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Kendall County, Texas

35 topographic sheets cover 14 settlements here, and 12 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

12 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States
Kendall County within Texas
Explore by year 1879 1899

What the record shows

  • 148 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 12 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 5 buildings, 4 districts, 2 structures and 1 object.
  • 5 of the 12 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 14 populated places in this county; 14 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

12

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Otto Brinkmann Housebuilding197777001457
Comfort Historic Districtdistrict197979002989
Comfort Historic District (Boundary Increase)district200404000911
Joseph Dienger Buildingbuilding198484001901
Gazebo for Alber Stevesstructure200404001171
Herff-Rozelle Farmdistrict200909000983
Hygieostatic Bat Rooststructure198383003144
Kendall County Courthouse and Jailbuilding198080004138
Kendall Innbuilding197676002045
Sisterdale Valley Districtdistrict197575001996
Treue Der Union Monumentobject197878002966
Voelcker-Sueltenfuss Housebuilding2017100001722

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

2

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1879 - Map of Kendall Co., Texas
Land ownership map (1879) - Map of Kendall Co., Texas. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 1899 - Map of Kendall County
Land ownership map (1899) - Map of Kendall County. Library of Congress.

The county from the air

40 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 700 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 40 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-11, scale 1:69000
1952-12-11, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-11, scale 1:69000
1952-12-11, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-11, scale 1:69000
1952-12-11, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-11, scale 1:69000
1952-12-11, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-05, scale 1:69000
1953-05-05, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-05, scale 1:69000
1953-05-05, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-05, scale 1:69000
1953-05-05, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-05, scale 1:69000
1953-05-05, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1958-05-04, scale 1:22800
1958-05-04, scale 1:22800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1958-05-04, scale 1:22800
1958-05-04, scale 1:22800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1958-05-04, scale 1:22800
1958-05-04, scale 1:22800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1958-05-04, scale 1:22800
1958-05-04, scale 1:22800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-09-28, scale 1:31000
1962-09-28, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-09-28, scale 1:31000
1962-09-28, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-09-28, scale 1:31000
1962-09-28, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-09-28, scale 1:31000
1962-09-28, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:31000
1963-01-02, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:31000
1963-01-02, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:31000
1963-01-02, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:31000
1963-01-02, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-10-07, scale 1:25000
1966-10-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-10-07, scale 1:25000
1966-10-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-10-07, scale 1:25000
1966-10-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-10-07, scale 1:25000
1966-10-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-01-24, scale 1:31200
1969-01-24, scale 1:31200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-01-24, scale 1:31200
1969-01-24, scale 1:31200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-01-24, scale 1:31200
1969-01-24, scale 1:31200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-01-24, scale 1:31200
1969-01-24, scale 1:31200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-01-21, scale 1:121089
1971-01-21, scale 1:121089. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-01-21, scale 1:121089
1971-01-21, scale 1:121089. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-01-21, scale 1:121089
1971-01-21, scale 1:121089. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-01-21, scale 1:121089
1971-01-21, scale 1:121089. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-01, scale 1:26000
1973-08-01, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-01, scale 1:26000
1973-08-01, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-01, scale 1:26000
1973-08-01, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-01, scale 1:26000
1973-08-01, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1986-04-20, scale 1:25400
1986-04-20, scale 1:25400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1986-04-20, scale 1:25400
1986-04-20, scale 1:25400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1986-04-20, scale 1:25400
1986-04-20, scale 1:25400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1986-04-20, scale 1:25400
1986-04-20, scale 1:25400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

119 stations, 6 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

10 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 130-1Justice Precinct 1: Boerne city: Boerne city - That part east of Main
  • 130-2Justice Precinct 1: Boerne city - That part west of Main
  • 130-3Justice Precinct 1 - That part northeast of U.S. Highway 87, outside Boerne city
  • 130-4Justice Precinct 1 - That part southwest of U.S. Highway 87, outside Boerne city
  • 130-5Justice Precinct 2
  • 130-6Justice Precinct 3
  • 130-7Justice Precinct 4: Comfort, unincorporated Bounded by Unnamed road, Unnamed road; U.S. Highway 87, Texas and New Orleans Railroad, Flat Rock Creek; Guadalupe River to county line; County line
  • 130-8Justice Precinct 4 - That part outside the unincorporated place of Comfort (See separate map for boundaries of Comfort)
  • 130-9Justice Precinct 5
  • 130-10Justice Precinct 6

Wildfire, 2001 to 2020

426 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 426 of them, burning about 5,315 acres. 13 started naturally and 4 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning206
Missing data/not specified/undetermined126
Equipment and vehicle use60
Natural13
Smoking7
Arson/incendiarism4
Recreation and ceremony4
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Misuse of fire by a minor1
Fireworks1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 February 2004Debris and open burning600 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHILL COUNTRY - 4
2 April 2009Equipment and vehicle use520 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceTURKEY KNOB
3 April 2009Debris and open burning300 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceSIEBENICHER
24 August 2009Natural221 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceBIG HILL
19 June 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined150 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGREEN CEDAR FIRE
21 February 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined150 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
19 October 2007Debris and open burning150 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
17 March 2009Debris and open burning125 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceOW FIRE

