About Kendall County, TX

This EVERYTHING TEXAS #10 will recognize The Texas Hill Country Wine Trail schedule of events that will give you the opportunity to visit some historic areas, see some beautiful wildflowers and taste some Texas wines made right here in The Texas Hill Country in our Great State of Texas. I am familiar with the Sister Creek Winery & Vineyards so enjoy the history of Sisterdale. If you ever have the opportunity be sure to stop in at Sister Creek Winery. Each winery on the list has much history. Make this a full day outing.

SISTER CREEK - STOP IN FOR A WINE TASTING

Award Winning Texas Wines
Since 1988

Since 1988, Sister Creek Vineyards has been located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country in Sisterdale, Texas (Pop. 25). Bordeaux and Burgundy wine making techniques are employed to produce our Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot wines. These traditional wines are aged in 60 gallon oak barrels for up to three years. In combination with our barrel aging, minimal filtration methods are incorporated so the wines will retain their fullest flavors. In addition to these wines an Italian style Muscat Canelli is also produced. The winery is located between the cypress lined East and West Sister Creeks in a restored 1885 cotton gin.

History: A Brief History of Sisterdale

The Second Oldest Town in the Beautiful Texas Hill Country

History of Sisterdale,TX

Sisterdale is located in a quite valley between the East and West Sister Creeks, just north of the Guadalupe River. Founded by Captain Nicholas Zink in 1847, just two short years after Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels settled the town of New Braunfels.

Sisterdale was soon populated with a group of German "free thinkers" who were disillusioned after the failed European Revolution of 1848. Upon arrival, the settlers soon chopped down most of the cypress trees that lined both Sister Creeks for furniture, cabinet making, and home construction...however, it was farming that consumed most of their time. These gentleman farmers thought they would be able to farm part of the day and spend the studying Latin, literature, poetry and music. Most had never farmed before moving to Sisterdale and the few that had quickly realized that the farming conditions varied greatly from their homeland. So, their idyllic vision of studying the arts and farming was soon dashed as the realities of frontier life settled in.

Sisterdale continued to grow and in 1850 Dr. Ernst Kapp and Dr. Rudolph Wipprecht settled here from Germany. Dr. Kapp established the Hydropathic Institute in Sisterdale, which promoted cures with mineral waters. The Comfort Museum displays a Hermann Lunkwitz lithograph illustrating the water curing process. Dr. Kapp later moved and became the first professor of languages at Texas A&M University.

Recently, a University of Chicago professor was researching his ancestors from the Sisterdale area and discovered a historical publication indicating that vineyards were planted in Sisterdale around the 1860's. Additional research indicated that the small limestone building adjacent to the winery was probably the site of the first permanent home in Sisterdale.

The 1885 cotton gin, which currently houses Sister Creek Vineyards, was in operation until 1927. A boll-weevil infestation in the mid-20's devasted the farmers and eventually forced the closing of the cotton gin.

The Sisterdale Valley Historic District has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.

School

Sister Creek Winery is located just North of Boerne, Texas...http://sisterdalevineyards.com

Wine & Wildflower Trail Calendar of Events

April 4-6 & April 11-13 2008

Quite by accident I came across the website for Riven Rock Ranch Resort on the Boerne Chamber of Commerce website. The ranch resort is located near Boerne and Comfort in Kendall County. I was totally unaware of it's existence. This looks like a great place for locals to visit, especially for an Easter brunch/dinner. Maybe I can talk my husband into going. :-) It would also be a great place for tourists visiting San Antonio and the Hill Country.

Comfort, Texas was established by German settlers 1854. Wearied by their journey from New Braunfels, Texas, the small group was so pleased by this picturesque site and pure water that they named it Camp Comfort. With its abundance of vintage structures, much of the midtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, Comfort, Texas is a popular tourist area with numerous camps along the Guadalupe River operated by various civic organizations. Visitors enjoy fishing, swimming and camping during summer months. Hunting is popular during the fall and winter. Visitors find Comfort Shopping interesting year round.

Comfort, Texas is a beautiful 17 mile drive to Kerrville, Texas, a popular toursit area. Bandera, Texas, the Cowboy Capital of the World, is a short scenic drive from Comfort. Boerne, Texas, a great place to visit, is also nearby. Comfort, Texas is a short drive to Fredericksburg, Texas, known for its many festivals and unique shops.

B&B/Guest Houses are offered in many of the historic buildings.

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.

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.

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.

Boerne Market Days

Second Saturday Art & Wine

Authentic Custom Homes Open House

Guided Tour - Honey Creek State National Area

Kiss The Cook Teaching Kitchen

Guided Tour - Honey Creek State National Area

Guided Tour - Honey Creek State National Area

RSC Directors Dinner Dance

Acoustic music concert on Sat, Mar 22 7pm

Kiss the Cook Teaching Kitchen

14th Annual Boerne Expo

Guided Tour - Honey Creek State National Area

Sixth Annual Art Auction Gala! - Scholarship Fundr

29 Mar 2008, Saturday, March 29, 7:00 p.m. at the Boerne Community Center, 820 Adler Street. An adult evening of Art! Complimentary Wine & Cheese, highlighting artists for the Hill Country and San Antonio

It's a Wonderful Life at Cordillera Ranch

A master planned community in the hill country at Bergheim near both Boerne and San Antonio, Texas. As you wind along a hilltop road, just past the private gate, the gorgeous Texas Hill Country unfolds before you and the sensation hits you: This place is truly something special. Is it the abundant native whitetail deer and wild turkey that visit daily? Is it the sweeping vistas and towering limestone canyon walls? Is it simply the wide open and incredibly beautiful surroundings?

Nature: The abundance of wildlife. The expansive sense of space and privacy. The preserved nature of the land. All make falling in love with Cordillera Ranch simply natural.

Guadalupe River: The soothing sound of water running over the river rocks. The majestic beauty of century old cypress trees. An invigorating float down stream. Our nearly 5 miles of Guadalupe River make living at Cordillera Ranch simply irresistible.

The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch: Is it The Golf Club with it's Jack Nicklaus Signature Course? Is it the Social Club with it's more than 30,000 square-foot clubhouse? Is it the Spa & Athletic Club, the Tennis & Swim Club, The River Club, The Rod & Gun Club, or The Equestrian Club? No matter which is your favorite, with The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch, life is simply incomparable.

The Cordillera Ranch Difference: It's not just the understated elegance. It's not just the sense of freedom and peace. It's not just the resort-style activities. It's the whole lifestyle that makes Cordillera Ranch simply unique. You connect with nature, but you are just a stone's throw from the amenities of San Antonio, like shopping, The Riverwalk, top rated medical facilities and the airport-and even closer is the quaint town of Boerne with it's chic boutiques, cafes and galleries. See for yourself. One visit and you won't just be calling it heaven. You'll be calling it "home."

~ The Cordellia Ranch Website

http://www.cordillerasocialclub.com/

http://www.cordilleraranch.com/

Cordillera Ranch Named "Best New Course" in Texas By The Dallas Morning News.

http://www.cordilleraranch.com/news/crbestnewgolf.asp