Hays County Historical Commission
Old Driftwood Store
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Hays County Sheriff Deputy Pam Robinson escorts HCHC members across busy County Road 150 to the old Driftwood Store.

The Hays County landscape has changed greatly since its early days of formal districting. Once dotted with farms, large ranches and small towns like Driftwood, a sea of houses has replaced much of the ranchland. Rural roads like Ranch Road 150 have become highly traveled with 4-wheeled automobiles instead of 4-legged animals and yet the area still retains much of its rugged beauty. The old Driftwood store still stands at the corner of Elderhill Road and RR 150, a silent sentinel, watching the changing scene with the same façade, but changing inside with the times, from a general store to an antique store and then an artist studio. Built in 1905 with the second room added during the 1940's, and an indoor bathroom built later around the original cistern, it is perfect as a studio for illustrator and photographer Dan Winters, who invited HCHC to meet there and view his collection of WWII memorabilia. Want to know more about Dan Winters? Visit www.danwintersphoto.com.

Artist Dan Winters now uses the old store as a studio and repository for his WWII memorabilla collection.

The meeting was called to order at 6:25 p.m. by Chairman Kate Johnson with 26 members and guests present, plus Hays County Deputy Pam Robinson who graciously escorted us all across RR 150, which was busy with commuter traffic from Austin, returning home. With a 60 mph speed limit on that stretch of road, crossing on foot can sometimes be pretty scary. Long time citizens of Driftwood, Edith Eckols, Louise and Cyd Hall were introduced. Louise and Cyd have been married 67 years. 92 year old Cyd Hall has lived in Driftwood all of his life and served during WWII. He was born in the old Judge Wilhelm house.

HCHC chairman Kate Johnson conducts the meeting inside the original old Driftwood store structure.

Kim Stracener Zapalac, Honorary Regent of Jacob's Well Chapter, NSDAR, Wimberley (zapnyou@aol.com) and genealogist was introduced and petitioned the HCHC to help in requesting a historical designation for Jacob's Well in Wimberley to help preserve it for the future. She displayed two lapel pens sold ($20) to help raise funds, one depicted Jack Hays.
Mary Ann Mattis was appointed by Chairman Johnson to chair a fundraising committee for the Old County Jail in San Marcos. Linda Coker, Jim Cullen, Linda Keese, Richard Kidd and LaMarr Petersen signed up to help.

HCHC member Lana Larsen was dubious about entering the unmarked store front door.

Bob Flocke said a quick click on www.aaslh.org, which is the only comprehensive national organization dedicated to the state and local history field at large, provides a home for those who work and volunteer. AASLH (American Association of State and Local Historians) was formed in 1904 and still provides a bunch of good resources for a nominal fee.

Save the date: Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 9 a.m. The El Camino design on the foyer floor as the same named, new elementary school in Neiderwald will be dedicated. HCHC members will be recognized so Chairman Johnson would like all of us to be present. DAR has completed the renovation and replacement of twenty missing markers along the El Camino Real in Texas.

Bob Flocke moved to accept the minutes from July 24, 2008 at Way Ranch. Jim Cullen seconded. Bless them.

The numbers keep climbing as sugar jars are broken and local travel is trimmed. Fourteen people have now signed up for the journey to California. Thirty is the magic number. Start looking under your mattresses. For inspiration read what Jim Cullen penned for local newspapers and view accompanying photos at www.hayshistoricalcommission.com.
Boy, if anyone knows how to make an entrance, it is Betty Harrison, chairman of the Historical Marker Committee. She walked in right on cue. Standing in the doorway, backlit by the fading sunlight she had our complete attention for her report. Timing is everything.
1. The marker for the Goforth-Harris House (on Comanche St. in San Marcos, across the side street from Pennington Funeral Home) has arrived and was installed last Saturday by owner Dr. Max Warshauer and "volunteer" Jack Harrison. Dr. Warshauer would like to hold some kind of dedication in September but the fact that the house is currently rented to a fraternity could be a problem with such an event.
2. The replacement marker for the Pound House in Dripping Springs has also arrived. They would like to have a dedication in conjunction with their Heritage Day on Sept. 27. Kate will contact her about that.
3. The marker for the Butler Cemetery on the Zimmerman Ranch in Driftwood has also arrived. The families with an association to the cemetery will meet for a workday on Sunday, October 5, and would like to dedicate the marker that day.
The good news is it has been raining, joked Jim Cullen. Thanks to Kate and Mary, the Cemetery Committee has found a good hand, Sam Harper to help them keep the weeds at bay. The landowner contact at Bading Cemetery in far South Hays County has returned to a nursing home, but the individual watching the landowner's property has consented to allow further clean up at the site and possibly a fence around the single gravesite. Access is erratic. Continued maintenance is due at both Coronado Cemetery and Cocke Cemetery. A Coronado tombstone has been beautifully restored.
Richard Kidd reported our web site visitors now total over 9,000 and he is seeking more publicity with more links to other sites such as chambers of commerce throughout towns in Hays County. He also reported that an oral history interview would be taken from R.B. Wilson who has lived in Hays County 85 years. Oral history on file will be edited down to 10-12 minutes, starting with Ofelia Philo and presented with old photos if possible.