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1950 to 2026

60 of 271 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 271 reports for this county, causing 6 deaths, 24 injuries and about $15,541,983 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail128
Flash Flood83
Thunderstorm Wind39
Tornado21

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2007Flash FloodBoerne2 killed, $300,000The extremely heavy rainfall associated with the remains of Tropical Storm Erin moved into Kendall County in the afternoon, producing between 3 and 5 inches over most of the county. Highest rain totals were 8 inches between Boerne and Sisterdale. Most roads in the county were closed and several families had to be evacuated along Cypress Creek due to flooding. City Lake was reported to be only six feet below the spillway. It had only been topped twice in the past 10 years. Near 1900 CST on the evening of April 16, a man and his son were in a truck traveling along FM473 when they attempted to drive across a bridge near FM1376 that was already flooded by Sisterdale Creek. The truck stalled and both men crawled out of the cab through the rear window and stood in the truck bed. Rescuers who arrived within minutes were unable to pass them life jackets or to secure a rope to the truck before a surge of water lifted the vehicle and swept it over the bridge. The father and son were washed into the creek and drowned.
May 2007Flash FloodKendalia2 killedGeneral rainfall of 1 to 2 inches caused brief flash flooding in the area just east of Kendalia. Between 2100 CST and 2130CST, a woman was returning home and while driving on Crabapple Lane in eastern Kendall County and attempted to cross a low water crossing on her drive. The vehicle was apparently washed off the road or partially off the road. Sometime later, her husband noticed the headlights and got in his vehicle to check. He attempted to wade through the water to rescue his wife. Both were drowned in the flood.
May 2016Flash FloodComfort1 killedA young lady drowned on Cypress Creek near the intersection of Highway 27 and Water Street in Comfort. The car was swept off into the creek due to heavy rain. Two occupants made it to safety. One other occupant drowned and was recovered several miles downstream.
July 2002Flash FloodCountywide1 killedNearly all of Kendall County received an additional 3 to 4 inches of rain on July 3. Amounts of up to 10 inches were reported in the northwest part of the county. Streams and creeks that had remained in flood through the day continued to build, with roads closed across the county. The flash flooding continued through the early morning hours, finally ending near noon on July 4. A young man was drowned after the car that he and a companion were riding in was washed into swollen Menger Creek, just south of the town of Boerne on the afternoon of July 4. They were returning to San Antonio when they turned a corner and saw water from Menger Creek moving rapidly over the road. Both were able to get out of the car, but only the companion survived. M32Ve
October 1998Flash FloodCountywide10 hurt, $50,000no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodCountywide5 hurt, $5,000,000no account filed
November 2001Flash FloodCountywide5 hurt, $50,000no account filed
November 2001Tornado (F0)Boerne2 hurt, $100,000A second and larger tornado was observed by the Kendall County Sheriff's Department 4 miles west of Boerne along SH46. This tornado moved toward the northeast, causing extensive damage to mobile homes, trees, fences, and roofs. No injuries were reported.
March 1983Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
July 2003Thunderstorm WindWaring1 hurt, $50,000The east-west oriented line of thunderstorms associated with the cold front continued to move southward through Blanco County. As it moved into the southern part of the county, it produced a downburst between Warning and Sisterdale that knocked over many trees. One person was injured when struck by debris.
July 2025Flash FloodComfort$5,000,000There was catastrophic flash flooding along the Guadalupe River after around ten inches of rain fell in approximately four hours over the headwaters of the river. The flood wave moved downstream into Kendall County. Water from the Guadalupe backed up Cypress Creek in Comfort. Water was 5.6 feet above the bridge on 7th St in Comfort.
March 1976Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWelfare$1,000,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 70 mph that snapped power poles and knocked down a large metal building that was under construction west of Welfare.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindBoerne$100,000Severe thunderstorm winds blew down trees in the Boerne area. The winds also rolled over a trailer, crushing it.
October 2001Thunderstorm WindComfort$100,000Severe thunderstorm winds blew roofs off homes in the Comfort area.
March 2003Thunderstorm WindComfort$80,000Damaging winds knocked over several trees and damaged a home just south of Comfort in a path that ran from north to south. The winds tore a patio roof off the house, lifted it up over the roof and deposited it on the south side of the house. Some of the trees damaged in the area had diameters of over 12 inches. The winds were preceded by heavy rain, and followed by hail and a small tornado.
April 2006HailKendalia$50,000Hail up to the size of baseballs destroyed windshields and dented cars as well as breaking hundreds of windows in homes in and around Kendalia.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindBoerne$50,000Severe thunderstorm winds knocked over trees and blew down power lines in Boerne. The winds also took off a portion of the roof of St. Peter's Catholic Church.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindBoerne$50,000Widespread damage was reported to trees northwest of Boerne. Numerous large limbs were knocked to the ground.
