Von Ormy, Texas
Encyclopedia
Von Ormy is a city located in southwest Bexar County, Texas
, United States
. It has been known as Von Ormy since the late 1880s. Prior to 1880, the community was known as Mann's Crossing, Garza's Crossing, Medina Crossing, and Paso de las Garzas. The former settlements of Kirk, Texas and Bexar, Texas were absorbed into Von Ormy by the early 1900s. Von Ormy lies along the Medina River
at the crossing point of the historic Upper Laredo Camino Real
. It is part of the San Antonio
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
European settlers, initially Franciscan
missionaries and Spanish
and mestizo
soldiers, arrived in the region in the early 18th century, intent on subduing and proselytizing the natives. Canary Islanders
arrived soon after to settle the nearby town of Bejar (modern day San Antonio
). They began to raise cattle along the Medina River and were involved in the cattle trade between Spanish Louisiana
and South Texas
. Notable among these were the Ruiz, Perez, Navarro, Hernandez and Casillas families. Early records of Von Ormians can be found in the baptismal, burial and marriage records of Mission San Jose and Mission Espada; they are usually listed as living "on the Medina" or simply "Medina."
By the early 19th century, Von Ormy was an established community, serving as the crossing point of the Medina along the Camino Real. During the Mexican War for Independence, the "Battle of the Medina" was fought nearby. Antonio López de Santa Anna
served as a lieutenant
and became familiar with the area during this campaign.
, Santa Anna (now the Mexican President and General-in-Chief) camped in Von Ormy prior to making his final march on the Alamo
. The spot is marked by the Santa Anna Oak, a large live oak
under which the general encamped. Blas Herrera, the "Paul Revere
" of the Texas Revolution, rode his horse from Laredo to San Antonio
to warn the town of Santa Anna's approach. After the war, the doors to the Alamo
were taken to the Herrera ranch, where they stayed until 1984 when the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
brought them back to the Texas shrine during their restoration of the Alamo
.
The Ruiz-Herrera family cemetery
located in Von Ormy is the burial place of Blas Herrera, as well as Francisco Antonio Ruiz
, who was alcalde
, or mayor, of San Antonio during the siege of the Alamo
.
In the 1850s, Miguel de la Garza operated a ferry across the Medina River on the Herrera Ranch. It was at this time that the town became known as Garza's Crossing or Paso de las Garzas.
Leading up to the Civil War, San Antonio merchant Enoch Jones who was then the wealthiest man in Texas built a fortified ranch house, locally known as "the castle." Jones opposed secession and believe that his political views would hurt sales at his general store in Main Plaza, so he sold and dedicated the remainder of his life to building the Caste on the Medina. He died in 1863 and his soon thereafter his estate went into bankruptcy. Most of the land in the Von Ormy area was sold off to pay debts, but Elizabeth Jones and her sister lived in the Castle until the mid-1880s. In 1886, the "castle" was sold to Count Norbert Von Ormay, a count
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for whom the city was named. Count Von Ormay arrived with his wife and servants from Prussia in the early 1880s. He registered a cattle brand at the Bexar County Courthouse
, was often cited in the San Antonio Evening Light's gossip page. Many years later his son emerged in Brazil. The castle was sold to hotel magnate
T.B. Baker.
The town's post office
opened as "Garza's Crossing" on January 16, 1872, under postmaster William G. M. Samuel. It was closed May 7, 1874, but was reestablished June 10, 1875, under new postmaster Robert J. Sibert. It was again discontinued August 16, 1875. On January 14, 1879, a new post office was reopened using the name "Mann's Crossing," with postmaster Anton F. Krause. This too was closed (November 9, 1880). It was again reestablished under postmaster Branson Bywater on September 13, 1886. On December 4, 1886, the post office changed its name to "Von Ormy," which has since remained the town's designation.
The International-Great Northern Railroad
built a rail line on the western edge of the Francisco A. Ruiz Ranch in 1886 and renamed the town "Medina Station". By 1900, the railroad used the name Von Ormy once again. Over the next few decades the population of Garza's Crossing shifted closer to the rail line.
Rafael Quintana moved to Von Ormy in the 1870s. He had served as San Antonio City Treasurer in the closing days of the Civil War
. At Von Ormy he was elected Justice of the Peace and later County Commissioner. During this early era of post-Reconstruction Jim Crow laws, he was the only Hispanic Judge and Commissioner in Bexar County. He established a court along the rail line in Von Ormy which soon became the town center.
