Registered Nurse Cora Karbach built the Schertz Community Hospital at 805 Main Street along the Old Spanish Trail. The hospital opened in 1917, serving the population of Eastern Bexar and Western Guadalupe County, along with ill or injured Old Spanish Trail travelers, until 1939.
A sign at the former hospital building, now used as multifamily housing, reads as follows:
"SCHERTZ HISTORIC SITE
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
On one acre of land purchased from Ferdinand Schertz on March 22, 1916, Cora Karbach built the Schertz Community Hospital. When it opened in 1917-18, the 5500 square-foot red brick building had a five bed ward, twelve private and semiprivate rooms, two nurses rooms, an office, kitchen and operating room. The building had a dumbwaiter, laundry chute and a manually operated (rope pull) Otis elevator, circa 1908, still operable today. The hospital served Western Guadalupe and eastern Bexar counties until early 1939. Cora Karbach (Dec. 9 1888 – Feb. 22 1970) was born in Comal County to Johann Karbach and Sophie Klingemann. She attended nursing school and received nursing degree. Cora was a woman well before her time. To buy land, build, and open a hospital serving the community, was a bold move for a woman of that era.
Presented to the
Schertz Historical Preservation Committee March 22, 2009"
Old downtown Schertz stands along Main St/FM 78/Seguin Road.
In the 1990s, FM 78 was widened and re-routed one block south of Main Street, but the old alignment of the OST formerly ran in front of Randolph Army Air Field, crossed the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks and ran 1 block north on 1st/Lee Street, before turning east as Main Street for 6 blocks through downtown Schertz. At the edge of town, OST turned back south across the RR tracks to head east to Cibolo.
Schertz is listed in the 1925 OST brochure, whose PDF is embedded in this story from the San Antonio Express News: (
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"From San Diego
1533.9
SCHERTZ, TEXAS
From San Augustine
1283.1
18.2 mi. Asphalt and Gravel
Pop. 315. Elevation 718 ft. Country hotel, meals.
INFORMATION AND SERVICE
Schertz
OST Service Sta. Ladies' rest room, ice water. Ebert Bros. Gulf Filling Sta., opp depot. Refreshments."
It's interesting that the presence of a hospital in Schertz is not mentioned in the 1925 OST guide, even though by the time the guide was published the hospital had been in operation for almost 8 years.
In 2017 the property was placed for sale. The listing reads: (
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"Guadalupe CAN 2G0221000001602000, 0.967 Acres with historically significant building. Originally built as community hospital in 1917, has been in use as multi family since 1970's. Has 6 rental units in main building with additional detached quarters that can be used as a rental. Building will qualify for Texas historic tax program, current owner has not designated the property. Will need extensive renovation, but has enormous potential.
Located in historic downtown Schertz on Main St. Minutes from Randolph AFB, shopping, and rapidly growing residential areas."