KENDALIA, TEXAS: HERD WORK & HOEDOWNS

The Hill Country town of Kendalia is near the Guadalupe River, about halfway between Blanco and Boerne as the crow flies. It’s one of the smaller towns in the region; its population has hovered around 100 the past several decades, and when you count the ranchers and rural dwellers in its ZIP code that number increases to about 350. Nonetheless, Kendalia has a fascinating history all its own.

Early on, the terrain was dotted with Native American settlements. An occasional Spanish explorer or conquistador would come through during the 17^th and 18^th centuries, usually headed to or from San Antonio to the southeast.

White settlement in the region started in the 1840s, with folks moving from places like Blanco and New Braunfels. They arrived alongside German immigrants, the latter enticed by the fact that many existing citizens were of German heritage. In its early years the settlement was known as Curry’s Creek, named after the modest tributary of the Guadalupe. (Spellings vary on historical documents from Currey to Currie, with Curry the most common.)

Ranching took hold in the Hill Country right away. One driving force behind this was a journalist named George Wilkins Kendall, who studied under newspaper luminaries like Horace Greeley. Kendall is best known today for his bold coverage of the Mexican-American War between 1846 and 1848, but his influence in the Hill Country goes beyond his on-the-spot war correspondence.

In 1852, Kendall and a few friends became interested in sheep ranching. He recommended the Hill Country for the endeavor, and they established successful ranches in New Braunfels, Boerne, and the village still known as Curry’s Creek. Between his compelling writing and spearheading sheep ranching, Kendall’s name would become well-known in the Hill Country. It would also be applied to local place names...but that would take a while.

The first naming honor for Kendall came in 1862, when Kendall County was named for him. It was established with Boerne as its county seat, and would include other towns like Comfort, Bankersmith, and Sisterdale. Unfortunately, George Wilkins Kendall passed away in 1867, so he wouldn’t live to see a town named after him.

In 1883, early settler Carl Gustav Vogel would commission a surveyor by the name of D.W. Grady to officially plat the town. It was still called Curry’s Creek; it wasn’t until 1895 that the post office name would officially change to Kendalia. Oddly, Kendall’s name isn’t mentioned in any of the name change documentation, but it’s not a big logical leap to surmise the town’s name was derived from Kendall’s.

In 1886, Vogel would deed land to the town in order to establish a church for local worship. It would serve as a Methodist church for 80 years; in 1966, its congregation was consolidated with a church in Boerne. The original building was restored, and since 1972 it has served as a nondenominational place of worship as the Kendalia Community Church. It was honored as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1979.

Kendalia marched forward into the 20^th century, and its population hit 100 somewhere around 1940. To this day, ranching is still important to Kendalia, though the town also serves as a peaceful “bedroom town” for folks who commute to work in larger cities. Edge Falls, a 35-foot waterfall on Curry’s Creek, was a huge recreational attraction in Kendalia for years, until it was closed to the public when it became private property in 1975.

One attraction in Kendalia that hasn’t been closed is their historic Kendalia Halle! This popular dance hall was erected in 1903, and the original building still stands. Built of sturdy red fir lumber painstakingly shipped in from Oregon, the hall would hold weekend-long community events and parties. Now, over a century later, Kendalia Halle still hosts live entertainment and dances, the music of the ages ringing throughout the hall!

Whether you’re visiting for a hoedown or to check out the inspiring Hill Country scenery, we’ve got a great resource to help maximize your visit to Kendalia! We’ve researched businesses and attractions here, and that info is ready for you at the bottom of this page in listings sorted by category. All the shops, parks, restaurants, and kid-friendly spots in and around Kendalia are just a click or two away. It’s a perfect road map for your visit!

If you’d like to take a look at other towns in the Hill Country, we’ve thought of that, too! We’ve put dream vacations together in the area (we live and work here, and we love it), and all the expertise we’ve gathered since 2001 is yours with a FREE download of the Texas Hill Country Travel App! We’ve researched over 2,100 local businesses and attraction listings in over 30 towns, and it’s all in the app, sorted by town and type.

In over 20 years as Hill Country property management professionals, we’ve learned from our neighbors, business people, vacation rental owners, and travelers! Our app takes that knowledge and applies it to your unique vacation needs, from property listings to booking info, from check-in to heading home, and app-exclusive perks! We’ll even keep you up-to-date on special events in the area.

This beautiful region of the Lone Star State is our home, and we love showing it off! We’ve arranged Hill Country getaways for everything from romantic escapes to gatherings like weddings and reunions. Feel free to contact us; we’d love to inspire you to fall in love with the Texas Hill Country just as we have.

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