In January 1906, the first steel bridge over the Medina River at Von Ormy was built by the International-Great Northern Railroad
.
Texas Ranger and Judge W. G. M. Samuel, who lived in Von Ormy in his later years, was often quoted in local newspapers as stating that the last major Indian battle in Bexar County occurred in Von Ormy.
Santisima Trinidad Church was washed away by the Great Hurricane of 1919 and a new church was built by Franciscan
missionaries in the 1910s about a mile upstream along the new Laredo Highway's crossing of the Medina River. Against much local protesting, this old stone church was destroyed when the Laredo Highway was widened to created Interstate 35
during the 1930s. The current church was built in the 1960s and renamed Sacred Heart of Jesus.
During the 1900s, the Von Ormy Cottage tuberculosis
Sanitarium was bult in the city.
The Von Ormy school operated from the early 1900s until 1956 when it closed after the creation of the Southwest Independent School District
.
, the community declined; in 1965 nine businesses and 100 residents were reported. Since that time the population has grown slowly, and in 1990 Von Ormy had 264 residents and twenty businesses.
Today, several pioneer families who settled in the region prior to the Texas Revolution still comprise a large percentage of Von Ormy residents, including the Ruiz, Herrera, Vara, Hernandez, Guzman, Flores, Mann, Reyes and Quintana families.
Von Ormy is served by the Jarret Volunteer Fire Department
, which was established in 1975 in order to provide fire protection for the upcoming bicentennial celebrations.
In the summer of 2006, a group of Von Ormy residents organized a series of public meetings in Von Ormy concerning the future of the community, the lack of basic public services and possible solutions to these problems. Overwhelming support for the creation of a City of Von Ormy was expressed by attendees at these three meetings. In order to pursue this community desire, the Committee to Incorporate Von Ormy, a Texas non-profit association, was organized. In addition to residential members, CIVO also includes over 20 commercial members representing nearly all local businesses.
CIVO received written endorsements of County Judge Nelson Wolff
, County Commissioner "Chico" Rodriguez, Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, State Rep. David McQuade Leibowitz, State Sen. Carlos Uresti
, and San Antonio City Councilman Phil Cortez.
After confirming that it was in the best interest of Von Ormy to incorporate CIVO filed the necessary petition to the City of San Antonio to allow an election for incorporation within its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Following a series of negotiations with the City of San Antonio planning department, the petition was amended on August 15, 2007 to reflect an agreed upon City Limits. Von Ormy received the endorsement of the San Antonio Planning Commission on January 23, 2008. On January 31, 2008, the San Antonio City Council passed a resolution to allow Von Ormy to hold an election on incorporation. On May 10, 2008 voters approved the proposition to create the City of Von Ormy by a vote of 88% in favor and 12% opposed.
Art Martinez de Vara was elected the town's first Mayor. The newly formed city embarked on a large master planning project immediately after the first council took office. In its first two years the City had an aggressive agenda which organized a municipal police department, implemented a curbside recycling program, installed street lighting, cleaned up illegal dump sites, initiated uniform garbage collection, resurfaced two unpaved roads, opened a municipal court, organized a health department, completed a park master plan, acquired funds for an infrastructure master plan, began planning for a sewer system and community center and passed by public election an Economic Development Corporation and Community Development Corporation.
In 2008, the Von Ormy Star newspaper was organized in the city. The newspaper covers local and regional news.
. Upcoming Von Ormy Day's will be December 1, 2007; December 6, 2008; and December 5, 2009. Von Ormy Day was established to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the town name being changed to Von Ormy by its postmaster
. When it was created the community had not held a large-scale parade since the United States Bicentennial
celebration in 1976.
On Von Ormy day the Von Ormy Historical Society crowns a Count
and Countess. This honor is given annually to persons who have contributed greatly to the historical preservation of the area or who have provided exceptoinal community service in the area. Recent Counts and Countesses include:
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It has been known as Von Ormy since the late 1880s. Prior to 1880, the community was known as Mann's Crossing, Garza's Crossing, Medina Crossing, and Paso de las Garzas. The former settlements of Kirk, Texas and Bexar, Texas were absorbed into Von Ormy by the early 1900s. Von Ormy lies along the Medina River
Medina River
The Medina River is located in south central Texas, USA, in the Medina Valley. Named after Pedro Medina, a Spanish engineer, by Alonso de León, Spanish governor of Coahuila, New Spain in 1689. It was also known as the Rio Mariano, Rio San Jose, or Rio de Bagres...
at the crossing point of the historic Upper Laredo Camino Real
Old San Antonio Road
The Old San Antonio Road was a historic roadway located in the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana. Parts of it were based on traditional Native American trails. Its Texas terminus was about southeast of Eagle Pass at the Rio Grande in Maverick County, and its northern terminus was at...
