A small town with a big history, Helotes--20 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio--was named for the Spanish word elotes, or corn-on-the-cob. So extensive were the fields of corn along its namesake creek, a Spanish official in 1723 called the area el Puero de los Olotes, or Corncob Pass. When settlers later arrived, few ancient cornfields remained. Situated along Bandera Road, the town became a stagecoach stop and a post office was established in 1873. Nevertheless, the settlement remained rural for the next 100 years. Helotes, known as a place to "let down yer hair and kick up yer heels," solidified its reputation in 1946 when John T. Floore's Country Store, a dance hall and concert venue for top rated country musicians, opened for business in downtown Helotes. The annual Cornyval Festival, inaugurated in 1966 continues this tradition. Incorportation in 1981, the town provides a verdant and hilly escape from the city. The table of contents includes an Introduction and nine chapters titled: Early Settlement; Entrepreneurs; Schools & Churches, Reception & Civic Activities; Farm & Ranch Life; Connecting Communities; John T. Floore Country Store; Cornyval Spring Festival; and A City is Born.
Author Cynthia Leal Massey presents an overview of the town's unique history using vintage photographs from the archives of the Historical Society of Helotes, the Institute of Texan Cultures, and from many of the townspeople's family albums.
ISBN: 9780738579443
Number of Pages:128
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
$21.99
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