Driftwood general store outhouse built by W.P.A. in 1938.

Notes from Buda by Mary Giberson: The Carpenter log house, which sits on grounds surrounding a local church may be allowed to remain on its original location. The Wilhelm house is being restored. You need to email marygiberson@gmail.com for a complete rundown on the Buda Sportsplex-stagecoach property.

Claiborne Kyle Log House Chicken Dinner annual fundraiser will be held Saturday, September 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., which also celebrates the 179th wedding anniversary of Lucy Bugg and Claiborne Kyle. Gates open at 10 a.m. at 2400 South Old Stagecoach Road, south of Kyle. Admission is free. Dinner is $7 accompanied by music and entertainment.

Fall Fest is celebrated at the Pioneer Farm in Dripping Springs on Saturday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5. Area artists will be displaying their wares. More information is on their web site www.drpoundpioneerfarmstead.com.

Marianne Moore of the Heritage Association of San Marcos invited HCHC members to the Cottage Kitchen Friday Luncheons from 11 am to 1 pm at the Charles S. Cock House in downtown San Marcos at the corner of Hopkins and C.M. Allen Parkway. Lunches served by community and business volunteers are delicious, with a wide array of fabulous desserts for $7, which includes a hot meal, homemade dessert, iced tea or coffee. Keep them in mind if you are looking for a quick, home cooked lunch any Friday in San Marcos. She also said the association was working on an oral history project and had submitted DVDs to the San Marcos Library and the LBJ museum.

Shelley Henry reminded us we need to register for the October 18 parade in Kyle.

Our host Dan Winters was standing patiently by so Linda Coker quickly moved to adjourn and LaMarr Petersen seconded at 7:07 p.m. so we could hear from him. He cautioned us not to leave without seeing the outhouse that the WPS members had built in the back. And if we ever had the time, the bridge across Onion Creek they constructed. Then he went on to show us his memorabilia, which his wife says is retirement stuff.

The 1943 fully restored motorcycle was a hit, especially with the guys. It was only deployed in Normandy, parachuted out C-47's for paratroopers to find and ride to combat. Most, needless to say, did not survive. Winters has pushed the bike in full dress uniform through one parade when a part broke. Most of us can remember when you could buy all the stuff except the German paraphernalia at Army-Navy Surplus stores. Now it is all on Ebay and costs ten times as much. Being a photographer, he has an extensive collection of antique cameras as well, some of which he still uses from time to time, having just recently begun digital.

Winters dimmed the lights to the old carbon fiber filament, which cast a warm 75-watt glow from the high ceiling and made the whole space feel warm and cozy. We learned the Salt Lick kept their meat in the walk-in food locker for many years. And one day, early in the morning when Hudson arrived to open his store, he found the door unlocked. He followed a trail of burnt out matches to the counter where a flashlight and battery was missing. The safe in the back had been moved three feet and then left in that spot. Seems the thieves figured there was not enough money in the safe to warrant moving the heavy thing and gave up their escapade. Although Winters bought the store without store fixtures, he kept permanently affixed items in the building from the 1920's and 40's when it was a general store, in place.

Respectfully submitted,
Linda Keese, Recording Secretary