. It is part of the San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Early history
Archeological findings show that Von Ormy has had continuous human habitation for an estimated 8000 years. The early historical record reveals that Spanish explorers encountered bands of Payaya Indians living in the present-day Von Ormy. During the eighteenth century, Lipan Apache and Comanche displaced the earlier native peoples along the Medina River valley. The Medina River and its tributaries were a source of food, flint, and other resources that drew native Texans to their banks.European settlers, initially Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionaries and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
soldiers, arrived in the region in the early 18th century, intent on subduing and proselytizing the natives. Canary Islanders
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
arrived soon after to settle the nearby town of Bejar (modern day San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
). They began to raise cattle along the Medina River and were involved in the cattle trade between Spanish Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
. Notable among these were the Ruiz, Perez, Navarro, Hernandez and Casillas families. Early records of Von Ormians can be found in the baptismal, burial and marriage records of Mission San Jose and Mission Espada; they are usually listed as living "on the Medina" or simply "Medina."
By the early 19th century, Von Ormy was an established community, serving as the crossing point of the Medina along the Camino Real. During the Mexican War for Independence, the "Battle of the Medina" was fought nearby. Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and became familiar with the area during this campaign.
The Texas Revolution
During the War for Texas IndependenceTexas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, Santa Anna (now the Mexican President and General-in-Chief) camped in Von Ormy prior to making his final march on the Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
. The spot is marked by the Santa Anna Oak, a large live oak
Live oak
Live oak , also known as the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States...
under which the general encamped. Blas Herrera, the "Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
" of the Texas Revolution, rode his horse from Laredo to San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
to warn the town of Santa Anna's approach. After the war, the doors to the Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
were taken to the Herrera ranch, where they stayed until 1984 when the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
Daughters of the Republic of Texas
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas is a sororal association dedicated to perpetuating the memory of Texas pioneer families and soldiers of the Republic of Texas. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas is best known for its role as caretakers of The Alamo. They also operate a museum in Austin...
brought them back to the Texas shrine during their restoration of the Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
.
The Ruiz-Herrera family cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
located in Von Ormy is the burial place of Blas Herrera, as well as Francisco Antonio Ruiz
Francisco Antonio Ruiz
Francisco Antonio Ruiz was the alcalde of San Antonio during the Texas Revolution and was responsible for identifying the bodies of those killed at the Battle of the Alamo....
, who was alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
, or mayor, of San Antonio during the siege of the Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
.
Republic of Texas and statehood
During the Republic of Texas era, the ranches along the Medina began to flourish. The first Catholic Church in Von Ormy had been established on the Ranch of Blas Herrera between 1836 and 1841. In 1866 it was rebuilt by Bishiop Odin of Galveston as Santisima Trinidad Mission and was located at Garza's Crossing on the Medina River. Ruins of the church can be seen today and the historic cemetery is being eroded by the river.In the 1850s, Miguel de la Garza operated a ferry across the Medina River on the Herrera Ranch. It was at this time that the town became known as Garza's Crossing or Paso de las Garzas.
Leading up to the Civil War, San Antonio merchant Enoch Jones who was then the wealthiest man in Texas built a fortified ranch house, locally known as "the castle." Jones opposed secession and believe that his political views would hurt sales at his general store in Main Plaza, so he sold and dedicated the remainder of his life to building the Caste on the Medina. He died in 1863 and his soon thereafter his estate went into bankruptcy. Most of the land in the Von Ormy area was sold off to pay debts, but Elizabeth Jones and her sister lived in the Castle until the mid-1880s. In 1886, the "castle" was sold to Count Norbert Von Ormay, a count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for whom the city was named. Count Von Ormay arrived with his wife and servants from Prussia in the early 1880s. He registered a cattle brand at the Bexar County Courthouse
Bexar County Courthouse
The Bexar County Courthouse is an historical building in downtown San Antonio, Texas.The building was designed by architect J. Riely Gordon, and borders Main Plaza, along with such other architectural landmarks as the Cathedral of San Fernando. The style is Romanesque Revival, and the main...
