| |
Falfurrias
Main Street in 1940
Postcard Courtesy Lisa Lozano |
| Falfurrias' name
has several suggested origins. One was after a local shepherd who was refered
to as "Don Falfurrias" and another was "Heart's Delight." Prior to receiving the
photos provided by Ruben Hernandez we were inclined to go with the former - but
we are now decidedly on the side of Heart's Delight. |
| |
First National Bank, Falfurrias, Texas
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/
~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html
More
Texas Banks | |
I CAN'T
BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT BUTTER
Edward C. Lasater & the Dairy Industry
Edward
C. Lasater had a hand in just about everything happening in Brooks County - including
the dairy business. But unlike political bosses and other nefarious characters,
Mr. Lasater's hands were clean. It was these clean hands that brought in the cows
that at one time formed the largest herd of Jersey cattle in the entire United
States.
Mr. Lasater started in 1895 with a plain run-of-the-mill cattle
ranch. In 1904 he encouraged the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad to run
a line to his property and in 1909 he brought in his Jersey cows and started his
creamery. In those days, the real milk money was in products like cream, butter
and cheese (which is where grade "B" milk goes, in case you ever wondered). In
the 1800s, city dwellers lived in fear of tuberculosis and undulant fever and
it wasn't until Louis Pasteur invented his sterilizing bottle-washing machine
that they could enjoy the peace of mind their country cousins had from drinking
milk from cows they knew personally.
The Falfurrias chamber of commerce
informed us that the butter that made the town a household word across Texas is
no longer produced locally. The name was bought by a large dairy company and butter
is still marketed under the famous name - but it doesn't come from South Texas.
Falfurrias' famous butter is still remembered in a vintage sign that remains mounted
on a downtown wall. |
| | A
reminder of the region's most famous product
TE photo |
| |
| Oil
and gas discoveries in the 30's and 40's saw Falfurrias in good times. The population
started to decline in the 50s but those who weren't tempted to go to the larger
cities, the quality of life continued - and still does. |
FALFURRIAS
VINTAGE PHOTOS |
Falfurrias
High School Marching Band
Click
on photo for larger image |
"This
was a small band, but huge in heart and spirit. They performed at several out
of town events such at the Buccaneer Days in Corpus Christi and the Battle of
Flowers Festival in San Antonio. Some of the band members included [band leader
Carleen Frazier], majorette Isaura Garza, 2nd row, 3rd from left; Betty Morales,
1st row on the left; David Gonzales, 1st row, 2nd from left; and Oscar Lopez,
1st row, 2nd from right." - Ruben R. Hernandez
"I graduated from
Fal Hi in May of 1952, and that's me leading the band. I was Drum Major for the
school years 1950-51 and 1951-52. Thanks!" Carleen Frazier, July 31, 2008
|
The
Ruth Story Ranch circa 1980
Photo courtesy Ruben R. Hernandez |
| | | Left
- The Pioneer Theater in downtown Falfurrias
Right - The Alameda Theatre [closed]
TE photos
More Texas Theatres
|
Today,
Falfurrias sits and waits for your visit. A short but picturesque main street
includes some downtown trees - a rarity anywhere in Texas - and until recently
there were two theaters from the glory days when they were packed with people
every Friday and Saturday night. The Alameda Theater which had had a unique hand-painted
tile facade was recently demolished - a sad loss for South Texas architecture.
The Falfurrias Chamber of Commerce is right on Business U.S.
HWY 281. |
 |
Falfurrias
Texas ForumFalfurrias,
Texas
I graduated
from Fal Hi in May of 1952, and that's me leading the Marching Band. I was Drum
Major for the school years 1950-51 and 1951-52.
The FIRST movie theater,
called the "Cactus", was on Main St. near the Creamery. After the Pioneer was
built it was kept open for awhile, showing only the B-rated "oaters", while the
"new" Pioneer Theater showed the "latest" shows. It was closed after a relatively
short time. I don't know what happened to the building it was in. Then, the Alameda
was opened across Hwy.281, and, as your site shows, it is no longer in operation.
Thanks! - Carleen Frazier, July 31, 2008
Friendly Folks of Falfurrias in the 1930s
Dear TE, I lived in Falfurrias from 1936 to 1937. I was 13 and living there with
my parents and 2 sisters. [Our family was] escaping the cold weather in Iowa.
My sister Jane worked in the bank shown in your picture. In all my travels I have
never met a more friendly group of people than those in Falfurrias. A man named
Scott owned or operated the bank; his son was my scoutmaster. When we first moved
there we stayed at a tourist court run by the Knowles family. We attended the
Presbyterian church which was a few blocks off the highway. The grade school and
high school were close to the courthouse. I remember the name Lancaster while
living there. My father was a linotype operator at the Falfurrias Facts newspaper
located on main street. I really enjoyed my one year there. We moved to Kingsville
in 1937. - Clark Bolt, Central Texas, January 03, 2007
Subject:
Pictures of People and Places in Falfurrias, Texas
I had sent you some
pictures about Mackay about
a year ago and you were kind to post them. My wife, the former Betty Guerra Morales,
was born in Falfurrias and was in the Class of 1953, Falfurrias High School. Attached
are some pictures of people and places
in Falfurrias. Perhaps you can use them.
The congregation of the Bethel
Presbyterian Church was Mexican for the most part. Here's a personal note.
One of my uncles, Rev Jose Angel C. Hernandez, was pastor of the church in the
mid 1950s. He had graduated from the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
in 1931. It was the time in South Texas history when discrimination against Mexican-Americans
was at its peak. For example, on business trips with Anglo pastors, Jose Angel
was not allowed in restaurants to eat with the other pastors, but was served separately
by himself in the kitchen or even outside. For Jose Angel, these were very painful
and humiliating experiences. - Ruben R. Hernandez, June 11, 2006
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
Falfurrias
Hotels
More Hotels
Related
Places:
South Texas | Texas
Town List | Texas |
© John Troesser | |
|
