The city of Boerne is named for Ludwig Borne, who inspired many young men to leave Germany in the 1840’s and travel to the new world. Some of these German pioneers created a settlement called “Tusculum” near present day Johns Road. Even after most of the original creators had moved on, a few of the men decided to remain and named the area Boerne.
The land on which the settlement stood was eventually bought by Gustav Theissen and John James, who platted the town in 1851. As businesses grew and stagecoach routes began to appear in the area, Boerne itself began to develop as well. A post office and stage stop was opened by August Staffel in 1856. William Dietert established Boerne’s first business, a gristmill and sawmill on the Cibolo Creek. Soon the town was in possession of a blacksmith shop, a livery stable, a butcher shop, a saloon and a general store. Professor Karl Dienger even created a private school in the 1860’s.
Because Boerne had been established by “free thinkers” – Germans who had no religion – churches were not permitted in Boerne. Legend tells of signs posted outside the city limits warning that preachers found inside the town after sunset would be shot. George Wilkins Kendall decided to build a Catholic church to honor his wife in 1860, and he was forced to build south of town, outside the city limits. St. Peter’s Church stands on what is now Main Street. The first church built inside the city limits was the Episcopal Church, erected in 1881 by British settlers.
In 1887, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad began daily treks to Boerne from San Antonio, replacing the use of the stagecoach. The railroad brought mail and newspapers from San Antonio daily and cut travel time between the two cities to three hours. Tourism expanded, and Boerne grew considerably larger.
Many people suffering from lung ailments traveled to Boerne to recuperate. It has been said that at one time, Boerne contained more invalids and sick people than healthy citizens. Apparently, the people of Boerne grew tired of having so much illness around. When the owners of the Veterans Administration Hospital offered to build their facility in Boerne, they were turned down and the hospital was instead erected in the nearby town of Kerrville.
Not long after the turn of the century, Boerne acquired electricity, telephone capacity and telegraphs. An opera house was built to house cultural events and was the site of the first Kendall County Fair in 1906. Agriculture was thriving, with crops such as cotton, corn, wheat, rye, Irish potatoes and tobacco reigning in the area. Shortly after the opera house opened, automobiles began to arrive. The town was incorporated in 1909. William John Wilke served as the town’s first mayor and taxes were set at 25 cents per $100.
The entire community felt the heartache and loss brought home by the deaths of family and friends in World War I. A monument was erected and dedicated in 1923 to honor the deceased. Still standing in Veteran’s Park (Military Plaza), that monument now includes memorials to those who fought and died in all subsequent wars.
The Great Depression was perhaps the biggest shock to the town since its founding. After the stock market crashed, tourism slowed considerably and the cotton crop was all but destroyed by the boll weevil.
Many of the soldiers who returned home from World War II in the 1940’s found that Boerne had changed significantly and moved on to bigger cities, but the area continued to expand. Boerne Utilities Company was established, as well as a sewer plant. Boerne City Lake was made to prevent flooding and a dam was built on the Cibolo Creek. The population nearly doubled in size from 1940 to 1970 and the city was prosperous.
Today, Boerne is a popular place for tourists to scavenge for antiques, view historic buildings and relax in the comfort of a small town. Several community activities take place throughout the seasons and Boerne can now boast that it has more than 8,000 citizens who are proud to call this town home.