Carmine Hall to Hold Monthly Drawing Fundraiser Beginning in September

X

The Cedar Creek Schuetzen Verein, also known as the Carmine Hall, will be conducting a monthly gun and gift card drawing on the third Tuesday of each month from September 2023 through August 2024.

Three tickets will be drawn each month-2 for guns and 1 for a $500 gift card. They are working to raise some funds for maintenance and future major renovation of the historic dance hall. Only 500 tickets will be sold. Winning tickets each month will be placed back in for future drawings.

You must be 18 or older to win a long gun and 21 or older to win a pistol. All winners must be in compliance with Federal Firearms Regulations. In the event all tickets are not sold, Carmine Hall reserves the right to return all monies collected.

For tickets and information on guns, call (512) 4318871 or (979) 542-8312.

RT-C School News

Round Top-Carmine baseball team defeated Richards 2-1 in a District 26-A playoff game on May 1 in Burton. They will go on to the playoffs as second place in district.

RT-C High School students participated at the Agricultural Mechanics Show at Blinn College on April 26. They all received blue ribbons. They are: Rylan Stork-20’ x 6’8” utility trailer; Rylan Stork, Judson Gold, and Brayden Dallmeyer- 12’ x 6’ utility trailer; and Tanner Schobel-welding booth.

The school district gave their appreciation to Linda McCulloch, Tania Hardaway, Gwen Stork, and Audrey Sternadel for Administrative Assistant’s Day last week.

Decoration/Memorial Service Carmine Cemetery Decoration/ Memorial Service is on May 21 at 2 p.m. in the pavilion at the cemetery.

La Bahia Cemetery Decoration service is scheduled for May 28 at 2 p.m. at the cemetery Pastor Tinker is in charge of both services.

Waldeck Annual Picnic The Waldeck annual picnic and meal will be held Sunday, May 21 at Waldeck Lutheran Church. There will be a BBQ Pork Steak meal served from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 per plate and a drawing will also be held with the price at $20 per ticket or 3 for $50. Tickets are available at the Martin Luther Lutheran Church office in Carmine and Carmine State Bank.

Bingo for Seniors

Bingo for Seniors (60 and older plus guests) will be held Sunday, May 21 from 2-4 p.m. at the Ledbetter Community Center. It is on the third Sunday this month due to Mother’s Day on the second Sunday. Cost is $5 per card, which covers 10 plus games and prizes. Chips, snacks, and drinks are available for a freewill donation. This is a nonprofit community event for entertainment.

Memorial Day Ceremony The Carmine EDC is sponsoring a Memorial Day Ceremony at the Carmine City Park on Monday, May 29 from 9-10 a.m. The roster of our deceased veterans will be read. Light refreshments will be served following the playing of Taps. You may want to bring a lawn chair.

For any veteran with Carmine connection, buried in Fayette or Washington Counties, to be added to the roster, call (979) 278-3070.

A Piece of Carmine History A Piece of Carmine History about Services Offered; Part 1-Railroad, Post Office, Telephone service, Doctors, and Bank.

The Houston and Texas Central Railroad built their railway through the Carmine area in 1871, along with a switch, side track, small station, and water tower near the Depot, according to Tony Buban in “A History of Carmine.” It offered passenger, freight, and mail service from Houston and continued on to Austin. Passenger service was discontinued in the 1950s. The train provided freight service from Austin until the mid-1980s. Then the railroad property was sold to the highway department. Rails were removed and eventually the west-bound lane of Highway 290 was built on the railroad property in the 1990’s.

The Carmine Post Office was established on January 14, 1886. Originally the town was named Sylvan, but people got the name twisted, calling it Silver and Silver City. It was changed to Carmean, being named after Newt Carmean, who owned much of the land in the area. In 1892, the Postal Department of Washington D.C. changed the spelling of Carmean to Carmine because mail was often missent to Cameron, Carmona, and other Texas towns of similar spellings.

The first Post Mistress was Elizabeth (Bee) Price, who happened to be the sister of Dr. Benjamin Thigpen, the founder of the town. Operating from the Umland-Hoppe Store, which was one of the first buildings erected, the Carmean Post Office received mail by rail service and was responsible for redistribution by horse and wagon to the south as far as La Grange and to points in between. The office established in this period of progress gained ascendancy over many older offices which were established on the Stagecoach lines, such as Round Top and other points between Carmean and La Grange. This service was continued until 1890 or shortly thereafter.

The office was later moved to the Weyand Store, on the east side corner of the streets which are now known as Hauptstrasse and Sylvan.

The above was taken from both Norma Bauer’s “The History of Carmine” and Tony Buban’s “A History of Carmine.”

In 1980, a new building was built at 201 W. Sylvan, which at that time was still Highway 290. When Hwy 290 became a divided 4-lane highway through town in the 1990’s, the highway moved a little farther north.

