Cofran's Texas . . .
Hill Country Portal

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

CITY: Unincorporated

CHAMBER, TOURISM & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Nothing formal

NEIGHBORING TOWNS: Bandera, Comfort, Center Point, Kerrville, Medina

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS: Ranching, tourism

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: See full details in Directory below.

• Camp Verde General Store, Cafe & Post Office:
  830-634-7722; campverdegeneralstore.com. Located 3 mi from famed Bandera Pass, on the north bank of Verde Creek. The present day, two story, limestone structure of Southern colonial design was constructed after a flood swept away the original building around 1900. "Distinctive products, a feast of choices, something for everyone" with humble beginnings as a supply store for nearby soldiers at Fort Verde. Open 7 days a week. Store. Dining. Patio. Restaurant in connecting building, built in 2012.

NEARBY & HILL COUNTRY-WIDE ATTRACTIONS:
See Attractions.

Some of the very nearby attractions include:

• Bandera: Cowboy Capital; Dude Ranches; Frontier Times Museum; Golf; Polly's Chapel
• Comfort: Comfort Historic District; Shopping; Vineyards; Golf; Monument; Bat Roost; Comfort Museum
• Kerrville: Hill Country Museum; Museum Of Western Art; Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater; Hill Country Youth Orchestras; Kerr Arts & Cultural Center; Playhouse 2000; Riverside Nature Center
• Medina: Apple Capital
• Medina Lake Area: Lake Recreation

PARKS: There are many state, county and LCRA parks in the greater area as profiled on the Parks page. These nearby parks include: Local city parks include: None EVENT CALENDARS: Festivals & Major Events; Local Activities & Fun Things To Do; Farmer & Flea Market Days; Specialty & Seasonal Market Days; Art & Galleries; Quilting & Fiber Arts; Car Shows; Motorcycling Events; Beer & Brewing; Wine; Pet Events

WEATHER: Local Weather; Hill Country-wide Weather

MEDIA COVERAGE:

• On-Line News: Google News
• Videos: Vimeo (Cycling oriented, but lots of great area scenery); Quantum
• Newspapers, Radio/TV, Articles:

MAPS: Local Google; Hill Country Special Maps

HISTORY: Handbook of Texas Online: Regarding the town site of Camp Verde: "It [Ed, the civilian town] grew around the Williams community store, established adjacent to Camp Verde in 1857 in order to serve the needs of soldiers stationed there. It is reported that the primary purpose of the store was to provide liquor to the soldiers because regulations prohibited the sale of intoxicants within the camp. When Williams's health failed in 1858, the store was acquired by Charles Schreiner, then a young rancher in the nearby Turtle Creek area, who had recently immigrated from Germany. Since the store was open only on army paydays, Schreiner and his brother-in-law, Caspar Real, supplemented the business by contracting with the federal government to supply wood and beef to the military post. A post office and store continued to provide irregular service to area inhabitants after the military camp was abandoned. Camp Verde's first post office was established in 1858, probably operated from Schreiner's store. It discontinued operation in 1866. Charles C. Kelley served as postmaster when the post office was reopened at a different location in 1887. In 1892, however, it too was closed. Walter S. Nowlin reestablished the store and post office in 1899. Both remained in operation in the mid-1980s. In 1974 Camp Verde's population was estimated to be forty-one. That figure was still recorded through 2000."

Regarding the abandoned military post called Camp Verde, adjacent to the town site:

Handbook of Texas: "Camp Verde, a United States Army frontier post, was established on July 8, 1855, on the northern bank of Verde Creek three miles outside of Bandera Pass in southern Kerr County. In 1856 the camp was headquarters for forty camels sent by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis to be used in a system of overland communications. Albert Sidney Johnston started from Camp Verde in 1857 on his expedition against the Mormons in Utah. The post was surrendered to the Confederate government in 1861, reoccupied by United States troops in 1865, and abandoned on April 1, 1869. In 1949 a few ruins of the camel corrals and officers' quarters remained. The Texas Centennial Commission placed a marker at the site near Camp Verde, Texas, in 1936."

