These histories were written by members of the Fayette County Historical Commission. They first appeared in the weekly column, "Footprints of Fayette," which is published in the Fayette County Record, Banner Press, Flatonia Argus, Schulenburg Sticker, and Weimar Mercury newspapers. A new article will appear weekly.The articles are arranged below by topic, surname, or community. To search for a particular Footprints of Fayette article go to the site search engine and enter Footprints AND searchword. The word AND must be capitalized. Click here for more search tips. When more than one publication date is listed, the article was published in two or more parts. Please note that the publication dates for some newspapers may vary slightly from the dates shown below.
TITLE AUTHOR PUBLICATION DATE Fayette Heritage Archives Staff September 3, 2001 George Koudelka August 19, 2001The "Airdome"A Unique Theatre Carolyn Heinsohn March 17, 2009 Gary McKee March 11, 2001 Donna Green April 7, 2002 Donna Green May 12, 2002 Gary E. McKee June 8 & 15, 2003 Cathy Chaloupka April 8, 2001Annie Webb Blanton Connie F. Sneed February 12, 2008 Blizzard of 1888 Kathy Carter January 25, 2009 The Bluff Community Carolyn Heinsohn July 29, 2008 Bones Back to La Grange Richard Tinsley June 10, 2008 The Bridge Valley Settlement Carolyn Heinsohn April 29, 2008 Robert Tecumtha Browne Connie F. Sneed Sep 1, 2009 Edward F. Janecka June 9, 2002 Annette Ruckert Sept 30 & Oct 7, 2001 Allen G. Hatley May 18, 2003A Letter from Burnham's Crossing Gary E. McKee August 5, 2008 John Caragee Donna Green November 17, 2009 Sandra Briones January 5 & 12, 2003Carmine Dramatic Club Connie F. Sneed May 12, 2009 The First Catholic Church in Fayette County Carolyn Heinsohn December 30, 2008 Cattle Dipping Andrea Weishuhn November 24, 2009 Unique Cemetery Art Lillie Mae Brightwell January 6, 2009 Census of Fayette County in 1887 Edward F. Janecka March 18, 2008 Lillie Mae Brightwell March 2, 2003 Norman C. Krischke March 30, 2003 Donna Green November 3, 2002Reverend Joseph Chromcik, the First Czech Priest in Texas Helen Trnovsky Mikus July 7, 2009 Civil War Letter Carolyn Heinsohn December 2, 2008 William Coltrin Donna Green May 26, 2009 Commencement Day 1858 Connie F. Sneed March 31, 2009 Extracts From the Fayette County Commissioner Court Minutes in the Republic of Texas Gary McKee May 6, 2008 Confession Letter Exonerates Man Who Served Prison Term In Texas Connie F. Sneed January 13, 2008 Cottonseed Flour Schulenburg Oil Mill Connie F. Sneed May 5, 2009 The Journey of a School The County Line Schoolhouse Helen Mikus November 25, 2008 Kathy Carter November 25, 2001William Vannoy Criswell Stacy N. Sneed October 14, 2008 Sandra Briones May 11, 2003 Donna Green March 25, 2001Bettie Branch Davis Connie F. Sneed December 29, 2009 Nicholas Mosby Dawson Stacy N. Sneed February 17, 2009 FHMA files February 23, 2003 Gary E. McKee April 28 & May 5, 2002William Mosby Eastland Connie F. Sneed February 10, 2009 Eblin's League As a Competitor for the State Capitol Edward F. Janecka March 2, 2001 Hugo EhlersSorrowSoldier is Lost Sherie Knape January 13, 2002 El Camino Real de Tejas Gets National Attention Gary E. McKee May 13, 2008 Ellinger Post Office Lillie Mae Brightwell January 27, 2002 Come to the FairBe a Blue Ribbon "Champion" There Billye Beth Baker April 8, 2008 Maria Faison Marie Watts April 21 & 28, 2009 Nathaniel W. Faison L. J. Calley April 14, 2009 How Fayette County Came To Be Larry K. Ripper August 5, 2001 Fayette County, A Century Ago Ann Lamer September 14, 2003 The First Year of Fayette County Commissioners Court In the Republic of Texas
