Returning to our Roots
Known for its Republic-era history, beautifully-restored Victorian homes and stately large live oak trees, one of which is approximately 500 years old and is registered as the second largest in the state, Columbus, Texas is in very close proximity to where the Hoelscher-Buxkemper family put down its roots for the first time after arriving in America. The branches of our large family tree have spread out all over Texas and into other areas of the U.S., but now we have the opportunity to “Return to Our Roots” to see the various sites in Colorado and Fayette Counties that are associated with the early generations of our family.
Two guided tours of these sites will be provided on Friday, June 22nd - the first beginning at 10 a.m. at Hruska’s Store and Bakery in Ellinger, TX, with the second one beginning at 1 p.m. A repeat tour will be held on Saturday morning, June 23rd, beginning at 8 a.m. at Hruska’s. The tours will include visits to the Hoelscher Haus Polka Museum at the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange. The house originally was the circa 1880 salt-box style bedroom/parlor addition to the Anton Hoelscher, Jr. home near Live Oak Hill at Ellinger. Next, the sign erected by the family designating the gravesite of
Anton Hoelscher, Sr. and the locale of the land owned by the Hoelschers at Ross Prairie will be seen from the roadside. Then the tour will proceed to St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Cemetery at Live Oak Hill, where several second and third generation graves will be viewed. Next, the Anton Hoelscher, Jr. farm with the circa 1854 log cabin will be seen, followed by a drive to Frelsburg to visit the Theodore Buxkemper farm, Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and the graves of Mary Catherine Hoelscher and her daughter, Elizabeth Buxkemper Niehues, along with her husbands. A special “never-before-seen” highlight will be the opportunity to see a portion of the 100-acre original farm, located 10 miles NE of Columbus in the Peter Piper League, purchased by Anton Hoelscher, Sr. on Jan. 26, 1847. This farm was sold by Mary Catherine Hoelscher in December, 1858 to settle her deceased husband’s estate.
In addition to these tours, there are many other interesting places to see and experience in the area. Stop by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce on the first floor of the historic Stafford Opera House to obtain more information and visit their small museum. Ask about the Talking Houses self-guided audio tour of historic homes in town. While downtown, visit the Colorado County Courthouse, which features a Tiffany-style stained glass dome in the second floor district courtroom. Visit the Confederate Memorial Museum in the old water tower on the courthouse square, as well as the Live Oak Art Center inside the
historic Brunson Building. There is also the 1836 Alley Log Cabin, a Santa Claus Museum and the Nesbitt Memorial Library that has an extensive doll collection. Don’t forget the Painted Churches Tour in Fayette County, Monument Hill State Park and the historic Fayette County Courthouse with its unique atrium, as well as the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center and the new Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange. Schulenburg has several museums, including the Stanzel Model Airplane Museum and the Polka Museum. Fun for the kids can be found at Splashway Water Park in Sheridan, TX. Come spend a few days in “God’s Country”!