Hochheim, Texas
Encyclopedia
Hochheim is an unincorporated community
in DeWitt County
, Texas
, United States
. It was founded as a settlement for German
immigrants along the Guadalupe River
.
, used to cross the river. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
is regarded as the first European to encounter the river at this location circa 1528. He named it, "The River of Nuts" due to the large concentration of pecan
trees that grow naturally along the river's banks.
In 1848, Volentine Hoch, a German immigrant from the disputed Alsace-Lorraine
region, traveled to the rolling hills near the lower Guadalupe River with his son, after arriving in America at the port of Indianola, Texas
. Upon arrival to the hills, Hoch remarked: "Here we shall build our home." Construction of the home soon began from the stones at the Guadalupe River bed, and was completed several years thereafter. Others with surnames that included Crawford, Helms, Humphrey, Steen, Morrisse, Times, and Schwab, began to build homes and establish businesses in the area; soon the community of Hochheim was established. The name could be translated to mean "Hoch's home" for the earliest settler, or "High home" for the fact that Hoch constructed his home on a hill. Townspeople also referred to the settlement as "Dutchtown".
After the Schwab family opened a general store and gin, Hochheim was used as a trade stop between Indianola and Austin
. A railroad was constructed through the town that connected the two cities. By 1870, the town had two grocery stores, a drugstore and a blacksmith shop. That year, a post office was established in the town. Sometime between 1870 and 1880, a Masonic Lodge
was built, which was used as a school, church and community center, at the turn of the century. The German Methodist Church was present in the town as early as 1864, and a Presbyterian church moved to the city in 1882, serving the town until 1961. By 1885, 200 people lived in Hochheim with ten businesses operating in the area. The population reached its peak of 261 in 1904, and dwindled to around 100 between the 1920s and 1950s.
Volentine Hoch's home was restored to its original state in 1953 after being damaged during a 1934 storm. It has been recognized with a Texas Medallion by the Texas Historical Society. By the 1980s, Hochheim's population had fallen to 70 and only one business remained.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in DeWitt County
DeWitt County, Texas
DeWitt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 20,013. DeWitt County is named for Green DeWitt, who founded an early colony in Texas. The seat of the county is Cuero. It was founded in 1846.-Geography:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded as a settlement for German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
immigrants along the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...
.
Geography
Hochheim is located at 29.3124676°N 97.2916555°W, 354 feet (107.9 m) above sea level. It is located on the Texas Coastal Plain.History
The Guadalupe River passes through the town, and the present-day site is believed to be the location that Spanish explorers including Alonso de LeonAlonso De León
Alonso de León wasexplorer and governor, who led several expeditions into the area that is now northeastern Mexico and southern Texas.-Early life:...
, used to cross the river. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer of the New World, one of four survivors of the Narváez expedition...
is regarded as the first European to encounter the river at this location circa 1528. He named it, "The River of Nuts" due to the large concentration of pecan
Pecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
trees that grow naturally along the river's banks.
In 1848, Volentine Hoch, a German immigrant from the disputed Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
region, traveled to the rolling hills near the lower Guadalupe River with his son, after arriving in America at the port of Indianola, Texas
Indianola, Texas
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
. Upon arrival to the hills, Hoch remarked: "Here we shall build our home." Construction of the home soon began from the stones at the Guadalupe River bed, and was completed several years thereafter. Others with surnames that included Crawford, Helms, Humphrey, Steen, Morrisse, Times, and Schwab, began to build homes and establish businesses in the area; soon the community of Hochheim was established. The name could be translated to mean "Hoch's home" for the earliest settler, or "High home" for the fact that Hoch constructed his home on a hill. Townspeople also referred to the settlement as "Dutchtown".
After the Schwab family opened a general store and gin, Hochheim was used as a trade stop between Indianola and Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. A railroad was constructed through the town that connected the two cities. By 1870, the town had two grocery stores, a drugstore and a blacksmith shop. That year, a post office was established in the town. Sometime between 1870 and 1880, a Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
was built, which was used as a school, church and community center, at the turn of the century. The German Methodist Church was present in the town as early as 1864, and a Presbyterian church moved to the city in 1882, serving the town until 1961. By 1885, 200 people lived in Hochheim with ten businesses operating in the area. The population reached its peak of 261 in 1904, and dwindled to around 100 between the 1920s and 1950s.
Volentine Hoch's home was restored to its original state in 1953 after being damaged during a 1934 storm. It has been recognized with a Texas Medallion by the Texas Historical Society. By the 1980s, Hochheim's population had fallen to 70 and only one business remained.