c. Early Native American inhabitants include Kiowa, Comanche and Lipan Apache.
1700s Lipan Apaches discover Cascade Caverns.
1842
April 20 - Adelsverein organized in Germany to promote emigration to Texas.
June 7 - Fisher-Miller Land Grant sets aside 3,000,000 acres (1.2
×10
10 m
2) to settle 600 families and single men of German, Dutch, Swiss, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian ancestry in Texas.
1844, June 26 - Henry Francis Fisher sells interest in land grant to Adelsverein.
1845
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels secures title to 1,265 acres (5.12 km
2) of the Veramendi grant, including the Comal Springs and River, for the Adelsverein.
February - Thousands of German immigrants are stranded at port of disembarkation Indianaola on Matagorda Bay. With no food or shelters, living in holes dug into the ground, an estimated 50% die from disease or starvation. The living begin to walk to their destinations hundreds of miles away.
May - John O. Meusebach arrives in Galveston.
December 20 - Henry Francis Fisher and Burchard Miller sell their rights in the land grant to Adelsverein.
1847
Meusebach–Comanche Treaty
Sisterdale established.
1849 Freethinkers Bettina colonists from Llano County settle Tusculum, named after Cicero’s home in ancient Rome. The initial community bans any churches from being erected. The town is later re-named Boerne, for German-Jewish political writer Ludwig Börne, who influenced Karl Marx.
1850s George W. Kendall introduces sheep ranching to the County.
1854
John O. Meusebach receives an appointment as commissioner from Governor Elisha M. Pease
May 14–15, San Antonio - The Texas State Convention of Germans adopt a political, social and religious platform, including: 1) Equal pay for equal work; 2) Direct election of the President of the United States; 3) Abolition of capital punishment; 4) "Slavery is an evil, the abolition of which is a requirement of democratic principles.."; 5) Free schools – including universities - supported by the state, without religious influence; and 6) Total separation of church and state.
Comfort is founded by German immigrant Freethinkers and abolitionists.
1860 Boerne Village Band is formed by Karl Dienger.
1861 Unionists from Kerr, Gillespie, and Kendall counties participate in the formation of the Union League, a secret organization to support President Abraham Lincoln’s policies.
1862
Kendall County is established from Kerr and Blanco counties, named for journalist George Wilkins Kendall. Boerne is the county seat.
The Union League forms companies to protect the frontier against Indians and their families against local Confederate forces. Conscientious objectors to the military draft are primarily among Tejanos and Germans .
May 30 – Confederate authorities impose martial law on Central Texas.
August 10 - Nueces massacre in Kinney County. Jacob Kuechler serves as a guide for 61 conscientious objectors attempting to flee to Mexico. Scottish born Confederate irregular James Duff and his Duff’s Partisan Rangers pursue and overtake them at the Nueces River, 34 are killed, some executed after being taken prisoner.Jacob Kuechler survives the battle. The cruelty shocks the people of Gillespie County. 2,000 take to the hills to escape Duff's reign of terror.
Spring Creek Cemetery near Harper in Gillespie County has a singular grave with the names Sebird Henderson, Hiram Nelson, Gus Tegener and Frank Scott. The inscription reads
"Hanged and thrown in Spring Creek by Col. James Duff’s Confederate Regiment."
1866 Samuel Boyd Patton was elected chief justice after his home became part of Kendall county which was Blanco County.
1866, August 10 - Treue der Union Monument ("Loyalty to the Union") in Comfort dedicated to the German Texans slain at the Nueces massacre.It is the only monument to the Union outside of the National Cemeteries on Confederate territory. It is one of only six such sites allowed to fly the United States flag at half-mast in perpetuity.
1870 Original Kendall County limestone courthouse built. Italianate architecture. Architect Philip Zoeller and J. F. Stendebach.
1885
Austrian-born Andreas Engel founds Bergheim.
Sisterdale cotton gin begins operations.
1887 San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway begins Boerne to San Antonio route.
1897, May 27 - John O. Meusebach dies at his farm at Loyal Valley in Mason County, is buried in the Marschall Meusebach Cemetery at Cherry Spring.
