The historic Kerrville photographs behind some 1930s tourist souvenirs

Souvenir creamer, Jonroth Studios,
showing Water Street, early 1930s.
Click on any image to enlarge.

Maker's stamps

Years ago, my friend Fred Gamble gave me a little souvenir porcelain cup which showed the 700 block of Water Street, as it appeared in possibly the early 1930s.

The cup was meant for tourists, to be purchased as a memento of their visit to our community. It was sold by Pampell’s, an enterprise located on the corner of Water and Sidney Baker streets; the Humble Fork Restaurant is in the building today.

The name "Pampell's," was a family's name. John Lee Pampell (1871-1958), of Brenham, Texas, arrived in Kerrville on Independence Day, 1890. That means he arrived in Kerrville about the time many of the oldest buildings in downtown Kerrville were being built, including the Masonic Building (now home to Turtle Creek Olives & Vines), and the Weston Building (now home to Francisco's Restaurant).

Saucer, Water Street scene

700 block of Water, early 1930s.

In 1931, a small history of Kerr County was published to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the creation of Kerr County. It was written by middle school students under the careful guidance of their history teacher, Mrs. Kate Franklin.

The sketch about J. L. Pampell paints a picture of what Kerrville looked like in the 1890s; he arrived in Kerrville on Independence Day, 1890.

Candy plate, with mill dam scene.

Kerrville's Mill Dam, ca. 1890s.

"I was impressed at first by the sight of the beautiful hills, the fine Guadalupe River and the splendid class of people who were found, not carrying 'six-shooters' nor lacking in their welcome to a stranger. Captain Schreiner's store, his residence, the St. Charles Hotel, and Dr. Parsons' livery stable, with the dance hall above, were the chief buildings except the court house and the Union Church, where all denominations worshipped."

"My first small business place was an 'Ice Cream Parlor and Confectionery,' where the present wool warehouse now stands," the report reads. 

Saucer, with Ice Plant and Mill scene

Kerrville mill scene, by Starr Bryden, 1950s

That means Pampell's first store was about where the porch of ‘Club Charles’ now stands, almost directly across the street from the Arcadia Theater and Baublit's Jewelers.

His business moved twice; "In 1899 I purchased and removed to my third and present location where the property was then known as the Gregory Hotel."

That hotel was on the corner of Water and what is now Sidney Baker Street.

Among the wonderful things given to me by my friends Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller was a box of souvenir items sold in the old Pampell’s – including a variety of souvenir porcelain items similar to that porcelain cup given to me long ago by Fred Gamble.

Toy cup, with Water Street scene

Each item is stamped on the bottom with a logo which reads “The Jonroth hand-painted studios, Germany.” Beneath that mark is the logo of Pampell’s, along with the text “Painted & Imported for Pampell’s, Kerrville, Tex.”

I found this snippet on the Internet, so take it with a grain of salt: “Jonroth Studios was a name used by an American importing company, John H. Roth & Co. The company was founded in 1909 and imported china from Germany, Japan and England.”

There are several items with the same design in the collection, but I thought it might be fun to pair the painted porcelain items with photographs which might have inspired the Jonroth folks as they designed these items.

There are landmarks in the Water Street painted images – Pampell’s of course, but also the Blue Bonnet Hotel, a sign for the St. Charles Hotel, and the blade of the Arcadia. There’s also a Florsheim shoe sign which appears in the painted images.

Recently a kind reader sent me a collection of postcards and photographs which included all of these elements, and I invite you to compare it to the painted tourist items.

I also found photographs which correspond with the two images of the mill dam which once paused the Guadalupe near today’s pavilion overlooking Louise Hays Park.

I’m thankful for the generosity of so many people who bring me items from Kerr County’s past.

Until next week, all the best.

Joe Herring Jr. is a Kerrville native who enjoys studying about our community’s history. This column originally appeared in the Kerrville Daily Times December 3, 2019

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