, was often cited in the San Antonio Evening Light's gossip page. Many years later his son emerged in Brazil. The castle was sold to hotel magnate
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
T.B. Baker.
The town's post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
opened as "Garza's Crossing" on January 16, 1872, under postmaster William G. M. Samuel. It was closed May 7, 1874, but was reestablished June 10, 1875, under new postmaster Robert J. Sibert. It was again discontinued August 16, 1875. On January 14, 1879, a new post office was reopened using the name "Mann's Crossing," with postmaster Anton F. Krause. This too was closed (November 9, 1880). It was again reestablished under postmaster Branson Bywater on September 13, 1886. On December 4, 1886, the post office changed its name to "Von Ormy," which has since remained the town's designation.
The International-Great Northern Railroad
International-Great Northern Railroad
The International – Great Northern Railroad was a railroad that operated in the U.S. state of Texas. It was created on September 30, 1873, when International Railroad and Houston and Great Northern Railroad merged....
built a rail line on the western edge of the Francisco A. Ruiz Ranch in 1886 and renamed the town "Medina Station". By 1900, the railroad used the name Von Ormy once again. Over the next few decades the population of Garza's Crossing shifted closer to the rail line.
Rafael Quintana moved to Von Ormy in the 1870s. He had served as San Antonio City Treasurer in the closing days of the Civil War
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. At Von Ormy he was elected Justice of the Peace and later County Commissioner. During this early era of post-Reconstruction Jim Crow laws, he was the only Hispanic Judge and Commissioner in Bexar County. He established a court along the rail line in Von Ormy which soon became the town center.
In January 1906, the first steel bridge over the Medina River at Von Ormy was built by the International-Great Northern Railroad
International-Great Northern Railroad
The International – Great Northern Railroad was a railroad that operated in the U.S. state of Texas. It was created on September 30, 1873, when International Railroad and Houston and Great Northern Railroad merged....
.
Texas Ranger and Judge W. G. M. Samuel, who lived in Von Ormy in his later years, was often quoted in local newspapers as stating that the last major Indian battle in Bexar County occurred in Von Ormy.
Santisima Trinidad Church was washed away by the Great Hurricane of 1919 and a new church was built by Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionaries in the 1910s about a mile upstream along the new Laredo Highway's crossing of the Medina River. Against much local protesting, this old stone church was destroyed when the Laredo Highway was widened to created Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
during the 1930s. The current church was built in the 1960s and renamed Sacred Heart of Jesus.
During the 1900s, the Von Ormy Cottage tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
Sanitarium was bult in the city.
The Von Ormy school operated from the early 1900s until 1956 when it closed after the creation of the Southwest Independent School District
Southwest Independent School District
Southwest Independent School District is a public school district located in southwestern Bexar County, Texas .The district covers a area that includes portions of San Antonio....
.
Recent history
In 1914, the town had two grocers, a general store, a cotton gin, and a population of 350. In 1946 the population was still 350. After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the community declined; in 1965 nine businesses and 100 residents were reported. Since that time the population has grown slowly, and in 1990 Von Ormy had 264 residents and twenty businesses.
Today, several pioneer families who settled in the region prior to the Texas Revolution still comprise a large percentage of Von Ormy residents, including the Ruiz, Herrera, Vara, Hernandez, Guzman, Flores, Mann, Reyes and Quintana families.
Von Ormy is served by the Jarret Volunteer Fire Department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
, which was established in 1975 in order to provide fire protection for the upcoming bicentennial celebrations.
In the summer of 2006, a group of Von Ormy residents organized a series of public meetings in Von Ormy concerning the future of the community, the lack of basic public services and possible solutions to these problems. Overwhelming support for the creation of a City of Von Ormy was expressed by attendees at these three meetings. In order to pursue this community desire, the Committee to Incorporate Von Ormy, a Texas non-profit association, was organized. In addition to residential members, CIVO also includes over 20 commercial members representing nearly all local businesses.
CIVO received written endorsements of County Judge Nelson Wolff
Nelson Wolff
Nelson W. Wolff is a San Antonio, Texas political figure. He represented Bexar County as a Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives from 1971 to 1973, and the Texas Senate from 1973 to 1975...
