Once called Pieper Settlement, Bulverde has a captivating story. Settle in. Let me tell you about the Front Porch of the Texas Hill Country.
Bulverde’s tale begins long before its official founding. Archeological evidence suggests Paleo-Indians thrived here. They lived off the land along Cibolo Creek. Imagine them crafting tools and hunting game. Arrowheads found here give name to a specific style, the Bulverde Point.
Fast forward to the mid-1700s. Comanches controlled the region. They pushed out the Lipan Apaches and Tonkawas. These new inhabitants brought with them a rich vocabulary. It helped describe the land such as the elevation, bodies of water, and vegetation.
Did you know that in 1785, Spanish emissaries noted the Comanches understood how to use the land? They moved about avoiding detection from enemies. That’s knowledge of the land.
The first families documented in the Bulverde area were one Tejana and three Tejanos. Their names are stored in the Alamo Archives. The original Tejana was Guadalupe Herrera. She was a widow and a successful landowner. A school in Bulverde was named after her. Some of the foundation stones are visible off Bulverde Road.
One of the original Tejanos was Juan Manuel Rivas. He was granted land and prospered as a farmer. Agapito Gaytan was another Tejano. He was in the Texas Revolution and got 640 acres. The third Tejano, Luciano Bulverda, may be the origin of Bulverde. He owned 320 acres in the Cibolo Valley. By 1845, William H. Steele and Ludovic Colquhound purchased all four surveys.
In the years after Texas joined the United States, German immigrants arrived. Names like Pieper, Schulmier, and Voges became common. The area was initially named Pieper’s Settlement. Ben Smithson settled Smithson Valley. Other families like Busch and Kuehn soon followed.
The first homes were built of post oak and cedar logs. Later, they used quarried stone. Five of the original eight stone homes still stand. Sheep and goat ranching was widespread. Corn, oats, and wheat were primary crops. Cotton became important after the 1870s. Drought was a problem. The first well drilling was in 1877. Cattle rustling was common.
Henry Voges Jr. established the first store around 1873. It was a stone structure. It burned down in 1969 but was rebuilt. Charles Groenke built the next store. Friedolin’s store, now Specht’s Store and Restaurant, came in 1887.
Between 1850 and 1890, people built many rock walls. They were laid dry. In the late 1920s and 1930s, ranchers sold these fences for income. Fieldstone became a popular building style. Many fences were used to widen Farm/Market 1863.
Once six schools served the area. In 1944, they were consolidated into one. It stood at the corner of Bulverde-Spring Branch Road and Amman Road. After the Great Depression, many farmers left. After World War II, San Antonians moved in.
Between 1996 and 1999, five cities merged to form Bulverde. This required 22 elections. In 1998, Bulverde North and West joined Bulverde South. In 1999, Bulverde East followed. In 2000, Bulverde Northwest joined. On May 11, 1999, the city’s name changed to the City of Bulverde.
Today, Bulverde is known as the Front Porch of the Texas Hill Country. It’s a growing city. Bulverde strives to maintain its scenic qualities. Its strong sense of community remains. The city works to preserve its heritage. It also faces the challenges of rapid growth. Road improvements are continuous. Water conservation is a priority. Bulverde aims to balance progress with its unique charm.