Palo Alto College

San Antonio, Texas

SMALL TOWN HISTORY: Natalia, Texas

Liseth Garza & Daniel Meza	Spring 1999
History 1302	Hines

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Natalia, Texas

Natalia is a small town southwest of San Antonio, Texas. It's name does not even appear on most maps. Although it is unknown to many, this town is one of a kind. It's people and fairy tale history have made it unique. The town of Natalia is located about 20 miles southwest of San Antonio off Interstate Highway 35. It is on the main line of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The city lies on the border of three different counties: Bexar, Atascosa, and Medina.

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Natalia was founded in 1912 by Dr. Fred Stark Pearson. He was an internationally known engineer. Pearson named the town after his daughter, Natalie Pearson Nicholson.

Her name was misspelled on the U.S. Post Office records and never corrected. Soon after, in 1913 Natalie married a business manager from the London Times, Reginald Nicholson. She never had the pleasure of visiting the town named after her. It is thought that she hardly even knew it existed. Once married she lived the rest of her life in England.

As for Dr. Fred Pearson, he continued his plans in Natalia. He was the prime inspiration of the 30,000-acre irrigation project and the Medina dam. Dr. Pearson was able to use British capital to start the building of the dam.

The land underwent radical modification during the next few years. Most of the brush country and cotton fields were made into small tracts for vegetable growing through irrigation from the Medina Lake. The lake was 25 miles away. Crowds of laborers came in to clear off the brush and to dig up big canals and laterals to carry water to nearby fields. Although the dam was finished in 1912, it was not until April 27, 1915 that it finally was put to the test. Heavy rains filled the lake, and for days the water was running over the spillway. This was at the same time that Dr. Pearson and his wife lost their lives on the SS Lusitania on the way to England. German submarines torpedoed the ship on May 7, 1915. After Pearson's death, the Medina Irrigation Company was forced into receivership. The receivership did not work, and in 1925, the Medina Irrigated Company was created. It later took the name of the Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties Water Improvement District. It allowed landowners to elect a board of directors to manage the affairs of the project.

In 1931, after several attempts at refinancing, a $2.2 million bond was issued to pay for the Medina Valley irrigation and to provide a loan fund for prospective land buyers.

For Natalia thoughts of development and progress were very hopeful. The people of the area held an optimistic view of their town. An article by 'The Devine News' in 1912 announced that lots were up for sale in the town of Natalia. It claimed that Natalia was destined to be the 'Queen City' of the southwest. Therefore, the city began to grow. The streets running north and south were first named First, Second, Third, etc. The streets running east and west were named after the main engineers and planers of the Medina Irrigation project. They took such names as Pearson, Ramey, Palfrey, Miller, and etc.

One of the main attractions that settled in Natalia was a $40,000 two-story hotel or clubhouse. It was built around 1913. Potential buyers of the irrigated lands were wined and dined in the extraordinary hotel. The majestic hotel was used as a lure to make people want to buy land. The hotel was one of the most luxurious of the time in South Texas. Palm trees were planted surrounding it, to try make it look more appealing to tourists. "They tried to make it look like paradise here in Natalia," comments life-long resident Grace Hitzfelver. It was rumored that orange and palm trees were planted in burlap bags on the lands that were up for sale. What the buyers did not know was once they bought the land, the trees would be taken out and planted on the next lot that was for sale, this according to present-day hotel land owner Vonnie Hector.

Charles F.C. Ladd was made chief sales agent for the developers. He along with an old friend, John A. Kenagy took charge of train trips to the area. They loaded up Pullman cars with land seekers from the Midwest and other areas. The potential buyers were then taken to San Antonio, for a sightseeing tour and breakfast, then to Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico for dinner. The visitors were then taken to Natalia. Some, of the best prospects stayed in the hotel, the others stayed in Pullman cars. After breakfast in the luxurious hotel the next morning, they were taken on guided tours of the irrigated farms. They were shown the best farms and homes as demonstration. At the end of the day, Ladd would treat the visitors to a bsrbecue at Chacon Lake. By then, they heard all of the advantages of living and farming in the Medina Valley. They returned home as owners of some land in the Medina Valley. His crusade was a success. It allowed Natalia to grow very rapidly. In 1939, it had 400 residents, as compared to 150 in 1933.

Its growth started to attract industry. In 1931, the Griggs Canning Company built a canning plant. It once employed up to 500 people. They worked hard canning spinach, green beans, beets, tomatoes, sauerkraut, hominy, and pickles. Their market label was the Medina Valley brand or the Elwell label. The Griggs Company was also contracted to can for the U.S. government during Would War II. A man by the name of William N. Forbes Sr. came to Natalia in 1938. He opened the first drugstore in the town. He served Natalia for 25 years, and after his death, his son and widow operated the drugstore until 1964.

On September 12, 1938, flames destroyed the beautiful clubhouse. All of Natalia was unable to fight the flames. All but one original wall was destroyed. A hotel was built on the same location and took the name of Palm Courts. There were cabins built around the main office. The new building still operated as a hotel, but it never had the prestige of the old $40,000 clubhouse.

