Charming Boerne

Charming Boerne

Esperanza is nestled in the breathtaking Hill Country town of Boerne, Texas – ranked as one of the best small towns to live in Texas. With a population of approximately 12,400 and growing, Boerne is only 20 miles from San Antonio, one of the fastest growing cities in Texas, but yet it has maintained its genuine character and charm. With its rich German roots, Market Days, the Hill Country Mile, mouth-watering eateries, parks, and Cibolo Creek, Boerne provides the small town ambiance while conveniently located near San Antonio, the 8th largest City in the country.

The Hill Country Mile

The crown jewel of Boerne’s history is its quaint Main Street (or Hauptstrasse), filled with historic buildings, eclectic shops, notable restaurants, and small businesses. Today it is part of The Hill Country Mile (HCM), a mile long stretch of meandering paths following River Road Park and Main Street. There is an abundance of antique stores, boutiques, and galleries, as well as an array of fine and casual dining, parlors, coffee shops, and bars. The Hill Country Mile is always abuzz with people and plenty to do and see, yet it still exemplifies the small town atmosphere, welcome, and charm that Boerne prides itself on.

The Hill Country Mile is an extraordinary destination that was created to keep this area vibrant and enhance the live, work, play feel of the charismatic community. The Hill Country Mile will continue to play an important role in preserving Boerne’s rich historic and cultural identity of downtown while fostering economic growth and business diversity.

Boerne Independent School District

The Boerne community places a high priority on education, reflected in the reputation for excellence that Boerne ISD has built and sustained through the years. Boerne ISD has an enrollment of just over 7,000 students who attend class at five elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and two alternative schools.

With more than 900 faculty and staff, Boerne ISD is the largest employer in the community. The teachers are dedicated professionals whose commitment to excellence is recognized consistently on regional, state, and national levels. The district as a whole was ranked second on a list of top school districts in the metro San Antonio area.

History

In 1849, German idealist pioneers from Bettina settled on the north side of Cibolo Creek and created their community called Tusculum, named after Cicero‘s home in ancient Rome. The settlement was purchased and platted in 1852 by Gustav Theissen and John James. They changed the name to Boerne in honor of Ludwig Borne, a German poet and publicist, who ironically never visited his namesake town. A post office was established in 1856 as well as the city’s first gristmill and sawmill on the Cibolo Creek. A blacksmith shop, livery stable, butcher shop, saloon, a general store, and a private school soon followed. Even with its mere 10 houses in 1859, Boerne was chosen as the county seat of Kendall County. The courthouse built in 1870 still remains and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The arrival of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway in 1887 brought increased economic opportunity to Boerne. The train provided daily mail and newspapers from San Antonio and cut travel time between the two cities to three hours. Tourism expanded, and Boerne grew to 800 residents. Not long after the turn of the century, Boerne acquired electricity, telephone capacity, and telegraphs. By 1909 Boerne was incorporated, and Boerne Independent School District was established. Boerne held to its rich German roots despite the influx of different ethnic groups. There are several German community organizations and an annual heritage celebration called the Berges Fest. Boerne is even home to The Boerne Village Band, the longest continuously playing German band in the world outside of Germany. Boerne’s population grew at a steady rate over the next 100 years and is now considered one of the most desirable places to live in the United States.