, County Commissioner "Chico" Rodriguez, Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, State Rep. David McQuade Leibowitz, State Sen. Carlos Uresti
Carlos Uresti
Carlos Ismael "Charlie" Uresti is a prominent San Antonio attorney practicing throughout the State of Texas in the areas of Family Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Litigation, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death. As a Democrat, he is a member of the Texas State Senate representing Senate District 19...
, and San Antonio City Councilman Phil Cortez.
After confirming that it was in the best interest of Von Ormy to incorporate CIVO filed the necessary petition to the City of San Antonio to allow an election for incorporation within its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Following a series of negotiations with the City of San Antonio planning department, the petition was amended on August 15, 2007 to reflect an agreed upon City Limits. Von Ormy received the endorsement of the San Antonio Planning Commission on January 23, 2008. On January 31, 2008, the San Antonio City Council passed a resolution to allow Von Ormy to hold an election on incorporation. On May 10, 2008 voters approved the proposition to create the City of Von Ormy by a vote of 88% in favor and 12% opposed.
Art Martinez de Vara was elected the town's first Mayor. The newly formed city embarked on a large master planning project immediately after the first council took office. In its first two years the City had an aggressive agenda which organized a municipal police department, implemented a curbside recycling program, installed street lighting, cleaned up illegal dump sites, initiated uniform garbage collection, resurfaced two unpaved roads, opened a municipal court, organized a health department, completed a park master plan, acquired funds for an infrastructure master plan, began planning for a sewer system and community center and passed by public election an Economic Development Corporation and Community Development Corporation.
In 2008, the Von Ormy Star newspaper was organized in the city. The newspaper covers local and regional news.
Von Ormy Day
Beginning in 2006, Von Ormy has held an annual parade and festival termed "Von Ormy Day." It is held on the second Saturday after ThanksgivingThanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
. Upcoming Von Ormy Day's will be December 1, 2007; December 6, 2008; and December 5, 2009. Von Ormy Day was established to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the town name being changed to Von Ormy by its postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. When it was created the community had not held a large-scale parade since the United States Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
celebration in 1976.
On Von Ormy day the Von Ormy Historical Society crowns a Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
and Countess. This honor is given annually to persons who have contributed greatly to the historical preservation of the area or who have provided exceptoinal community service in the area. Recent Counts and Countesses include:
- Count and Countess Von Ormy I, Peter and Amelia Torres (2006)
- Count and Countess Von Ormy II, Joe and Mary Louise Castro (2007)
- Count and Countess Von Ormy III, Charlie and Roxanne Brown (2008)
- Count and Countess Von Ormy IV, Carlos and Maria Rodriguez (2010)
Sister city
- Marin
Marín, Nuevo LeónMarín is a town and municipality located in the Mexican state of Nuevo León. the municipality was named in honor of Dr. Primo Feliciano Marin de Porras, Bishop of Linares. It has an area of 129 square kilometres territorial.-Geography:...
, Nuevo LeonNuevo LeónNuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Famous residents
- EmilioEmilioEmilio Navaira III is an American musician of Mexican descent, who performs both Country and Tejano music. Known to most by the mononym Emilio, he has charted more than ten singles on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks charts, in addition to six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks...
, Tejano musicTejano musicTejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
superstar - Blas Herrera, TejanoTejanoTejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
patriot - Enoch Jones, merchant and richest man in Texas at start of Civil War
- Samuel McCulloch, free black soldier in the Texas RevolutionTexas RevolutionThe Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
- Francisco Antonio RuizFrancisco Antonio RuizFrancisco Antonio Ruiz was the alcalde of San Antonio during the Texas Revolution and was responsible for identifying the bodies of those killed at the Battle of the Alamo....
, mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of San Antonio during the Battles of the AlamoAlamoThe Battle of the Alamo was a battle fought during the Texas Revolution.Alamo may also refer to:-Places:*Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas*Alamo, California*Alamo, Georgia*Alamo Township, Michigan*Alamo, Nevada*Alamo, New Mexico... - Count Norbert von Ormay, town namesake
- Roy BeanRoy BeanPhantly Roy Bean, Jr. was an eccentric U.S. saloon-keeper and Justice of the Peace in Val Verde County, Texas, who called himself "The Law West of the Pecos". According to legend, Judge Roy Bean held court in his saloon along the Rio Grande in a desolate stretch of the Chihuahuan Desert of...
, infamous Judge who kept a saloon at Garza's Crossing - Rafael Quintana, Judge and County Commissioner