Gary E. McKee February 19, 2008History of Fayetteville as of 1938 Irene Polansky August 10, 2003 Circus Day at Fayetteville Kathy Carter February 2, 2003 Cotton Gins in Fayetteville Irene Polansky October 7, 2008 Fayetteville Courthouse Cases, Late 19th Century Lillie Mae Brightwell April 1, 2008 Federal Agents Invade Fayetteville in 1918 Lillie Mae Brightwell January 20, 2009 [Fayetteville] Mayor Pleads Not Guilty Connie F. Sneed July 14, 2009 Fayetteville Fire Irene Polansky March 23, 2003 Fayetteville Post Office Lillie Mae Brightwell March 31 & April 7, 2002 Fayetteville's Water Tower Linda J. Dennis October 13, 2009 Leopold Fink, Killed in the Mexican War Sherie Knape November 3, 2009 First "Trains" Ever in Texas Stacy N. Sneed March 24, 2009 An Electric and Ice Plant for Flatonia Connie F. Sneet September 22, 2009 The Flatonia Fair, 1913 - 1936 Judy Pate December 9, 2008 The [Flatonia] Train Robbery Eugenia Reeves June 17, 2008 A Texas-Montana Romance [for one of the Flatonia Train Robbers] Connie F. Sneed March 10, 2009 The Flood in Texas [1869] Connie F. Sneed January 27, 2009 Flood of 1913 Edward F. Janecka July 28, 2002 Sonja Fojtek Helen T. Mikus September 9, 2001 Caleb Forshey Gary McKee April 22, 2001 Furniture Making in Fayette County Arnold Romberg October 6, 2002 German Festival Planned Connie F. Sneed October 6, 2009 German Settlers in Fayette County Bob Heinsohn March 9 & 16, 2003 Fredrich W. Grasmeyer Larry K. Ripper April 29, 2001 Thomas Green Katie Kulhanek March 3, 2009 My Name is Joe Griffin Gary McKee February 24, 2002 William GuehrsConfederate Hero of Waldeck Harvey Meiners May 20 & 27, 2001 Daniel J. Gully, Buried at Sea Sherie Knape October 20, 2009 Judge Augustine Haidusek Sandra Briones July 27, 2003 Andrew Jackson Hamilton Stacy N. Sneed April 22, 2008 Halsted, Texas Carolyn Heinsohn May 20, 2008 Hang'n Sandra Briones October 27, 2009 Heintze MuseumLa Grange, Texas Carolyn Meiners April 15, 2001 HigheasterjetThe Millionaire from La Grange Katie Kulhanek October 21, 2008 Benjamin F. HighsmithAlamo Courier and Texas Ranger Connie F. Sneed December 15, 2009 Highway Beautification Annette Ruckert September 28, 2003 John Christopher Columbus Hill Gary McKee Dec 2, 9, & 16, 2001 Some Historical Markers in Fayette County Lillie Mae Brightwell October 19, 2003 The Hobo Norman C. Krischke July 21, 2002 [Hostyn] Texas Grotto Reproduces French Shrine of Miracles Connie F. Sneed September 29, 2009 Edward Louis Hruska Lillie Mae Brightwell January 26, 2003 Robert Hancock Hunter Mike Steinhauser July 22, 2008 Hurricane Carla Leaves Her Mark on La Grange Annette Ruckert April 27 & May 4, 2003 Fayette County Immigration Society Donna Green September 7, 2003 The Green Lantern Cafe Carolyn Heinsohn July 21, 2009 Indian Depredations Near La Grange Gary E. McKee October 28, 2008 