The Land of Living Waters

by John Hallowell

       Junction is named for its location at the meeting of the North and South Llano Rivers, and the abundance of springs and streams among the hills around Junction gave rise to the area's nickname, "The Land of Living Waters." At the same time, the rugged terrain and the vast expanses to the west of Junction have led many to call Junction "The Front Porch of the West." This is the place where the Hill Country meets West Texas, and the town's name seems doubly appropriate.

       Before modern roads were carved through the steep hills that surround the town, Kimble County was quite a forbidding place, and only the most courageous (or the most desperate) ventured here. In the early 1850s, when settlement began in the Hill Country, the government established Fort Terrett near the head of the North Llano River to protect settlers from the Comanches. The fort was abandoned just two years later because there were neither settlers nor Comanches in the area!

       Kimble County (named for George C. Kimble, a hero of the Alamo) was formed in 1858 from lands formerly assigned to Bexar County, but was attached to Gillespie County for judicial purposes until 1875. During those years, the first few hardy settlers had begun to trickle in.

       One of the first was Raleigh Gentry, who arrived in 1859 with his wife and six sons to set up housekeeping on the banks of Bear Creek, about five miles upstream from the North Llano River. The family lived well with abundant game, wild honey and a small cultivated field. Once or twice a year, Gentry would make the 60-mile trip to Fredericksburg for supplies.

       The Moore, Gibson and Bradbury families were among the other early arrivals, but the peace they enjoyed when they first arrived turned out to be short-lived. As the frontier pushed west, the Comanches retreated into Kimble County, and residents found themselves in the middle of a war for most of two decades before a flood of pioneers displaced the last of the Comanches in the late 1870s. the last serious raids in Kimble County occurred in 1876.

       Close behind the Comanches were outlaws, also retreating before an onslaught of industrious settlers and accompanying lawmen. Although the county was organized (and the towns of Kimbleville and Junction City were founded) in 1876, it took a large-scale roundup of outlaws by the Texas Rangers in 1877 to make the county safe for ranchers. The population grew from just 72 counted in the 1870 census to more than 2,200 in 1890.

       Kimbleville became the first county seat, and the first session of district court was held there under the spreading branches of a live oak tree. There was no jail, so prisoners were chained to nearby trees during the proceedings. It is reported that bees from a hive in the branches above the "courtroom" caused quite some annoyance during that first session!

       Kimbleville soon lost its status as the county seat, probably due to frequent flooding, and Junction City was awarded the honor. There wasn't much of a city yet, but William McLane donated lots for a public square, and a huge BBQ picnic and all-night dance was held July 4 (also America's Centennial) to celebrate. Court was held in a brush arbor until a few rough lumber and log buildings were erected. An 1877 article in a Mason newspaper describes a court session held in a blacksmith shop, and reports that the judge's horse was among 14 stolen that night by Comanches! A two-story lumber courthouse was built in 1878, but burned to the ground two years later. It was replaced by a rock structure which served until the county was ready to build the present courthouse in 1929.

       Dr. Ezekiel Keyser Kountz was elected the first county and district clerk in Junction City (the name of the town was shortened to Junction in 1894) and had lumber shipped in from Austin to build the first post office in 1876. What might have otherwise been a very good year had a tragic end when his 16-year-old son, Isaac, was killed by Comanches on Christmas Eve.

       With a growing population and the defeat of Comanches and outlaws, Junction became a more modern, civilized town. Local businessman Ernest Holecamp had a canal dug from the South Llano River to provide water to the city. The following year, work began on the "Four Mile Dam" system to furnish power for mills and mining, to supply water for the city, to irrigate fields and to provide water for livestock. It was completed in 1904, built of native stone and cypress wood, and operated until 1925.

       The telephone arrived in 1905, the first banks in 1906. Automobiles made their Junction debut between 1910 and 1915; the first gas stations appeared in 1916 or 1917. Electricity became available in town in 1917. By the early 1920s, the livery stables had closed, and Junction had graveled its streets and installed electric street lights. Highways were built to neighboring towns during the 1920s, and tourists began coming to Junction to enjoy the scenery and the good hunting. Junction was incorporated as a city in 1927, and Ernest Holecamp was elected the new city's first mayor.

