Historical Markers of Texas
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Karnes County
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582
Butler Family Cemetery
Take US 181 N to FM 719 and go E 0.5 mile (behind Karnes County Cemetery)
This cemetery was part of the original homestead of William Green and Adeline Burris Butler, who had migrated to Texas with their families before ...
C
23338
Czerner-Kowalik House
marker pending
marker pending
E
1418
El Fuerte del Cibolo
FM 3191 in Cestohowa
Near this site (about 2.5 mi. N on Cibolo Creek) stood the 18th-century Spanish fort of El Fuerte de Santa Cruz del Cibolo, usually called El Fuerte ...
22694
Elim Lutheran Church Cemetery
CR 181, behind Elim Lutheran Church. From Kenedy, SW on SH 72 to CR 182, south to CR 181, west to church and cemetery.
Elim Lutheran Church Cemetery Established 1915 Historic Texas Cemetery - 2002
F
1642
First Baptist Church of Karnes City
406 E. Calvert Street, Karnes City
This congregation was founded as a missionary church by The Rev. J. D. Walker in 1894, the same year the new town of Karnes City became the county ...
22746
First Baptist Church of Kenedy
marker pending
marker pending
1815
First Presbyterian Church
405 E. Mayfield, Karnes City
Karnes City's first edifice built for Protestant worship. Housed congregation originating in 1894 as a mission under the care of Helena Presbyterians, ...
1874
First Store in Panna Maria
13870 N. FM 81
Built in 1855; used as a storeroom for landlord's share of Panna Maria crops. The landlord, John Twohig, a devout Catholic, set aside one room of ...
G
23930
Gillett-Lone Star Community Cemetery
CR 263
After Emancipation, formerly enslaved persons settled in the Riddleville community to farm and provide for their families. This site, adjacent to ...
18233
Gregorio Cortez
Lenz community, FM 626 SW side, 300 feet SE of FM 2102
On June 12, 1901, Sheriff W.T. “Brack” Morris and Deputy arrived at the Thulemeyer ranch to question Gregorio Cortez (1875-1916) about a reported ...
H
2385
Harmony Baptist Church and Cemetery
from Helena, take SH 80 N about 7 miles to FM 627, follow FM 627 W about 1.2 miles to church and cemetery
According to oral tradition, the Harmony Baptist Church began in 1864. A church building was constructed by 1875, when Thomas Ragsdale donated land ...
2428
Helena
FM 81, Old Courthouse Square, Helena
Founded in 1852 on San Antonio River by Thomas Ruckman, a graduate of Princeton, and Lewis Owings, later first governor of Arizona Territory. Town ...
2429
Helena Union Church
Old Courthouse grounds, FM 81, Helena
Example of religious toleration in frontier Texas. Site was used early as 1866 by Methodists, whose church was "free to any Christian denomination ...
2539
Home of John Ruckman
CR 300, .2 mile S of old courthouse, Helena
Ruckman (Nov. 9, 1835 - Jan. 8, 1913), born in Northumberland County, Pa., came to Texas in 1856 to join his older brother Thomas, co-founder of ...
I
2619
Immaculate Conception Church
13879 N. FM 81
Oldest Polish parish in America. Offered its first Mass on Dec. 24, 1854 (altar under an oak tree). First building erected 1855. This church with ...
J
17888
John Gawlik House
CR 381 (North Street), east of CR 242 (Rossadowski)
Built in 1858 by a Polish immigrant from upper Silesia, the John Gawlik House is the oldest stone home in Panna Maria. Characteristics of rural upper ...
K
2900
Karnes City
corner (SW) of Calvert and Esplanade, Karnes City
Seat of Karnes County; was founded in Christmas season, 1890, when a partnership headed by Otto Buchel bought 1,000 acres of land from J. L. Calvert ...
6073
Karnes County
Courthouse grounds, at intersection of US 181 and FM 99, Karnes City
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23103
Karnes County Courthouse
Karnes County Courthouse grounds, E side facing N. Panna Maria St. (SH 123)
In 1854 Karnes County erected its first courthouse in the county seat of Helena, an important stage stop between San Antonio and Goliad. The original ...
2922
Kenedy
City Hall, 300th Block Main Street, Kenedy
The town of Kenedy occupies a site that once was part of a royal Spanish land grant to Don Carlos Martinez. American settlement in the area began ...
13538
Kenedy Alien Detention Camp Cemetery
CR 329, W side, 0.2 mi. SE of CR 330, SE of Kenedy Cemetery
During World War II, the U.S. established three internment camps in Texas for alien civilians in the U.S. and Latin America, and one was located ...
17374
Kenedy Enemy Alien Detention Site, World War II
SE corner Clinton Place and Hillside Drive
Shocked by the December 7, 1941, Empire of Japan attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii that propelled the U.S. into World War II, one U.S. Government response ...
N
12331
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Cemetery
CR 245, Cestohowa
Jacob Lyssy (1837-1880) and John Pawlik, Jr. (1845-1912) of the Czestochowa parish each donated one acre of land to Bishop Anthony D. Pellicer of ...
12347
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church
FM 3191 aat CR 245, Cestohowa
The second Polish colony in Karnes County, the village in this area grew out of a small settlement known as St. Joe and was formally established ...
O
3742
Old Helena Courthouse
Old Courthouse Square, FM 81, Helena
Soon after Karnes County was created and organized in 1854, a frame and clapboard courthouse was erected at this site in the center of Jefferson ...
3793
Old Riedel Dam and Early Industries
0.2 mile W of SH 80 on FM 887, Gillett
250 yards west lie the remains of a pioneer dam built in 1869 by Carl Edward Riedel to supply the power for his sawmill, gristmill and cotton gin. ...
3892
Ox-Cart Road (Section of Chihuahua Road)
Old courthouse Square, FM 81, Helena
After centuries of use by buffalo and Indians, this trail from San Antonio to the Texas coast gained importance when opened to colonial travel by ...
P
6074
Panna Maria, Texas
Between FM 81 and Immaculate Conception Church
Oldest Permanent Polish Colony in America Panna Maria, Texas Settled by 100 Polish families who came to Texas to gain economic, political and religious ...
4016
Pilarczyk Store
Panna Maria Visitor Center
Built 1875; second oldest store in Panna Maria; still has original rafters and floors. Lime for mortaring stones (visible on back and sides) was ...
R
4388
Runge Bandstand
Town Square, FM 81, Runge
Originally built before 1900, this structure was rebuilt in 1924 by the Civic League, "Rungetex" Brass Band, and others. Many stories have been told ...
4389
Runge, Texas
FM 81, Town Square, Runge
Early Texas town. Near site where Old Ox-Cart Road from San Antonio to Indianola crossed the Ojo de Agua (Spanish name meaning "eye of water" or ...
S
4472
Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church
309 S. 5th Street, Kenedy
Episcopal worship services were held in Kenedy as early as 1899, though the congregation of St. Matthew's was not organized as a mission until 1913, ...
4459
St. Joseph's School
CR 382
Built 1868. Oldest Polish private school in America. Since 1855, classes had been held in various sites. This was the first school building in the ...
T
5473
Thomas Ruckman
Old CH grounds, FM 81, Helena
(November 8, 1826 - December 2, 1914) Founding father of Karnes County, Ruckman was born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He graduated in ...
5534
Town of Panna Maria
Between FM 81 and Immaculate Conception Church
Oldest Polish settlement in Texas - Established December 24, 1854 by the Reverend Leopold Moczygemba O.F.M., who was instrumental in bringing from ...