Indian Raid! Judge Edward Janecka June 10, 2001 The Old Fayette County Jail Bob Heinsohn April 15, 2008 Jews Prominent in Fayette County History L. David Vogel August 12, 2008 First Lady [Lady Bird Johnson] Tours Historical Sites Connie F. Sneed June 9, 2009 Ann Daves March 25, 2008 Dr. Charles J. Kaderka Helen Mikus July 8, 2001 The Story of Tabitha and Ira Killough Sherie Knape June 17, 2001 Kroll Pickle Factory Sherie Knape August 25, 2002 Ladies' Cemetery Association Sherie Knape February 16, 2003 (La) Fayette Gary E. McKee January 15 & 22, 2008 The Original La Grange Bruce D. Collins January 29, 2008 103 North Main Street, La Grange Victoria Collins September 23, 2008 114 South Main Street, La Grange Victoria Collins September 16, 2008 Old La Grange City Library Carolyn Meiners May 26, 2002 La Grange Gold Rush Company Fayette Heritage Archives Staff January 20, 2002 La Grange Jewish Cemetery Donna Green July 13, 2003 La Grange Live Oaks Carolyn Heinsohn May 27, 2008 La Grange Matress Factory Lillie Mae Brightwell November 11, 2008 La Grange Postal Masters Lillie Mae Brightwell October 13, 2002 Early Schools in La Grange Founded by Masons Carolyn Heinsohn May 13, 2008 La Grange, R.F.D. (The First Texas Rural Mail Route) Annette Ruckert July 20 & 27, 2003 The History of a Vacant Lot [in La Grange] Carolyn Heinsohn April 7, 2009 Queen City of the Colorado Valley [La Grange] Connie F. Sneed September 8, 2009 The Latins & the Prairie Blume Society Donna Green March 3, 2002 Lawlessness in Fayette County, 1867 Stacy N. Sneed November 18, 2008 First Lawman on the Colorado Allen G. Hatley February 17, 2002 Blue and GreyJoseph & John Lidiak Judge Ed Janecka December 30, 2001 Life in Early Fayette County Carolyn Heinsohn February 2, 2010 Faith Healer: Henry Charles Loehr Gary E. McKee December 2002 Lyons, Texas Norman C. Krischke August 12, 2001 A Machine Gun for Fayette County Fayette Heritage Museum Archives January 19, 2003 An Early Fayette County Marriage Gary E. McKee August 19, 2008 Fayette County Medical Society Sherie Knape August 24, 2003 Medicine Men of Fayette County Sandra K. Briones October 5, 2003 Medicine Shows, Drive-Ins and Movie Theaters Lillie Mae Brightwell December 16, 2008 J. C. Melcher Connie F. Sneed November 4, 2008 Menefee County Edward F. Janecka October 12, 2003 Fayette County Meteorites and Tektites Carolyn Heinsohn July 1, 2008 Monument Hill Gary E. McKee September 2 & 9, 2008 Moore's Fort Carolyn Meiners May 12, 2002 Citizens of Mulberry Take Action Carolyn Heinsohn September 30, 2008 Father Michael Muldoon Ann Lamer April 6 & 13, 2003 Where, Oh Where Did the [Muldoon] Depot Go? (Part I) Carolyn Heinsohn January 5 & 12, 2010 Fayette County Music Societies/La Grange Handel Club Sherie Knape September 21, 2003 Celebrating a Natural Resource Donna Green September 16, 2001 Fayette's First Newspaper and Its Offspring Annette Ruckert July 22 & 29, 2001 The Murder of Constable Charles Hendrickson Null Allen G. Hatley June 16 & 23, 2002 Riding Into the Unknown: Orphan Trains Come to Fayette County Katie Kulhanek June 23 & 30, 2009 Henry P. OverbayFirst Doctor in Southern Fayette County Norman C. Krischke May 25, 2003 The Pliska Aeroplane Carolyn Heinsohn March 4, 2008 