Vonnie Hector moved to Natalia at the age of 11. Her father and mother ran the Palm Courts hotel from 1947-1972. She remembers how prosperous Natalia was even after the burning of the Majestic Hotel. She can recall the town having many businesses at the time. It had four grocery stores, two all night cafes, a beauty shop, a car sales lot, several service stations, an appliance store and two movie theaters.

The theaters were built separate. The Donn Theater was built to suit the white population of Natalia. The rest of the residents went to La Azteca Theater. The Fraga family ran La Azteca.

They also built a bar and dance area called La Gloria, which was a favorite hangout for teenagers at the time. "It was a big fiesta on September 16," remembers Minga Fraga, a life-long resident. They would celebrate the Independence of Mexico with a huge party. The whole town was invited to join. Minga Fraga's earliest memories are of picking the vegetables from her grandfather's farmland. "Everyone picked, no matter what the age," she says. She started as early at the age of six. Minga can recall coming home from school, changing clothes, and heading straight out to the cotton fields. They would pick until sundown, "till you could not see anymore," Minga adds.

Back at that time, Highway 132 was still named Highway 81. Across the highway from the cotton fields where Minga picked, there were fields of green beans, corn, carrots, and cabbage. All these vegetables were sent to Griggs Cannery to be marketed.

There are many different opinions on the cause of Natalia's fall. One main reason was the moving of the Pan American Highway 81. This highway, which once ran through Natalia, was moved about 10 miles east outside of the town. It runs from Canada all the way down to Mexico. It attracted all types of tourists and travelers. Once it was moved, many potential land seekers ignored Natalia. The major reason that Natalia's business failed, was that the town did not incorporate until 1968. It was incorporated under an alderman type of government. The residents of the city voted for a mayor and four aldermen. The first anniversary was front-page news in 'The Devine News' on Thursday January 16, 1969. It stated that an all day celebration was to be held at the Catholic hall. There was a parade, a barbecue, and a carnival that Saturday night.

The delay of incorporating as a real town led Natalia to fall behind nearby towns Lytle and Devine. These towns are now more populated and more successful. Big corporations, as sites for their business have chosen them. The city of Lytle is proud of its own HEB that was recently opened. The selling of the Griggs Cannery led to high unemployment in Natalia, in 1976.

Ruins of the Gold Bond Manufacturing Company

It was remade into the Gold Bond Manufacturing Company. This company produced carpet padding. It did employ some cannery workers, but many were left without a job. About two years ago (1997) the Gold Bond Company was engulfed in flames and burned to the ground. Now all that stands is the present platform. This company could not afford to rebuild. It instead relocated somewhere out of Natalia. Natalia is now populated by 1,264 residents.

The only modern building in the town would be the U.S. Post Office and the Medina Valley State Bank.

What was once La Gloria, a place for dancing and celebrating, is now nothing more the back yard of Mary Cook. She also remembers La Gloria still in business. When Mary moved to Natalia, La Gloria had changed from a dance hall to a bar or 'Cantina'. Then it was finally closed down for good.

There used to be businesses of all types along the main highway. The buildings are now mostly abandoned and up for sale. The Palm Court Hotel is now a regular home occupied by Vonnie and Mel Hector with their daughter Elaine. The cabins were torn down about two years ago. The name was changed from Palm Courts to Calm Ports, by Vonnie Hector. The hotel now is also for sale.

The BMA is still in operation in Natalia. The offices of the BMA were and have been located on the north end of town.

The City Hall of Natalia is not luxurious in any way. It is a four room building in a nearby neighborhood. The council meetings are held every second Tuesday of the month.

The town's fire protection is provided by a volunteer fire department.

The Natalia Independent School District maintains an accredited public school system for grades K-12.

Most of Natalia's residents are farmers, who own their own land. The farms do not grow vegetables anymore. The farmland is now used for the growth of coastal hay. These farms still depend on irrigation for their crops. Many of the community depends on welfare and out of town employment. Many travel 25 miles every morning and night to San Antonio to be able to have a job.

Mural of Virgen de Guadalupe shows strong religious beliefs in the neighborhood

Despite the downfalls of the city, residents still have optimistic views. Their belief in the church helps them conserve these values. This belief can be seen in the many churches of the town and even in the worst parts of the neighborhood.

There are not many future plans for the town now. The only one heard of is for the old La Azteca Movie Theater to be made into a new dance hall.

Natalia might not be booming in business or population, but in is an incredible town. It has been proven to be strong enough to survive many difficulties. Some say that maybe someday the once great town of Natalia will return.

Bibliography

The History of Medina County. Castro Colonies Heritage Association, Incorporation. Texas 1994

The New Handbook of Texas. Ed. Ron Tyler. Volume 4. Austin: 1994

ANatalia Will Celebrate First Anniversary March 1.@ The Devine News 71 (1969) :1

Yancy L. Russell The Handbook of Texas Online

Interview, Minga Fraga. March 6, 1999

Interview, Vonnie Hector. March 12, 1999

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