Wilson County Beautification Association presents the
Recipients of the Quarterly Beautification Award
We welcome nominations for Quarterly Beautification Awards which we present to businesses in Wilson County, Texas. Please send your nominations to info@WilsonCountyBeautificationAssociation.com. Nominees should have a clean, water-friendly, well-landscaped, well-maintained exterior.
Congratulations to the La Vernia Heritage Museum for winning our Award of the Quarter
for their beautification efforts! They have highlighted history in their small garden area,
featuring the historic bell which was donated by the Primitive Baptist Church, whose church
building was moved in the late 1800s from across the Cibolo to their current location on
Chihuahua Street. They donated the bell to the museum when the steeple became weak.
The museum grounds also feature the “next generation” of the Deaf Smith tree, which was
grown from an acorn of the original tree from which Gen. Sam Houston’s scout, Deaf Smith,
spied on Santa Anna’s troops camped on the Cibolo during the Texas Independence era.
For more information about the museum and the La Vernia Historical Association, visit
LaVerniaHistory.org. Congratulations!
Below – September 1, 2020 – L-R: LVHA officer Kathy Kotelman, WCBA officer, Dr. Patrice Broderick and
Heather Hansen. Holding sign (in black mask) is LVHM Director, Susan Duelm Richter. Behind the sign,
in red mask is LVHA officer, Nancy Scull, Elaine Mazurek Stephens and Graham Lawrence (who is the
volunteer groundskeeper for the museum!)
June 8, 2020
Iron Texas Custom Designs in Stockdale
Dan Baird and his daughter, Dannie, of Iron Texas Custom Designs in Stockdale, are recognized June 3 with the Wilson County Beautification Association’s Quarterly Beautification Award for their outstanding contribution to the enhancement and beautification of Wilson County. Presenting the award are association officers and directors (seated, l-r) Ginger Coleman, Dr. Patrice Broderick, Elaine Stephens, Heather Hansen, and Donna Skloss. Dannie is continuing her art studies and Dan credits her with being a part of the growing success of the company.
August 8, 2019
City of Poth, Texas
Congratulations to the City of Poth! We were excited to recognize Poth for their outstanding efforts to beautify their downtown plaza. We presented them with a Certificate of Achievement and our special “Golden Grabber” award at their City Council meeting last night. Great work, City of Poth! Thank you for helping to keep our County a beautiful place to live and work! L-R: WCBA officers, Dr. Patrice Broderick, Heather Hansen, Donna Skloss. Poth City Council members, Ronald Weimer, Mayor Chrystal Eckel, Steven Wiatrek, and Anabel Ramon.
August 4, 2018
Sutherland Springs Historical Museum We were thrilled to present the award during their “Porch Reveal” and the opening of their newly remodeled museum. The results are outstanding and we wish them even more success in the future as they showcase the past!
June 2018
Dewees-Remschel House, administered by the Wilson County Historical Society
Oct 2017
Stockdale Pecan Orchard
Photo courtesy of the Wilson County News
Aug 2017
Dean & Peeler Meatworks Custom Butchery, Poth
October 2017
Arrow Custom Chairs, Sutherland Springs
May 2017
Stone Family Residence, Floresville
June 2016
Hunt Oil Company, Stockdale
March 2016
Wilson County Courthouse
January 21, 2016
Polley Mansion, Sutherland Springs
The Polley Mansion, built by Joseph H. Polley in 1850-1851, is also called Whitehall. The home has received a State of Texas Historical Marker and in 2016, was added to Preservation Texas’ Most Endangered Places List.
Polley was born in Whitehall, New York, in 1794. He was one of the first twenty-two settlers to come to Stephen F. Austin’s Colony in 1821. Polley was appointed the first Sheriff of the colony by Stephen F. Austin. In the “Runaway Scrape,” Polley escorted women and children out of harm’s way when Santa Anna’s troops came into central Texas during the revolution of 1836.
In 1847 Polley moved from his home on the Brazos to build a new home on a small hill overlooking the Cibolo Creek about two miles north of old Sutherland Springs, in what was then Guadalupe County and is now Wilson County. He called it “Whitehall” in honor of his birthplace.
In recent years the mansion came into disrepair but in 2015 was purchased by the Muschaleks who made careful restorations to the historic mansion. A nonprofit foundation, Friends of the Polley Mansion, has been established to provide additional support for the preservation of the historical home. Visit PolleyAssociation.org and Facebook for more information.
More News
We had a terrific day at the Wilson County Home & Garden Show on Mar. 5, 2016, in Floresville!