Texas Historical Marker #13165
Spring. Spring Initially a farming community supported by crops, including sugar cane and cotton, Spring was platted by the Houston & Great Northern Railroad in 1873. That same year, Callahan Pickette became the town's first postmaster. In its early years, Spring served as a commercial center for the surrounding area. It was also a focal point for German settlers, including Carl Wunsche, who was prominent in the town's development. The area still has a strong German heritage. A new rail line reached Spring in the early 20th century and, with a roundhouse and railway shops, the town grew in importance as a rail center. Developer R.l. Robinson subdivided land south of the original town, and the commercial area shifted to accommodate the rail junction. The railroads facilitated the development of the lumber industry; Spring boasted a number of mills, both large and small, in the boom era of lumber production. With the boom came the need for new businesses, including hotels, saloons, an opera house, gambling houses, a hospital and a bank. In 1907, residents established the Spring Independent School District. The loss of the roundhouse and the onset of Prohibition led to population decline, and the saloons, hotels, and other rail-supported businesses closed in the 1920s. Still, the dwindling community persisted, creating a volunteer fire department in the 1950s and sustaining its school district, which integrated in the mid-1960s. As the population began to grow again in the early 1970s, new businesses opened, including many specialty shops. With its proximity to a growing urban center and, itself an area commercial center, Spring continues to attract new residents and businesses but retains its unique identity and its link to its early history. (2003) #13165
403 Main, Spring, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #12603
Spring Cemetery. After Spring's establishment on the International and Great Northern line in 1873, it became an important railroad center. The Sellers family, early area landowners, donated a portion of their property for a community church and cemetery. The oldest legible tombstone is that of a child, Franklin Leroy Lovins, who died in 1910. Military veterans, including George C. Baker, who served in the Civil War, are also interred here. Gravestones mark nearly 50 burial sites, but many other burials are unmarked. The cemetery stands as a reminder of Spring's heritage as a railroad town. (2001) #12603
26206 Aldine Westfield Rd., Spring, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #13289
Strack Cemetery. Brothers Herman and Heinrich Strack came to Texas from Feudingen, Germany in 1848 with their families. By the mid-1850s they were joined by their other brothers Johann Jost, Friedrich and Jakob, and their respective families. In 1863, Herman bought land at this site that included a pre-existing burial ground; Friedrich and Jakob later became owners of the cemetery property. The burial ground became known as the Strack Cemetery. Graves of military veterans here date to the Civil War. Today, Strack family descendants manage the site through an association. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2004 #13289
?, Spring, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #13478
Seal McDougle Cemetery. Seal McDougle Cemetery Established 1883 Historic Texas Cemetery - 2005 #13478
23110 1/2 Cypresswood Dr, Spring, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #10794
Theis (Theiss) Family. Among the first German settlers in northwest Harris County was Johann Heinrich Theis (b. 1800), who arrived in 1846 with his wife Katherina (Benner) (b. 1804) and their four children. The following year, Johann acquired 200 acres of land in the Rosehill community, where the Theis family joined other German settlers in organizing the Salem Lutheran Church. In 1854 Johann and Katherina's oldest son Jacob purchased 557 acres nearby, and settled among other German immigrants in what later was known as the Klein community. In the 1890s some confusion developed in mail delivery to the Theis families in the Rosehill and Klein communities. As a result, Theis family members in Rosehill came to spell their name with a single "S," and those at Klein with a double "S." Buried in this cemetery at the edge of Jacob Theis' original acreage are Johann Heinrich and Katherina Theis and their son Christian. Although the graveyard is small and the tombstones are missing, the site is a memorial to these early German immigrants. In the family tradition of community involvement and leadership, several descendants have served as trustees of the Klein Independent School District. #10794
18303 Ferbluff, Spring, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #10808
Wunsche Bros. Saloon and Hotel. This building was constructed in 1902 by one of Spring's earliest families, the Wunsches, who came here from Germany in 1846. Built to accommodate railroad workers, the Wunsche Bros. Saloon and Hotel, later known as the Spring Cafe, has served as a community gathering place throughout its history. The structure, which exhibits typical turn-of-the-century commercial detailing, is Spring's oldest existing commercial building on its original site. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984 #10808
103 Midway, Spring, TX, United States