The Birth of Methodist Encampment 100 Years Ago in Kerrville, Texas
This Power Point Presentation was given on April 1, 2024 at the Centennial celebration of the first lots sold in Methodist Encampment. It goes back nearly 300 years ago to explain how our hill, Mount Wesley, got its name. Methodist Encampment’s beginnings were actually on the Gulf Coast…learn how the encampment then migrated inland to the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country.
Use the arrows to manually navigate through the slides. You can also enlarge the slide show for easier reading.
Our Historical Marker
In 2017 a group of neighbors in Methodist Encampment undertook a long process of researching, discussing, writing, and revising an application for a Texas Historical Commission Marker. After some back and forth, the THC finally approved the text for a “Subject” Marker for Methodist Encampment. This means that no individual houses are under historical protection; instead it is the neighborhood as a whole which is acknowledged as having historical significance for Texas.
The next step was for the Marker text to go to the foundry, where it would be transformed from paper to bronze in the largest size Marker available. However, just at that moment, the foundry which the State of Texas had used for decades unexpectedly ceased operation, and there was no alternative. Another year passed before the State found a new foundry, and then more time until the manufacturing process was complete.
Finally, the marker was delivered, three years after the effort began. It was heroically set in place by three neighborhood men at the corner of Methodist Encampment Road and McAllen, and on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, 2020, the Texas Historical Marker for the Methodist Encampment Community was dedicated.
Dedication of the Historical Marker, November 29, 2020
On a cold and windy day, November 29, 2020 at 2:00 pm, several neighbors and friends gathered to dedicate our Texas Historical Commission Subject Marker #19KR01 “Methodist Encampment Community Marker”. Noted in a 1993 neighborhood news bulletin, the Board of Directors at that time (Ernest Tremayne, David & Dawn Shaw, Cindy & Bob Doran, Ken & Fran Stevens, Mike Walker and George & Judy Eychner) agreed to “support the idea of a Historical Marker for the Mt. Wesley Methodist Encampment”. It is now registered and installed.
Speakers included neighbor and ex-Kerrville Mayor Jack Pratt, Historian and ex-Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Beth Palmer with Light on the Hill at Mt. Wesley, and Kendall Waller with the Rio Texas Conference UMC. The marker was unveiled by Lezlee White, Judy Lundquist and Dr. Franklin Redmond all whose families have been here many years. Linda Bullard read the inscription and Mark Stone made closing remarks. We are working to have a recorded version of the dedication ceremony available at the Little free Library.
There were a few displays including the book that was compiled to apply for the marker, old postcards and a reproduction of a map hand drawn in the mid 1950’s by Viola Kellum Redmond. The map of the church and neighborhood was generously provided by her family who still own the family home called “Redmond’s Nod-A-Way”. That map is now on display at the corner of Tanglewood and Uvalde for us all to enjoy. It is in front of what was Faye Bible’s “Bible Cottage” that she owned at that time. Joe Herring generously donated printed copies of the map that are available for a donation of $10 that will go to help fund the Heart of the Hills Heritage Center in Kerrville. Contact Linda Stone (Linda@Karstone.com) if you are interested.
Thank you to Kerr County Historical Commission and all the neighbors and friends who helped with the process and research.
Text of Historical Marker
METHODIST ENCAMPMENT COMMUNITY
THE EPWORTH LEAGUE, FORMED IN CLEVELAND IN 1889, AIMED TO SPIRITUALLY DEVELOP METHODIST CHURCH YOUTH MEMBERS. THE EPWORTH MOVEMENT SPREAD IN TEXAS AND A STATEWIDE LEAGUE ORGANIZED IN 1892. FROM 1906-1919 THE LEAGUE MET ON THE SOUTH TEXAS COAST WHERE IT WAS KNOWN AS “EPWORTH-BY-THE-SEA” UNTIL A SEVERE STORM FORCED IT TO RELOCATE.
IN 1923, THE WEST TEXAS CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST CHURCH ADOPTED A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A NEW ENCAMPMENT. MANY LOCATIONS WERE CONSIDERED AND IN 1924, THANKS TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THE TRUSTEES ACQUIRED 200 ACRES OF LAND WEST OF KERRVILLE, EXTENDING FROM THE BANKS OF THE GUADALUPE RIVER TO THE TOP OF WHAT IS NOW CALLED MOUNT WESLEY.
NEXT TO THE ENCAMPMENT, A NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BUILT TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES ATTENDING THE ANNUAL ENCAMPMENT. ON APRIL 1, 1924, THE FIRST LOTS WERE OFFERED FOR SALE. EVENTUALLY ABOUT 100 HOMES AND COTTAGES WERE CONSTRUCTED, MANY BUILT WITH HELP FROM PREACHERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE NEIGHBORHOOD ATTRACTED SEVERAL NOTABLE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING ELLA (BYLER) DOBIE, MOTHER OF ICONIC TEXAS WRITER J. FRANK DOBIE. HE VISITED KERRVILLE OFTEN AND WROTE IN HIS MOTHER’S COTTAGE.
AT A TIME WHEN PREACHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TRAVELED AND WERE NOT ABLE TO PUT DOWN ROOTS, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS THE PLACE THEY CALLED HOME. SOME HOUSES ARE STILL OWNED BY DESCENDANTS OF THE ORIGINAL FAMILIES. THIS ENCAMPMENT, LIKE MANY OF THE AREA’S CAMPS, AROSE BECAUSE OF THE AREA’S SCENIC BEAUTY AND HEALTHFUL CLIMATE.
(2019)
MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS
Application for the Texas Historical Commission Subject Marker
This section and those which follow will be populated over the course of the Centennial Year of Methodist Encampment.
Application
File containing the application and other items submitted to the Texas Historical Commission in support of a Marker for Methodist Encampment. Click on the heart or title above to open the file. Eventually the documents will be presented in a more attractive way, but for now the entire collection is accessible through Google Drive. Explore it!
Supporting documentation and research for the Marker application
At the moment this section contains only the narrative from the Marker Application. Click on the heart or title above to open the document.
Epworth-by-the-Sea
Coming soon. In the meantime, the slideshow at the top of this page provides a preview of the story, and many of the images can be found in the “Application” file above.
Maps, Surveys, and Plats
Coming soon. In the meantime, they can all be found in the “Application” file above.
Old Postcards Gallery
Coming soon. In the meantime, many old postcards can be found in the “Application” file above.