Wikipedia: "Camp Verde was a United States Army facility established in July 1856 in Kerr County, Texas along the road from San Antonio to El Paso. The camp was the headquarters for U.S. Camel Corps, which experimented with using dromedaries as pack animals in the southwestern United States. The camp was occupied by Confederates in 1861 and reoccupied by the Union Army in 1865. Camp Verde was abandoned on April 1, 1869. Ruins of the officers' quarters remain on private land. A Texas state historic marker and the entrance gate stand by the road. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 25, 1973."

Regarding the abandoned military post called Camp Verde, 3 miles below the first military site:

Handbook of Texas: "CAMP VERDE. A second Camp Verde, two miles below old Camp Verde in Kerr County, was established on March 31, 1862, by James M. Norris as a ranger station for the Frontier Regiment. It was manned by members of Charles S. DeMontel's company and served as a frontier outpost, probably until the consolidation of the regiment in March 1864."

Regarding Bandera Pass, 3 miles south, it has provided a natural gateway for centuries for travelers through the rugged hills, principally to and from Kerrville and Bandera.

See more historical details in the Store's web site at: campverdegeneralstore.com

Kerr County Historical Commission: www.co.kerr.tx.us/historical

Book: "Camp Verde: Texas Frontier Defense", by Joseph Luther, The History Press, 2012

PRIOR CITY NAMES: None

HISTORICAL MARKERS: See photo on right and above.

See: Photos.

Bandera Pass, 3 mi S of Camp Verde, marker dated 1936.

CEMETERIES:

AVAILABLE SERVICES: Gas: no; Convenience Stores: yes; Restaurants: yes; Lodging: no; Grocery Stores: no; Banks: no; Vehicle Repair: no; Hospital: no; Med Clinic: no; Post Office: yes; Public Schools: no; Cemetery:

OTHER PROFILES: City Data (not available); Texas Escapes; Wikipedia

PORTAL WEB CAM GALLERY: Camp Verde

NOTES:

Roads: Main road in Camp Verde is Bandera Highway, aka TX-173 and FM-689

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BUSINESS & ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY

EMERGENCIES
(Police, Fire, EMS/Medical)
Dial 911

CRIME STOPPERS-REPORT ANONYMOUSLY: 1-800-222-8477; or click: Stoppers




LOCAL CITY GOVERNMENT: Unincorporated

LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT: See: Kerr County Government Offices

STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: For offices that represent the Hill Country,
see: Texas & Federal Government Offices

US POSTAL SERVICE (USPS): 800-275-8777; usps.com
Local post office: 830-634-2431; 285 Camp Verde E, Center Point, TX 78010-9800. Located inside the General Store.

CRISIS HOTLINES: click Hotlines-Emergencies

DAY & SEASON HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES:

See full list of leases for this town at: Hunting & Fishing.






The General Store is the only business building remaining in "downtown" Camp Verde.

CAMP VERDE GENERAL STORE, CAFE & POST OFFICE: 830-634-7722; 285 Camp Verde Rd E, Camp Verde, TX 78010. campverdegeneralstore.com

HILL COUNTRY BLUEBONNET: 830-634-2984; 3951 Bandera Hwy, Kerrville/Camp Verde, TX 78028. hillcountrybluebonnet.com. Home decor & imports

RATTLESNAKE SPRINGS RANCH: 830-634-3208; 515 Purple Star Dr, Camp Verde, TX 78010

CALL or e-Locate BEFORE YOU DIG!
Free Texas 811 Locator
1-800-344-8377
www.texas811.org

LOCAL UTILITY PROVIDERS:

BANDERA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (BEC): 866-226-3372; 830-370-7648; banderaelectric.com. Service Area Map. Nearest service office: HQ & Local Service Office: 3172 Hwy 16 N, Bandera, TX 78003. Serves: Bandera, Camp Verde, Medina, Medina Lake, Pipe Creek, Tarpley, Turtle Creek

HILL COUNTRY-WIDE UTILITY PROVIDERS:

For Hill Country area utility service providers (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash),
telecom providers (land lines, cellular service, TV, internet), and related services (package delivery, newspaper, etc.), click: Utilities & Telecom

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