-History of Runge, Texas-
Hard facts about the history of Runge are hard to come by because little has been published about the town and some of that is highly unreliable. For example, The Handbook of Texas locates Runge on the Texas and New Orleans Railroad and names the first settlers as Polish emigrant from Panna Maria, but actually the railroad through Runge was the San Antonio and Aransas Pass, and among the earliest family names were Tips, Gillett, Archer, Tobin, Mayfield, Bailey, Lechie, Custer, Lyons, Wood, Tom, Wofford and Lokey-none of whom were Polish.
-The Railroad-
The town of Runge as it is known today owes it existence to the decision in 1887 of the S. A. & A. P. railroad to extend its tracks eastward from Kenedy Junction to Houston. Immediately after that decision, the enterprising group of men known as H. Runge and Company, who owned a large area east of the San Antonio River, platted a townsite here and gave it the name of Runge. Runge wouldn’t be the town it is today, if it weren’t for Mr. Henry Runge, the founding father of this small town.
-First Businesses-
In that same year several businesses were established on Helena Street, where stores are located now. The first businesses were Reiffert and Tips, Bankers and Merchants, founded by Mr. Reiffert of Cuero and Mr. Gus Tips, Sr. of San Antonio. Later on Tips opened G. Tips store and the original firm became Reiffert and Frobese, General Merchandise. The Reiffert & Frobese Store closed in 1933 and the lumber in the building was used in the dressing rooms for the Runge Yellow Jacket football team and the building became the Novak Café. These businesses were located on the southwest corner of Helena and Main. On the Northwest corner of Helena and Main, A. Meyer built a branch house which was operated by Mr. Emil Schultz. Later the building was occupied by P. E. Nutt Saloon, and then was remodeled in 1917 to become Runge Pharmacy. In that same year, Judge Archer of Helena built a commodious two-storied hotel. Mrs. Maggie Bailey moved from Helena to Runge and took over the hotel and ran it for some 20 years. The building burned in 1966.
-Karnes County News-
The Karnes County News was first published in Helena, but was sold in 1888 to E. G. Gillett who moved the paper to Runge. Gillett published the paper until 1913 when he sold it to Alf B. Schroeter who ran it for 48 years until his death in 1961. His daughter published it until November 26, 1964.
-Cemeteries-
In April 1880, when Runge was two and a half years old, the population was 500 and there had been no deaths and few illnesses. The first death came on May 31, 1890. Mrs. Sarah Ann House, born in 1843, was the first person buried in the Runge Cemetery, which is still in use and contains approximately 1800 graves. The Runge Cemetery was given by H. Runge and Co. in 1886. According to Mrs. Reynolds, the Runge Cemetery was started because of the Flu epidemic that swept through Runge. We interviewed Mrs. Plant, the head director of the Runge Library and as of today, Runge has four cemeteries which include the Catholic Church Cemetery, the Black Cemetery, the Hispanic Cemetery, and the Runge City Cemetery. The Black Cemetery has about 30 graves.
-Economy-
William H. Leckie and E. G. Gillett of Runge were widely known surveyors and brought many farm and ranch owners to the area. In one of their advertisements in 1890 they offered land for sale:
30,000 acres @ $10 per acre
2,000 acres @ $6 per acre
5,000 acres @ $5 per acre
80,000 acres @ $3 per acre
The main source of industry was stock raising and ranching. Beginning in 1887 most of the land was put into cultivation, the principal crop being cotton. Cotton raising made seasonal work for cotton choppers and pickers and led to the erection of cotton gins. At the peak of production five gins operated day and night during the season. The first gin was built by the Schorre brothers between 1893-1897 and was rebuilt by William Wuensch in 1898. The Arnim Brothers built two gins in 1912 and 1915, Ed Hillman built one in 1916, and Strieber Brothers built another in 1917. Willard Kuhne operated the last gin until 1960. An average season for a gin was considered to be 3,600 bales.
In 1909, the Runge Oil Mill Co. was organized with E. G. Gillett as president. The mill ran successfully until it burned on the night of July 23, 1914, at a loss of $60,000.
Money realized from cotton crops generated other businesses in Runge through its first half-century. In 1891, Joe Steiger began a nursery just east of town. In 1895 Mr. George Viel came from Germany and built a shop on Helena St. where he made boots and repaired shoes. Julius Bennett Dry Goods store opened in 1899. C. R. Alexander opened his insurance office in 1905. Mr. Hix Green established the Runge Commission Co. in 1913 to buy eggs and poultry. Other large stores included Thorogood and Lewis, Dry Goods; Gerhardt and Nuson, Grocers; at least five saloons until the passage of the Volstead Act; two livery stables, the Lyon and the I. X. L. The town also supported two “Confectionaries”, three drug stores, two barber shops, two meat markets, two blacksmith shops, a jewelry store, and a millinery shop.
The year 1925 brought several new businesses to town including Runge Lumber Co., Runge Mercantile Co., John Beck Tailor Shop, the Cash Novelty Store, and the F. J. Slavik Filling Station. Also in 1925 the two existing banks, (Runge National Bank and First State Bank) merged into one and became known as Runge State Bank. Runge also had a post office whose first postmaster was W. H. Lokey. In 1891 the Commissioners Court signed a contract allowing a bridge to be built across the San Antonio River between Runge and Kenedy.
