Publications Education Events Southwestern Historical Quarterly The Handbook of Texas Online Texas State Historical Association - Home About Us News Site Search Contact Us Giving Opportunities Links FAQ Join the Texas State Historical Association
skip to content
TSHA Online Home
Handbook of 
 Texas Online
Support the Handbook
with a donation to the Annual Fund



Facebook



format this article to print

ELMENDORF, TEXAS. Elmendorf is at the junction of the Southern Pacific Railroad and Farm Road 327, some seventeen miles southeast of downtown San Antonio in southeastern Bexar County. The town was established in 1885 and named for Henry Elmendorf, former mayor of San Antonio and promoter of the first brick plant in the vicinity. W. F. Saenger discovered that the clay in the area was suitable for pottery, and that became an important local industry. A post office opened at the community in 1886, and by 1890 Elmendorf had a pottery, a general store, a hotel, and a population of fifty. The settlement grew rapidly after 1900, and by 1914 it had nine general stores, a cotton gin, a hotel, and a population of 300. The community's largest employer for many years was Star Clay Products, a firebrick factory. The population of Elmendorf was consistently reported as 300 until the 1950s. During the 1960s it fell to 200, but later it grew steadily, and in 1990 the town reported 568 residents and eighteen businesses. The population in 2000 was 664.

 

Support the Handbook of Texas by donating today!
To join the TSHA, visit our membership information page.


At the Heart of Texas: One Hundred Years of the Texas State Historical Association, 1897–1997 .


Copyright © Texas State Historical Association
Terms of Use  Comment/Contact  Policy Agreement  Last Updated: November 2, 2009
Published by the Texas State Historical Association
and distributed in partnership with the University of North Texas.