1900 Kendall County has 542 farms. Area has risen from 153,921 acres (622.90 km2) in 1880 to 339,653 acres (1,374.53 km2). Stockraising is still the principal industry.
1905 Citizens of Boerne gather together to share agricultural information, recipes, and news of events. This later became the annual Kendall County Fair.
1913 The Kendall County Fair Association was organized and was awarded a nonprofit corporate charter from the State of Texas.
1914 Fredericksburg and Northern Railway connects Fredericksburg with the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway track just east of Comfort.
1918 Hygieostatic Bat Roost house built in Comfort to attract bats to eradicate mosquitoes and reduce the spread of malaria. Designed for former San Antonio Mayor Albert Steves Sr., by bat authority Dr. Charles A. R. Campbell.
1930’s
The Great Depression brings increase in tenant farming.
Commercial development of Cascade Caverns begins.
World War II - American Military bases in the San Antonio area provide jobs for Kendall County residents.
1983 Guadalupe River State Park opens to the public.
1988 Federal Republic of Germany recognizes the Boerne Village Band for its contribution to the German heritage in Texas and America.
1990, Earth Day – Cibolo Nature Center opens to the public.
1991 Texas legislature adopts a resolution recognizing the Boerne Village Band for "keeping alive German music as a part of our heritage."
1998 Current Kendall County limestone, steel and concrete courthouse built in Boerne, across the street from the original 1870 courthouse. Architect Rehler Vaughn & Koone, Inc.
2005 Kendall County celebrates its 100th anniversary of the Kendall County Fair. The Kendall County Fair Association continues to produce one of the few remaining entirely privately funded county fairs in the state of Texas.
2013 The Kendall County Fair Association, Inc. celebrates its 100th year of existence.
2015 Kendall County declares a State of Emergency from May flooding.
Count Castell of the Adelsverein negotiated with the separate Darmstadt Society of Forty to colonize two hundred families on the Fisher-Miller Land Grant territory in Texas. In return, they were to receive $12,000 in money, livestock, equipment and provisions for a year. After the first year, the colonies were expected to support themselves. The colonies attempted were Castell, Leiningen, Bettina, Schoenburg and Meerholz in Llano County; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County; and Tusculum in Kendall County. Of these, only Castell survives. The colonies failed after the Adelsverein funding expired, and also due to conflict of structure and authorities. Some members moved to other Adelsverein settlements in Texas. Others moved elsewhere, or returned to Germany.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 663 square miles (1,720 km2), of which 662 square miles (1,710 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.09%) is water.
Old Spanish Trail (auto trail)
Glacier To Gulf Highway
Gillespie County (north)
Blanco County (northeast)
Comal County (southeast)
Bexar County (south)
Bandera County (southwest)
Kerr County (west)
Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area (future)
Boerne-Hallie Maude Neff State Park (former)
Guadalupe River State Park (part)
Old Tunnel State Park
Alamo Springs Volunteer Fire Department
Berghiem Volunteer Fire Department
Boerne Fire Department
Comfort Fire Department
Kendalla Volunteer Fire Department
Sisterdale Volunteer Fire Department
Waring Voulunteer Fire Department
Village Post Office, Bergheim
Boerne Carrier Annex
Boerne Post Office
Comfort Post Office
Kendalia Post Office
Waring Post Office
As of the census of 2010, there were 33,410 people, 8,613 households, and 6,692 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 9,609 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.86% White, 0.56% Native American, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.23% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.41% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. 17.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,613 households out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.20% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.30% were non-families. 19.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.20% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $49,521, and the median income for a family was $58,081. Males had a median income of $39,697 versus $28,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,619. About 7.90% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
The county is part of the 21st District in the United States House of Representatives, represented by Republican Lamar S. Smith, the 25th district of the Texas State Senate, represented by Republican Donna Campbell, and the 73rd District of the Texas House of Representatives and is represented by Republican Kyle Biedermann. Biedermann's predecessors in the House seat are Republicans. They include Nathan Macias, a businessman from Bulverde, Carter Casteel, a former Comal County county judge and a lawyer in New Braunfels, and Doug Miller, a former mayor of New Braunfels.
Boerne (county seat)
Fair Oaks Ranch (partly in Bexar and Comal counties)
Comfort