-Power and Sewage System-
In June 1914, plans were accepted for the Municipal Power Plant and light and water systems. Streetlights and house current was controlled by one switch. Power was turned on at dusk and off at daylight, except for a few hours one afternoon each week for the convenience of those housewives who owned electric irons. Central Power and Light bought the plant in 1929 for $80,000.
-Road Improvements-
In October 1929 gas was available and in 1930 five blocks of paving on Helena Street and two blocks on Main were completed. On Nov. 1, 1931, machinery arrived to install a sewer system in Runge.
-Weather-
For 83 of its 91 years, Runge has had continuous weather observation and Reiffert and Frobese rendered this service until 1933. A few bad storms have been recorded. In April 1923 hail damage was estimated at $50,000 to buildings. An ice and sleet storm in December 1924, left the town for several days without telephone, telegraph, and electric service. Cattle loss was extensive as cows drifted against fences and froze to death. The worst storm ever was the tornado, which touched down south of the town on May 6, 1930. This tornado was said to have nearly wiped out the town of Runge as it left 27 dead and 34 injured.
-School System-
Before 1891 some children were tutored at home and others attended the private Community School on South Helena Street, which was taught by Mr. Clifton, Miss McCrea, Miss Williams, and others. In the summer of 1891, the Runge School Corporation was formed and the plans for the two-storied frame school building were drawn. It contained three rooms on each floor and was painted white with red trim.
F. Z. T. Jackson was elected as superintendent of the school. He began with three teachers and 150 pupils; when he left there were six teachers and 312 pupils. He had also opened a one-teacher colored school. The first graduation took place from the tenth grade in 1897 with two class members; George Jackson and Arthur Newman. In that same year J. R. C. McDougal, an eighth grader, was appointed school janitor at a salary of $8.00 per month. For the next few years enrollment and faculty increased and necessary addition was needed. In 1915 the trustees bought additional land adjacent to the school grounds for $700, and two years later the district voted a $40,000 bond issue to construct a three-story brick school building. The new school was completed and occupied on January 1, 1918. That building burned on January 22, 1930 and was replaced by the present by the present $90,000 building.
In 1937 enrollment in Runge schools had reached 651 and the total faculty numbered 17. The largest class to ever graduate from Runge High School was the class of 1925 with 32 students.
-Churches-
In 1895 or 1896 the Church of Christ erected a church building on Reiffert and Ojo de Agua streets. It has been enlarged, remodeled, and improved in 1914 and again in 1951.
The first Methodist Church was built in 1886 at the cost of $2000. A new building on the same site replaced the original in 1955.
In 1900 the Runge Town Co. donated a block of land on the West side of North Helena Street for the site of a Catholic Church known as St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. Seven years later the church bought land to its north for St. Anthony’s Cemetery and a rectory was built in 1913.
A Baptist congregation was formed in 1888 but the corner stone was not laid for the First Baptist Church until January 15, 1905. This building located on Reiffert Street a half block south of the Church of Christ was damaged beyond repair in a tropical storm on August 30, 1942. The present building was completed on July 27, 1947. The Mexican Baptist Church was dedicated on June 21, 1925.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was dedicated on June 28, 1914. The Church was rebuilt some years later and a parsonage was added to the church property.
Although Runge has little known history, what they do have is quite interesting. Through this information we are able to see what the town was like and how it evolved.
Grace Kuhne Wallis. Runge Centennial. (2003).
This source gave us a general overview of the town Runge. It really didn’t lack anything.
Jendrusch, Glenda. Interview by Allison Gorzell. Runge, Falls City, Texas. 2 P.M., March 26, 2004.
This source gave us information about a tornado that almost wiped out the entire town of Runge and also gave information about the Runge School System.
Map Quest. “Runge, TX” MapQuest (2004) 1 pp. Online. Internet. March 16, 2004. Available: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&address=&city=Runge&State=TX .
This source gave us information about maps of Runge.
Plant, Betty. Interview by Allison Gorzell & Stephanie Kroll. Runge Library, Runge, Texas. 6 P.M., March 22, 2004.
The source gave us information about the Runge Library and the four Runge Cemeteries.
Reynolds, Vera. Interview by Allison Gorzell. Runge Museum, Runge, Texas. 2 P.M., March 16, 2004.
This source gave us information about the Runge Museum. She also gave us the book the Runge Centennial that gave a lot of history about the town of Runge.
This source gave us information about statistics and facts about Runge, TX.
Free Dictionary. “Runge, TX.” Free Dictionary (2004) 1 pp. Online. Internet. April 22, 2004. Available: http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Runge%20Texas.
This source gave us little information about Runge. It gave us a little information about where Runge is, but that was about it.
Texas.Com. “Runge,” Texas Information (2004) 2 pp. Online. Internet. April 2, 2004. Available: http://www.runge.texas.com/.
This source gave us information about businesses in Runge.
Travel Information. “Runge, TX.” City Data (April 22, 2004) 4 pp. Online. Internet. April 2, 2004. Available: http://www.city-data.com/city/Runge-Texas.html.
This source gave us information on Runge’s location, economy, population, people, etc.
TSHA Online. “Runge,” TSHA (April 22, 2004) 2 pp. Online. Internet. April 22, 2004. Available: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/.
This source gave us information about the Runge Bandstand, the churches, and many businesses in Runge.