FRED GRABEW GAS STATIONFred Grabew is pictured in front of his Sinclair Gas Station in downtown Cat Spring. Grabew was one of the founders of St. John Lutheran Church in Cat Spring.

Cat Spring State Bank, 1912-1932Pictured are Charles Dittert and Oliver Theumann. The picture was taken in 1912. The bank stood near where the Rooster Station is currently located. The bank folded in 1932 along with many more during that time as the country was in the Great Depression.

ZUBICEK SAW MILLThis is a picture of the Zubicek Saw Mill on a typical workday. This was a combination cotton gin and saw mill and started in 1894. In one year the mill cut 80,000 board feet of lumber. Pictured in left to right order are Sam Zubicek owner, Erwin Grabow, Edwin Zubicek, Theo Stuessel, Edmund Stastny and Robert Zubicek. The photo was taken in the late 1940’s.

HENRY HESS HARDWARE AND GENERAL MERCHANDISE Henry Hess dealt in saddles, harnesses, buggies, spring wagons, carts, tinwear and stoves.Hess came from Vienna to Texas and settled in Cat Spring around 1860, shortly before the Civil War. Hess made saddles, repaired harnesses and saddles and was in the leather business. Hess married Franziska Schlapota and to that marriage three sons were born. The date of the photo is unknown, however, Henry Hess is sitting on the chair, his son Edmund is the one standing on the porch with the apron on and Ed Batla is standing at the bicycle.

AERIAL VIEW — This aerial view of Cat Spring was taken around 1951 before FM 949 was constructed. Starting at the left and going up main street, Herman Strauss home, H.A. Strauss General Store, now Mustang Alley, Grabow Station, Karger Store and Post Office, S. Kinkler and Co Lumber and Hardware, later Geo. Prause store, Ernest Wilke Gen. Mdse. Store later Hill’s Confectionary, Fritz Strauss Barber Shop, Ernest Dittmar Saloon, in 1958 bought by Eldert Michaelis, Cat Spring State Bank building 1912-1932, Zubicek Gin and Saw Mill. Behind the gin is the Zubicek home, then the Herman Kollatschny home and the Fred Grabow home. Behind the Kinkler building is Herman Braesicke Blacksmith Shop, now Carols.

Rudolph Theumann, Cat Spring Mail CarrierTheumann is standing at his automobile ready to go on the mail route. Theumann was one of the founders of St. John Lutheran Church in Cat Spring and offered his home for the organizational meeting as well as church services.

TWO BROTHERS SALOONThe Pless brothers owned and operated the Two Brother’s Saloon. The seventh person from the left, standing on the steps is Theodore Pless, one of the owners. The photo was taken in about 1896 and it must have been in old Cat Spring. The reasoning is because when you look at all of the photos of new Cat Spring along the railroad, there are no trees and this photo shows big trees.

GETTING READY FOR THE PARADEAfter the town of Cat Spring was moved to its present location along the railroad tracks in around 1898, the custom was when the June Fest was held they would all gather at the new location and march in a parade to the hall. Here they are getting ready for the parade.

CAT SPRING HOTELCharles and Anna Dittert owned and operated the Cat Spring Hotel from 1892-1919. This picture was taken about 1900. When they retired they turned it over to their daughter and son-in law George and Nola Prause. They operated the hotel from 1919-1928 when they sold it to Mrs. Minnie Kuehn. After her death the hotel was torn down. The hotel was located just across the railroad tracks, going north, at the corner of FM 949 and the street going to the post office. Charles Dittert is seated a left, Grandma Helms is the lady with the apron, Anna Dittert next to Helms, and Nola Dittert Prause is the little girl. Dr. Schilling is the man in the white shirt standing by the fence.

H.A STRAUSS GENERAL MURCHANDISE STOREPictured inside the Strauss store are from left Herman Strauss, owner, Fay Fricke Reichardt, Arthur Andreas, clerk, Evelyn Fricke holding Shiela Volkening Prescott. The photo was taken in 1943.

• CAT SPRING CITY BAND AND ORCHESTRA• This photo was taken in about 1915 and the

members are, bottom row, left to right, Ed Blaschke, Otto Dittert, Wm. Andreas, Emil Kretzschmar, Eddie Celetka, Alfred Dittert and Louis Hering. Back row, l-r, Edwin Braesicke, Charlie Kretzschmar, Herman A. Strauss, Ben Andreas, Lawrence Dittert and Edmund Reibenstein.

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CAT SPRING CITY BAND AND ORCHESTRAThis photo was taken in about 1915 and the members are, bottom row, left to right, Ed Blaschke, Otto Dittert, Wm. Andreas, Emil Kretzschmar, Eddie Celetka, Alfred Dittert and Louis Hering. Back row, l-r, Edwin Braesicke, Charlie Kretzschmar, Herman A. Strauss, Ben Andreas, Lawrence Dittert and Edmund Reibenstein.

Cat Spring Agricultural Society 50th Anniversary celebration held in 1906.

WAITING FOR THE TRAINThe Cat Spring depot was located midway between the two crossings. Here passengers seem to be waiting for the train’s arrival, either to meet someone or to take a trip. They appear to be dressed in their Sunday best. The depot was later moved to Sealy.

TURNER HALLThis magnificent building once stood where the Travis Nelson home is now located. This was the second Turnverien hall. The first one was located somewhere near where the Navarro home is today. That one burned down and this one was built after Cat Spring relocated along the railroad. The Turners were gymnasts and the hall was designed with a balcony from where the flyers could launch. It also had a stage with a roll-up curtain and dressing rooms. Three-act plays and musical performances and school Christmas programs were held there. In its last years it was primarily a dance hall. The building was torn down in 1960 and the lumber sold.

In 1834 Louis von Roeder built the first gristmill and Robert Kleberg built the first store in Cat Spring. By 1900, Cat Spring had a gin, saw mill and a wood-planing mill. There was also a shoe shop, saddle shop, a school and a church. About 1895, when the railroad came through, the town was moved to its present location along the railroad. This photo is Cat Spring at its new location. Far right is John Hackbarth, Groceries-Dry goods – Shoes – Hardware- ETC. Second building from right is Two Brothers Saloon. The Turner hall is far left in the distance. The photographer is facing south from a location near the present post office.

THE KARGER STORE AND POST OFFICEJulius Karger left Germany because he was tired of war and oppression when he was a lad of 16. He came to Cat Spring by way of Galveston in 1896 and his parents followed soon thereafter. His first job in Cat Spring was working in the Kinkler and Hassler store in old Cat Spring. Later he worked for John Hackbarth until the store burned down and then opened a store of his own. Karger was appointed Postmaster in 1892 and served for 20 years. The photo was taken Feb. 1, 1908 and Karger is standing on the porch. The man standing by the mail wagon is Henry Suhr on his first day as mail carrier.

The mountain in front of the Zubicek Saw Mill is a pile of sawdust from a morning of sawing. Pictured are Theo Stuessel and Sam Zubicek.