluegge, protestant minister.

E. D. 232-5 included those living near downtown

Uvalde: Bertie Chinn, high school history teacher; Hershall La Forge, medical doctor; Lucius Bunton, lawyer; Wayne and Elsie Moore, restaurant managers; Gertrude Langner, law office

stenographer; Erline Balzen, telephone operator; Jewel Hardin, seamstress; Florence Anthon, librarian; Lyman Baker, grocery owner; George Mulroy, confection company salesman; Bascom Treadwell, druggist; Cecil Wentz, florist shop operator; Fausto Flores, butcher; Frank and Lucille Nowicki, grocery store operators; Robert Alford, Coca-Cola plant manager; Carl Vess, mortician; Green Fenley, lawyer; Joe Pena, boot and saddlemaker; Preciliano Trevino, grocery store operator; Jaime Flores, harvest crew cook, and Jack Key, optometrist.

East of the downtown area was E. D. 232-4. Residents included D. H. and Eula Denmark, owners of Denmark’s Cafe; O. A. Fly, physician; James C. Haby, Leader-News printer; Isaac Lowrance, theatre projectionist; Alvin Smith, grocery store owner; Percy Rowland, beekeeper; George W. Ilse, County Sheriff; Norton Carry, district Boy Scout Leader; and Casey Jones, cafe operator.

Just west of downtown in E. D. 232-6 lived Uvalde’s most famous resident: John Nance Garner. A humble man, then 81, he lists his occupation as garden work. Also included in this district are H. H. Carmichael, county clerk; H. C. King, county treasurer; Ruth Swofford, photographer; Annie Robb, junior college teacher; Eric Beecroft, lumberyard manager; Kate Whitehead, teacher; Esperanza Canales and Dolores Hernandez, beauty shop operators; Roy Kano, milkman; Nolberto Fernandez, typewriter repairman; Armando Sanchez, taxi driver; Oliver Lugo, windmill

installer; R. W. Evans, city manager; and George Moff, movie projector operator.

E. D. 232-8 in far south Uvalde was home to Ferman Weedon, Baptist pastor; Harry Carper, insurance salesman; David Massie, dentist; Eusebio Barragan, radio announcer; Fred Brigman, lawyer; Harvey Kinchlow, creamery bottler; and Louie Lemons, mesquite tree killer.

E. D. 232-7, south of West Main, included residents John Molloy, postal clerk; Mabel Hunter, science teacher; Telesforo Torres, newspaper linotype operator; Irene Schleicher, private kindergarten teacher; Vivian Howard, telegraph officer manager; Jack Roosa, creamery owner; Joe Carrasco, bellhop; and Austin Taylor,

singing teacher.

1950 was a memorable year in Uvalde history. Downtown spaces were all occupied; businesses were thriving. The war was over, new homes were being built, and residents were embarking on the American dream. And I was just a seven-yearold kid living with my family on Knippa St. east of the Mahaffey Addition.

ALLENE MANDRY was born in Uvalde where she attended elementary school before moving to San Antonio. Now a retired teacher, she has a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education from Trinity University. She spends her time doing genealogy research. Mandry and her husband, Arthur, live on a ranch near Camp Verde.

History: Border warfare was prominent

Ugalde. Uvalde County was the last jurisdiction of district court on the border.

In March 1853, Reading Black, from New Jersey, bought an undivided half of a league and a labor in Bexar Survey 71 near the head of the Leona River. This was a strategic location. The head of the Leona offered rich land, which was overgrown with thickets of live oaks, hackberry, elm and pecan.

In May 1855, Black hired William C.A. Thielepape, a German surveyor and lithographer from San Antonio, to lay out the town of Encina, which was named after the live oaks. Thielepape was responsible for the

town’s four plazas and wide streets. Neighbors of the town included the cavalry at Fort Inge and friendly Tonkawas at the Two-Mile Water Hole.

The establishment of a

fast mail and passenger service train between San Antonio and San Diego in 1857 brought many prospective settlers to town. The name of the settlement was changed to Uvalde when

the county was organized in 1856. Indian affairs caused troublesome problems during the early years of the community, and the Civil War brought more troubled times. Although Uvalde

Mexicans and Texans was a prominent feature of this bloody period. Outlaws and bandits were in evidence and smuggled cattle across the Rio Grande. King Fisher, the most notable outlaw, later changed his ways and became sheriff of Uvalde County.

SHIPPING POINT

County opposed secession, many citizens joined the Confederate Army and some others, who were loyal to the Union, fled to Mexico to avoid persecution.

Border warfare between

In 1881, Uvalde became a shipping point on the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. The early economy of the area centered on agriculture due to the large underground water reservoir and fertile soil.

The mining of asphalt and bitumen began to develop in 1889. Uvalde prospered.

To show their commercial and cultural growth, citi-

Although Uvalde County opposed secession, many citizens joined the Confederate Army and some others, who were loyal to the Union, fled to Mexico to avoid persecution

zens built the Grand Opera House, today known as the Janey Slaughter Briscoe Grand Opera House, in 1891.

Garner Field, a basic training air base, opened in 1941, and focused attention again on Uvalde. The site has been the home of Southwest Texas Junior College since 1947.

Ranching has always been an important part of Uvalde’s history. Irrigated farming became a big business

during the 1950s.

Uvalde has received state and national political recognition because of John Nance Garner, who served as vice president of the United States during the 1930s, and Dolph Briscoe Jr., who was governor of Texas in the 1970s.

Today Uvalde, which serves as the county seat, sits at the crossroads of U.S. highways 90 and 83. Seventyfive settlers greeted Black

when he arrived, but now more than 15,000 people live in the city of Uvalde.

It is an agricultural center for the county’s irrigated cotton and vegetable crops; wool, mohair, and beef production; and tourism. Hunting leases, for deer, dove, turkey, and javelina bring substantial income to the area.

A traveler who visited the Leona in the summer of 1855 said, “Situated as it is

on the great thoroughfare to Mexico, and the last suitable situation on good water, it will become an important place.”

THE PRECEDING history was compiled from issues dated from 1879-1979 of The Uvalde LeaderNews, “History of Uvalde County,” by Jane Knapik; “The Life and Diary of Reading W. Black, A History of Early Uvalde,” arranged by Ike Moore; and “A Proud Heritage,” published by El Progreso Club.

MEGHANN GARCIA|LEADER-NEWS

Deer hang out along the Leona River/ Memorial Park walking trail.

Photo By: Aaron Yates for Texas Ranch Sales, LLC