Other postmasters have been Henry Weyand, W.J.H. Umland, Johnny Weyand, E.A. Hoppe, Nolan Schmidt, Raymond Steinbach, and Pat Pasket. Next, Officers in Charge serving were Floyd Rivers and Joyce Krause. Then Jennifer Teinert became Postmaster and currently Angela Heard’s title is Part Time Flex.

From “A History of Carmine,” the first telephone system was begun in 1889. It was owned and operated by Otto Schuddemagen. Succeeding Schuddemagan in this telephone company were W.G. Neese and later Dr. A.C. Miller. Herman Siebel and Bernice Stork Mueller worked as operators in the Neese Pharmacy building at 111 Thigpen Street.

For several years, there was no phone service. Then Carmine Telephone Company was organized in April, 1944 by a group of Carmine residents, including E.P. Jacob, Sr., Emil Albers, and others. Leona Koether was the Operator of the switch board, which was in her house, from early morning until 9 p.m.

In 1963, the telephone company was bought by Gaylen Ackley and family and became a part of Industry Telephone Company, which still serves the area today.

Dr. Benjamin Thigpen, who was the first resident of Carmine, came in 1883 with his family. He served as a physician in the Confederate Army. He was a physician of the old school and practiced medicine to some extent.

(From Miss Norma Bauer’s written history.)

According to Nathalie Ponfick Rothermel’s recollections from 1901-1913, other doctors in Carmine were Dr. Paul E. Suehs, Dr. August Beyer, and Dr. A.C. Miller the latter of which came in the 1920’s. He practiced medicine until the 1950’s.

Carmine State Bank was organized by 26 citizens (one was Job Thigpen, son of Benjamin Thigpen), on July 1, 1907. The bank received its charter from the State of Texas on July 20, 1907. A building was soon constructed at the corner of Centennial and Sylvan Streets. On September 3, 1907, the bank officially opened for business. It received its charter from the State Banking Department on July 7, 1927. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation granted membership to the bank on November 4, 1964.

The original building was remodeled three times. In the 1940’s, it was razed and a new bank was constructed. The second building received renovations in 1974 and was in use until 1987, when a new, two-story facility was built at 235 Centennial Street.

The bank installed its first computer system in 1984. Internet banking was offered in 2006 with many amenities. Debit cards are also issued.

Watch for Part 2.

Carmine VFD

Carmine Volunteer Fire Department drill night is May 11 at 7 p.m. Volunteers and interested persons are always welcome to attend.

The Firemen’s Feast will be held the third Sunday in July.

Dues may be paid by sending them to PO Box 217, Carmine, TX 78932.

Meals on Wheels

Senior Citizens Meals on Wheels with Combined Community Action meet every Wednesday at Martin Luther Lutheran Church Mission and Ministry Building located at 250 Augsburg Ave., Carmine, TX 78932.

Come early to play dominoes and enjoy the camaraderie. Hours are 9-11:30 a.m.

Food usually arrives about 10 a.m. and is for pick-up only until 11:30 a.m. There are 5 meals in a box along with milk, dessert, and bread. Cost is a donation of $10, which makes it $2 per meal. It is for seniors age 60 and up.

To sign up, come by on any Wednesday morning to fill out the paperwork. For more information, contact Marilyn Wagner at (979) 2774134. MLLC News

Worship Committee meets Tuesday, May 9 at 4:30 p.m.

Rebekah Group meets Thursday at 2 p.m.

Saturday worship with Holy Communion is at 6 p.m.

Sunday School is Sunday at 9 a.m.

Sunday worship with Holy Communion, observing the Sixth Sunday of Easter is at 10 a.m. Praise Team leads songs and the Noisy Offering will be received for the AMEN Food Pantry. The service will be on the mllccarmine.com website. The Rev. David Tinker is the pastor.

A reception follows worship honoring Mothers and Graduates.

Domino Party is Monday at 1 p.m. in the Mission and Ministry Building.

Recycling Trailer

The recycling trailer is at the Carmine Hall on Thursdays from noon until 4 p.m.

Accepted are dry newspapers, telephone books, magazines, cardboard, paper, junk mail, clean no. 1 and no. 2 food grade plastics (please separate the no. 1 and no. 2), all colors glass, steel food cans, and aluminum cans. Attendants are available to help unload.

The trailer is in Ledbetter from 8:30-11 a.m., also on Thursdays, behind the Ledbetter Fireman’s Hall.

Visitors’ Center

Carmine Chamber of Commerce Visitors’ Center at the restored Train Depot is open on the second and fourth Fridays and Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Birthdays

Birthday wishes are extended to Ava Kelley-May 10; and Beverly Cucuzza and Ra-Chelle Kuecker-15.

Have News?

If you have news for the Carmine News column, you may email Nancy Eilers at w5ten@industryinet.com or call (979) 278-3645, or send it to P.O. Box 95, Carmine, TX 78932.