RT-C Class of 1950 Holds Reunion

The Round Top-Carmine Class of 1950 met July 23 at JW’s Steakhouse in Carmine.

On May 29, 1950, 32 students graduated from RT-C High School in Carmine. There were 14 boys and 18 girls. Seventytwo years later, there are still 17 students living – 8 boys and 9 girls. Along with those listed under the picture, the 6 that were unable to attend include Lucile Knebel Burtschell, Lucille Peitsch Lorenz, Royce Gest, Delvin Jaster, Herman Lehmann, and Allison Ponfick.

Fifteen have gone to be with their Lord. Deceased members are William A. (Willie) Ullrich, Jr., Helene Krause Bethke, August Lehmann, Ray Birkelbach, Vernell Weyand Noak Jackson, Elfrida Bathe Leber, Herbert Rehmann, Peggy Ponfick, Louis Gest, Jr., Paul Viertel, Burdella Lange Mertz, Gladys Koether, Mary Dien Meinen Neutzler, Delois Etzel McGill, and Ruby Peters Partain.

The class plans to meet again next year.

Carmine VFD

Carmine Volunteer Fire Department Firemen’s Feast and Fundraiser on July 17 was a huge success. Almost 2,000 plates were served. Approximately 150 volunteers helped prepare and/or serve the meal, direct traffic, sell raffle tickets, and etc. There were 22 pots used to fry the 8,000 pieces of chicken. The department is very appreciative of everyone who in any way supported their annual Firemen’s Fundraiser.

Regular meeting is July 28 at 7 p.m.

The burn ban continues to be in effect for Fayette County.

Casino Night

Casino Night sponsored by the Carmine Chamber of Commerce will be held on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Carmine Hall, beginning at 6 p.m. It will be German themed with the German Alpine Band, Enzian Baum. Enjoy Gary’s chicken-fried steak meal and delight in “Prosting” Beer and Wine.

Reserved Tables for eight are $400 and individual tickets are $35. They are available by calling or texting (979) 451-1507 and at Carmine State Bank. Reserve your spot now because there will be limited admissions.

RT-C School News

Round Top-Carmine ISD administration offices both at Carmine and Round Top are open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

The first day of classes for the 2022-2023 school year will be August17.

Carmine History Part 1

A piece of Carmine History about dry goods and specialty stores.

A furniture store was owned by Henry Wenderf in the late 1800s. In the early 1900s Henry Haberlein and partner William Neumann had a furniture store and undertaking parlor (funeral home) where they also built caskets. (It was located on the west side of Hauptstrasse to the left of JW’s Steakhouse, now 214 Hauptstrasse.)

Dry goods were also most likely sold in general stores owned by Anders, A. M. Weyand (both about 1886), W.J.H. Umland, and E.W. Hoppe (both by 1889). Otto Schuddemagen and a Goodmann also began their business ventures.

Charlie Wagner and later Henry Menn opened pharmacies in the early 1900s. W. G. Neese Apothecary was opened in the early 1900s and Mr. Neese and a Dr. Carter from Waldeck mixed and sold drugs. It was located where City Garage is now (140 Sylvan St.). Neese Pharmacy was built in 1928 at what is now 111 Thigpen St. Son, W. J. Neese decided to go to pharmacy school after his father died, and became a pharmacist in 1931. He owned Neese Pharmacy until the 1980s.

About 1904, Frank Eichler opened a general store.

A Millinery Shop (hats) owned by Clara Henneger, was opened in the second decade of the 1900s, between 1912 and 1915.

The above is mostly from “A History of Carmine” by Tony Buban.

Julius Menke owned Menke’s Hides near the intersection of Centennial St. and Augsburg Ave in the early 1900s. He salted hides, put them in barrels, and shipped them. He also sold eggs.

Priebe’s Feed Store was along Centennial St possibly in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The building is still standing behind a house and is on RV Park LN.

The tall building at 125 Augsburg Ave. was built in 1918 by W. O. Neumann for a man named possibly Winnisdoerfer. It was the only store in the area to have an elevator. “Farmer’s Hardware Store” is etched in window. It was later known as Carmine Hardware Co. which sold hardware, stoves, Aermotor wind mills, McCormick-Deering, and Avery Farm Machinery, according to a receipt from 1938. A 1942 receipt says John Deere dealer. It was started in 1936 by Otto Jacob and Edwin Jaeger. A repair shop for tractors and implements was next door to the east. It was also known as Jacob and Jaeger. They moved to Giddings in 1947. In 1957 it became Jaeger’s Inc. which is when Mr. Jaeger purchased Mr. Jacob’s interest.

Emil Albers opened a radio shop in the late 1920s and sold it to Raymond Steinbach in 1946. He added televisions, appliances, lawn mowers, appliances, and other items. It was known as Carmine Radio & TV.

Fricke’s Store, owned by Arthur Fricke, was located on Hauptstrasse south of 290 on the west side until the early 1940s. They sold fabric and other dry goods and he was also a cotton buyer.

Albers Butane Service was opened in 1945 by Emil Albers. He sold it to his brother Milton & LaVerne Albers in 1956. They built a new building at 107 Augsburg Ave. in 1965. They sold it to Sharp Propane in 1978, who later built a new store at 714 W. Hwy 290. The property at 107 Augsburg was sold to Bob & Karen Springer in 2007.

Emil Albers was a beekeeper, and sold honey from a building near where the Carmine City Park Pavilion is now located.

An Ice House, located just north of Neese Pharmacy was owned by W. G. Neese. Later Henry Hoermann opened an ice house on Thigpen St. Ice was sold by the block and was used to keep food cold in an Ice Box and to make homemade ice cream. When electricity came, Ice Boxes were known as Refrigerators.

Watch for Part 2 in the near future.

MLLC News

Bible Study group meets Wednesday from 7-8:15 p.m.

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

Sunday School is Sunday at 9 a.m.

Worship with Holy Communion observing the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost is at 10 a.m. The service will also be on the mllccarmine.com website. The Rev. David Tinker is the pastor.

Recycle Trailer

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

Attendants are available to help unload dry newspapers, telephone books, magazines, cardboard, paper, junk mail, clean no. 1 and no. 2 food grade plastics (milk cartons should be separated from other plastic), all colors glass, steel food cans, and aluminum cans.

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 10-2.

Birthdays

Birthday wishes are extended to Wade Eilers, Chaselynn Hentschel, Spence Schroeder, Sadie Stephens, Greg Warburton, and Jeff Wunderlich-2; Matt Colpetzer-4; Bailey Wundelrich-6; and Amy Dooley, Marvin Marburger, Justin Roemer, and Bobbie Weidemann-8.

Have News?

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