New Braunfels, Comal County
The New Braunfels Schuetzen Verein organized in 1849 as one of the nation's early shooting clubs. German immigrants founded the town only four years earlier in 1845 and brought the tradition of target shooting to America from their homeland. The need to provide food and protect homes also necessitated the practice in the New Braunfels area, as many early settlers joined the organization. As the city of New Braunfels grew, the Schuetzen Verein moved several times to avoid residential areas. The club moved in the years prior to World War I and then again when New Braunfels doubled in size in the years after World War II. It was also during this time that the Mission Valley Schuetzen Verein merged with New Braunfels' club. In the following decades, New Braunfels continued to grow, especially as it became part of an extended metropolitan area. With the city's continued expansion, the shooting club relocated again. The Schuetzen Verein's most important event is the Koenig (King) matches held annually since before the Civil War. An important tradition in the community, members continued it even through the ammunition shortages of the Civil War and World War I, sometimes firing only once each to maintain status of the organization. After more than 150 years of existence, the New Braunfels Schuetzen Verein continues to meet, serving as a reminder of the town's German heritage and historic past. (2006)