       Although the Great Depression did have some effect on Junction, the population continued to grow, reaching a peak of 5,064 in 1940. Rural electrification finally came to Kimble County farms in 1945, and all the county's highways were paved by the end of the 1940s. The county's economy remains mostly agricultural to this day, but hunting, fishing and other recreational activities attract a growing number of visitors and contribute increasingly to the economy.

       Around the turn of the century, Robert and Virginia Stevenson came to Junction to open a small store. They brought with them their son, Coke, who would eventually become Junction's all-time greatest citizen. Coke went into business at age 16, hauling freight between Junction and Brady. His formal schooling included only seven three-month semesters, but he studied history and bookkeeping by the light of his campfires, and soon was doing the bookkeeping for the Junction State Bank. He studied law at night, passing the state bar exam in 1913 (at the age of 25).

     He left the Junction State Bank to practice law, but soon organized the First National Bank in Junction and served as its president. He became involved in several other businesses in town, then served as county attorney from 1914 to 1918 and county judge from 1919 to 1921. He was elected to the Texas house of Representatives, and served as Speaker of the House from 1933 to 1937, going on to serve as lieutenant governor 1n 1939 and governor from 1941 to 1947. He was a strong believer in fiscal responsibility, and turned the state's deficit into a surplus without cutting services, taking time along the way to improve education, highways and soil conservation.

        The one election that Coke Stevenson lost was also the one that made him nationally famous. Locked in a close primary race with Lyndon Johnson for the U.S. Senate nomination in 1948, Stevenson was apparently robbed of a narrow victory when late ballot boxes came in favoring Johnson by unbelievable margins. Voting lists were "lost" or burned, and Stevenson's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied. Johnson, of course, later became president of the United States.

       Junction gained some national notoriety again in 1954, when Texas A&M coach "Bear" Bryant brought his 1-9 team here for a grueling, 10-day football camp at the height of a terrible heat wave. The brutal schedule and the awful conditions gave the survivors of the ordeal a legendary status, especially after his team won the Southwest Conference championship just two years later. The camp was the subject of a book and a movie called "The Junction Boys."

       After years as an adjunct campus for Texas A&M, the site of the "Junction Boys" camp was assigned by the state legislature to Texas Tech in 1971. The center offers regular, full-credit under-graduate and graduate courses in an intensive format over three-week periods. An "inter-session" is held in May, allowing students to earn up to three credits between the spring and summer sessions. These courses generally include art, biology, botany, zoology, geography, education and physical education, and have top priority for campus use.

       In addition to the regular courses, the Texas Tech Center at Junction is used for workshops, retreats, continuing education short courses, and other special activities. It is frequently used by Texas Tech student organizations, faculty groups and researchers. Other universities and colleges, state and federal agencies, professional organizations and foundations regularly schedule events at the center. Also, the center sponsors many special events, such as an annual International Kite Retreat and a Spring Retreat for Art Educators.

       Other Junction attractions include the beautiful South Llano River State Park and the adjoining Walter Buck State Wildlife Area, which together offer camping, hiking, water sports and fishing. They are famed for the large population of wild turkeys, and provide a wonderful place for birdwatching or nature and wildlife photography.

       Junction combines all the virtues of small-town America with spectacular scenery and a unique "Wild West" atmosphere. From the rocky bluffs which surround the city to the old-fashioned architecture, to the friendliness of the people, to the emphasis on nature and agriculture, you'll be instantly aware that there is something special about this little Hill Country town at the center of "The Land of Living Waters."

By John Hallowell

John Hallowell is the past editor of several Hill Country publications. He has been exploring the Texas Hill Country for almost 20 years.

Comments(1):

1. THE LIVING WATERS OF TEXAS.....

   is a beautiful new book encompassing all of Texas, including the Hill Country. Photography by Charles Kruvand brings to life the essays by ten leading Texas environmental advotates and conservationists. Edited by Ken Kramer, director of the Lone Star chapter of the Sierra Club, and published by Texas A&M University Press, this book is an inspiration for all lovers of Texas.

   Friday, December 17, 2010 Leola

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