History of Pflugerville, Texas
Pflugerville Historical
Marker
Talks about the history of
Pflugerville and the
founding family.
First school was in 1872
on Henry Lisso’s farm.
First church was
Immanuel Lutheran
Church founded in 1874.
No commercial
businesses until 1890.
First post office put into
the general store in
1893.
The Beginning
• Pflugerville received its name from
the Henry Pfluger Sr. family. He
and his family immigrated from
Germany to America in 1849, after
receiving encouraging letters from
relatives.
• Pflugerville is situated about
fifteen miles northeast of the
Colorado River, north of Austin,
Texas. The country at this time
was a prairie, covered with sage
grass about an average height of
four feet.
• The buffaloes were numerous and
would cause lots of excitement as
they would get in the pens with the
milk cows, and Indians would be
seen roaming the country.
• The homes of these early pioneers
in Texas were built of logs, clay and
stone depending on the material
available.
• Wooden pegs were used for nails.
• Most homes had fireplaces for heat,
which were also used for cooking
their food.
• They broke the land with a walking
plow and oxen to plant corn, wheat,
cotton, cane, fruit trees and
gardens.
• Besides farming, they raised cattle
which they drove to market on the
Chisholm Trail to Kansas City.
• The early pioneer women
had to make their own
cloth of either wool or
cotton, which was grown
on their farms.
• The material was
cleaned, corded, and
then spun into cloth
before being dyed with
walnuts, pecan or sumac,
after which it was made
into hand sewn garments.
• They also knitted
stockings, caps,
sweaters, etc.
Transportation
• Means of transportation was
slow as it was either by
horseback, carriage or wagons
drawn by teams of oxen, mules
or horse.
• Once a month some member
of the family would travel to
Austin with a wagon and ox
team for supplies.
• After the Civil War, there was
only confederate money and
merchants would not accept it
so the settlers traded with
chickens, cows, butter, lard,
eggs, corn and any other
products they may have had
for supplies.
• On August 27, 1891 the German-American
Mutual Assurance Association, a mutual fire aid,
was founded in which Pflugerville was the home
office.
• In 1904 the Missouri-Kansas and Texas
Railroad built a line from Granger
through Pflugerville to Austin and
San Antonio.
• In February 19, 1904 the townsite of Pflugerville
was plated by George Pfluger and his son
Albert.
• The public grounds consisted of 16 blocks, and
the right of way, and the depot of the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas Railroad Company of Texas.
• The first addition of the town was the Wuthrich
Addition of six blocks being plated November 22,
1904.
• In 1890 a little country store was built by Louis
Bouls, located at the crossroad, north of
Immanuel Lutheran Church on Dessau Road,
about ¼ mile east of the present site of the city
of Pflugerville.
• There was also a blacksmith shop at this
location.
• The United States Postal Department approved
the establishment of a Post Office on July 3,
1893.
• From 1893 to 1968 the site of the post office was
changed as often as postmasters appointed.
St. George’s Hotel
• Was located just northeast of the Farmer’s
State Bank, was built in November of 1905
• Was owned by George Pfluger and cost
$3,000.00 to build
• Had 17 to 20 rooms that people getting off
the train could use.
• In 1916, Mrs. Brooks was using a lamp in
a closet when the glass chimney fell off
and the flame set the hotel on fire.
Rooming/Boarding House
• There were two in town –
Bublitz’s and Banner’s places
• Offered rooms for local
workers and tourists
• Another house was the old
two-story house near the
railroad tracks owned by Mrs.
M Wuthrich-Doerfler family
Schuetzen and Kegel Verein of
Travis County
• Started in 1891 by 25 men of German descent
• Object of the club was to further
– Social entertainment
– Give neighborly assistance
– Uphold German culture
• Any person of German descent and 21 years of
age could become a member
• Boys who were 16 years of age could join with
written consent from parents
Cotton Gin
• The first gin was built in 1904. It
was destroyed by fire in 1931 and
the present one was built on the
same location.
• This gin baled both round and
square bales. Round bales were
discontinued in 1939.
• The little gin was built in 1913 and
torn down in 1949.
• Between the two gins they would
process about 5,000 bales per
season.
Water System
• In the beginning was not intended to serve the
town … the gin received their water for the boiler
from the creek until 1911 when it went dry, so a
well was drilled.
• Several people wanted water so lines were laid,
first tanks were made of cypress, with a flat rate
of $1.50 per month
• In 1938 another well was dug and a larger
storage tank went up.
• In 1962 the 50,000 gallon storage tank was
erected and the water rate was raised to $5.00
per month
Education
• The education received by the first settlers
was limited.
• First school was a one room building north
of Wainscott Creek. Classes were taught
by traveling missionaries and by pastors of
all denominations.
• Pflugerville still holds a Texas record for
winning 55 Consecutive Football Games
from 1958 to 1962