Friesenhahn Cotton Gin -- Comal Community, TX - Mills and Gins on Waymarking.com

This cotton gin was built in 1900 by Comal settlers "the Friesenhaun brothers." They also built a corn shelling plant here.

The abandoned yet historic cotton gin stands along Old Nacogdoches Road near Comal. The gin used steam power to operate its machinery.

A state historical marker nearby reads as follows:

"COMAL COMMUNITY

In the mid-19th century, several German families left nearby New Braunfels and established farms in what would become the village of Comal, Texas. At varying times, Comal has been known as “Wenzel” for one of these founding families, and “Eight-Mile” or “Seven-Mile” for its location in relation to New Braunfels. Comal settlers were among some of the first Germans to emigrate to Texas in the 1840s. The Schwab, Friesenhahn, Wenzel, Fey, Schaefer, Syring and Sahm families established farms, some of which remain productive and run by descendants of these pioneering families.

Throughout the 20th century, Comal remained a small and close-knit agricultural village. The Friesenhahn brothers, influenced by the community’s reliance on cotton as a cash crop, organized a community cooperative gin in 1900 and established a corn shelling plant that served area farmers. Kneupper’s Grocery, in business from 1906 to 1973, provided the community with goods and was a center for social gatherings on Friday and Saturday evenings. A blacksmith shop, owned by the Wenzel and Schwab families, remains standing near the center of town. Most of the infrastructure is present as a reminder of the community. Education and religious commitment among the first settlers (both Catholic and Protestant) was a first priority and many of the Comal family patriarchs were instrumental leaders in forming the first school and church institutions in Comal as well as in New Braunfels. These families and several others built Comal into a thriving and prosperous farming community that survived against difficult odds and helped make Comal, Texas such a storied and historic place.

(2012)
Marker is property of the State of Texas"

A map of Comal Historic sites with the Cotton Gin pinpointed is here: (visit link)

Year built?: 1900 Is the mill or gin still in operation?: No What is or was processed here?: cotton Are tours available?: None offered, view from the outside only. How is or was it powered?: steam power Related link to this waymark.: [Web Link] What is it used as today?: abandoned awaiting interpretation or historical recognition

Visit Instructions:
A picture of the mill or gin along with any information you can provide about the waymark and what you might have experienced while visiting.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   01/15/2018 Benchmark Blasterz visited it