Fayette County Poor House Donna Green April 20, 2003 Praha Norman C. Krischke November 10, 2002 Prohibition Kathy Carter August 27, 2001 Prolific Progenitors Carolyn Heinsohn February 5, 2008 The Pytlovany House Carolyn Heinsohn May 19, 2009 Mary Crownover Rabb Donna Green June 3, 2001 The Killing of Robert Ragsdale Norman C. Krischke unknown Happy New YearRailroad Donna Green March 17, 2002 Randolph School Kathy Carter August 11, 2002 John T. Rankin: Sheriff, U.S. Marshal, Fayette County Clerk and Accused Murderer Ed Janecka July 28, Aug 4 & 11, 2009 Richard Tinsley February 25, 2008 Joel Walter Robison Connie Sneed July 15, 2008 The Weikel Family and Roznov Lillie Mae Brightwell October 14 & 21, 2001 Flight of Fear 1836The Runaway Scrape Kathy Carter November 18, 2001 Running the Rings Donna Green November 11, 2001 Martin Ruter Connie F. Sneed June 2, 2009 St. Paul's AME Church Donna Green August 18, 2002 H. P. Schaefer Memorial Observatory Florence Farek September 15, 2009 Schiege Cigar Factory Donna Green August 31, 2003 Birth of Schulenburg Norman C. Krischke April 1, 2001 125 Year Old NewsSchulenburg Norman C. Krischke August 4, 2002 Schulenburg in 1877 Norman C. Krischke & Gary McKee September 23, 2001 Early Baseball in Schulenburg Norman C. Krischke May 13, 2001 Schulenburg Fire Department Florence Farek September 22 & 29, 2002 The La Grange Journal Visits Schulenburg in 1892 Gary E. McKee September 1 & 8, 2002 Enterprising Settlers - John & Michael Short L. J. Calley March 10, 2002 Side-wheelers on the Colorado Larry K. Ripper March 18, 2001 Julia Lee Sinks Annette Ruckert February 3 & 10, 2002 Sally Skull Sherie Knape October 28 & Nov 4, 2001 Rudolph B. SpacekFayetteville Solid Citizen Irene Polansky July 14, 2002 The Studemann-Duncan House Carolyn Heinsohn January 19, 2010 Swiss Alp Church Sherie Knape July 15, 2001 Swiss Alp Dance Hall Edward F. Janecka November 17 & 24, 2002 Swiss Alp Town Is A “Mystery” Stacy N. Sneed February 24, 2009 Waldine Tauch, Sculptress Donna Green April 21, 2002 Memories of "Teenville" Carolyn Heinsohn December 8, 2009 Tenant Farming: On the Halves, Thirds and Fourths Harvey Meiners July 7, 2002 The Tonkawa Gary E. McKee December 22, 2002 The Two Brothers Saloon Eugenia Reeves June 24, 2008 Two Strange Women Gary E. McKee November 10, 2009 Unfeminine Behavior Kathy Carter December 1, 2009 The Volunteer Aid Society Donna Green December 22, 2009 Peter Carl Johann Von RosenbergVeteran of Waterloo to Fayette County Pioneer Sherie Knape July 6, 2003 Bigfoot Wallace Norman C. Krischke September 15, 2002 Warda Post Office Lillie Mae Brightwell December 8 & 15, 2002 Willow Springs, a Community Known by Many Names Rox Ann Johnson February 3, 2009 Women's Suffrage Sherie Knape April 14, 2002 Celebration - War is Won Sherie Knape January 6, 2002 World War II - On the Home Front Noreen Stavinoha June 24 & July 1, 2001 Wright's Park Robert Moore and Gary E. McKee June 16, 2009 Where in the World Was Wursten? Carolyn Heinsohn July 8, 2008 Yankees in La Grange Gary E. McKee June 2, 2002 Yellow Fever Sherie Knape May 6, 2001 Letter on the Devastating Yellow Fever Epidemic in La Grange Connie F. Sneed August 18, 2009 Young Family Stories Josephine White August 17, 2003