The old mill

This print was done by an artist in Fredericksburg, and was our Christmas present.  It hangs on the wall in the living room at the SSB.

All didn't go smoothly for the intrepid Germans when they moved to take over this mill.  There is a big retaining pond in back, and I understand the wheel is on the left as you look at the mill.  They have closed it because of the vandals and insurance.  G has seen it - I have not.

Anyway, this creek is normally a slow moving little stream, but there are very heavy rains that can (wish they would again - we NEED them) fall on the watershed.

GGG(+/- some g's) sent the boys to San Antonio shortly after buying the mill to buy a bigger wheel to go on the mill.  Now these days, San Antonio is about 2 1/2 hours away - at 70 mph when you reach the highway.  I can only imagine how long it would have taken the boys.  Atm 30 miles a day, it was about a week, I am sure!

So they set off,  and brought the new wheel back.  It was installed, and was working well - until.  There was an extremely heavy rain.  The creek flooded, and the flood waters ripped the new wheel off.  So there they were - no wheel. I can just imagine the way they felt.

Those Germans were hardy folks.  If you notice on the far side of the creek - across the road from the mill - is a remnant of a rock fence.  This was the way to delinate pastures.  I think the men worked on these fences, but G's theory is that they used Mexican labor to do them.  I can just imagine the work involved in these - especially in the Texas summer heat.

There was only so much work for people at the mill, so as they boys grew into manhood, married and had families, they branched out into other communities around here.  They moved from Doss into Squaw Creek and Cherry Springs.   There are lots and lots of relatives all over that area.

I joke with G telling him that we really couldn't toss a rock without hitting one of our relatives.  He probably more so because his maternal folks are all from that area.  Mine are at least a little more spread out!

A little Texas Hill Country history.  Lady Bug found some of our families listed in her Texas History Book!  She is now a little more interested.