May 2001Thunderstorm WindBoerne$50,000Severe thunderstorm winds damaged the roofs of homes, and windows in homes and cars. The winds also blew down trees and light poles.
October 1993HailComfort$50,000Golf ball to baseball-size hail was reported in Comfort. The County Sheriff's Office reported a large signs blown down and wind damage to a gas pump in Boerne. Several cars were damaged across the County.
October 2000Flash FloodSouth Portion$50,000no account filed
June 2002Flash FloodCountywide$30,000General 3 to 4 inch rainfall totals with isolated amounts of up to 9 inches.
October 2002Flash FloodCountywide$30,000By sunrise, showers and thunderstorms had been producing heavy rain over much of Kerr County for the past hour, and this continued until mid-morning. Rainfall was heaviest in the western part of the County, where average amounts were 2 to 3 inches and isolated totals of up to 5 inches were reported. Flash flooding began shortly after sunrise and continued until noon. Damage was reported to County roads and bridges.
June 1998HailSisterdale$30,000Hail broke out windows in buildings.
September 1997Thunderstorm WindCountywide$30,000no account filed
September 1997Thunderstorm WindSisterdale$30,000no account filed
April 2017Thunderstorm WindBoerne$25,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 90 mph that destroyed a large metal building in Boerne.
November 2000Flash FloodCountywide$25,000no account filed
March 1983Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1979Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 1969Tornado (F3)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 1950Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
September 2011Thunderstorm WindSisterdale$20,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph which snapped a large oak tree in half and pulled a tin roof off a house in Sisterdale.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindWaring$20,000Thunderstorms produced strong winds which blew down trees and damaged some roofs.
May 2001HailBoerne$20,000no account filed
August 2001Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
September 2001Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
March 1998Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
May 1997Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
March 1999Thunderstorm WindWelfare$15,000Trees were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds
February 1997Flash FloodCountywide$15,000no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodCountywide$15,000no account filed
October 2025Thunderstorm WindComfort$10,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph that tore some metal roofing and solar panels off a house near Comfort.
August 2007Tornado (EF1)Boerne$10,000The Sheriff's Department reported that a short-lived, small tornado touched down at the Cave-Without-a-Name northeast of Boerne. The tornado struck a small building and caused minor damage before lifting and dissipating. There were no injuries.
May 2006HailSisterdale$10,000Hail as large as softballs smashed the windshield and dented the body of a DPS vehicle near Sisterdale.
February 2003Flash FloodCountywide$10,000General 1 to 2 inch rains, with isolated totals to 4 inches, fell in the early morning hours over already saturated soils in the county, causing flash flooding. Dozens of county roads were closed.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindBoerne$10,000A severe thunderstorm winds blew down trees north of Boerne.
October 2002Flash FloodCountywide$10,000Scattered evening thunderstorms produced general 1 to 2 totals across the county, with isolated amounts to 7 inches at Comfort. The Sheriff's Department reported several roads closed in the extreme western part of the county during the late evening.
November 2001Tornado (F0)Boerne$10,000A small tornado rated F0 struck in the open near Boerne...causing spotty minor damage to trees.
August 2001Flash FloodCountywide$10,000no account filed
August 1998Flash FloodCountywide$10,000no account filed
April 1997Flash FloodCountywide$10,000no account filed
May 2017Thunderstorm WindSisterdale$5,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 70 mph that blew down numerous trees on the property of the Sisterdale COOP observer.
April 2010HailKendalia$5,000A thunderstorm produced ping pong ball size hail which damaged a car.
January 2004Flash FloodNorthwest Portion$5,000General 1 to 2 inch totals fell across Kendall County, with isolated amounts to 3 inches in the northwest portion. Several roads were closed due to flash flooding.
February 2003Flash FloodCountywide$5,000General 1 inch rainfall with isolated totals to 2 inches, combined with area soils that were already saturated, caused countywide flash flooding from the mid morning into the mid afternoon.
March 2003Flash FloodCountywide$5,000Rainfall from mid afternoon into the early evening produced general amounts near 1 inch with scattered totals to 3 inches. Due to the saturated nature of soils across the county, brief flash flooding developed over low areas and low water crossings.
June 2003Flash FloodSouth Portion$5,000Showers and thunderstorms that developed in the mid afternoon across the southern half of Kendall County and eastern Kerr County continued into late afternoon, producing general 1 to 2 inch amounts. The highest accumulations were in southern Kendall County, where between 3 and 4 inch amounts were reported. Brief flash flooding developed near 1700CST. Damage to roads and bridges was minor.
June 2003Flash FloodNorth Portion$5,000The line of showers and thunderstorms moved into Kendall County in the late afternoon, with rain amounts averaging between 1 and 2 inches over the northern half of the county. Highest totals were east of Kendalia where between 3 and 4 inches was reported. Flash flooding was reported on FM473 between Kendalia and Twin Sisters, in Blanco County, through the early evening.

Every populated place in the county

14

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.