Hockley Herald

08/18/2025

📜**Hempstead Over a Century Ago**📜

Here’s a rare glimpse of downtown Hempstead in 1907. In this photo, a lone horse and buggy sit in the town square with businesses lining the background. At the time, Hempstead was just forty-one years old, having been founded in 1866.

This snapshot reminds us of how far our community has come — from dirt roads and wooden storefronts to the vibrant city we know today. History is alive all around us in Waller County, and moments like these help us appreciate the roots of our hometown. 🌾

08/15/2025

📜**A Look Back at Waller County History**📜

In 1915, Lonia Rice made history by erecting the first silo in Waller County — a towering structure built to store feed and grain, marking a leap forward in local agriculture. 🌾

This rare photo captures the moment during its construction, with L.D. Rice and Robert Kluna working high above the ground, and a wagon loaded with crops pulled by a team of horses waiting below. 🐎

At a time when farming was the backbone of our community, innovations like this silo helped shape the future of Waller County’s agricultural success.

08/14/2025

⛅**Hockley Weekend Weather**⛅

Here’s your extended weekend forecast for Hockley — keep an eye on the skies as we head into a mix of sunshine and storms:

⛈️ Thursday: 60% Storms 96° | 77°
🌦️ Friday: 50% Storms 94° | 78°
⛈️ Saturday: 60% Storms 93° | 77°
🌤️ Sunday: 40% Storms 96° | 78°
🌦️ Monday: 50% Storms 98° | 78°
🌦️ Tuesday: 50% Storms 97° | 78°
🌦️ Wednesday: 50% Storms 97° | 78°

Warm and humid days ahead with scattered storms, especially Thursday and Saturday. Sunday looks to be the driest day, but chances for rain continue into next week.

Stay weather-aware, Hockley! 🌩️☀️

08/13/2025

📜**A Glimpse into Hockley’s Past**📜

This historic photograph captures the H.K.K. LeverKuhn Cotton Gin, a vital part of our community’s agricultural roots. Operating continuously from the turn of the century until 1916, the gin was a cornerstone of local cotton production — serving farmers, creating jobs, and helping shape the early economy of the Hockley area.

Cotton gins like this one transformed raw cotton into clean fibers ready for market, playing a huge role in Texas’ agricultural history. Though it’s long gone, the H.K.K. LeverKuhn Cotton Gin remains a proud reminder of the hard work and resilience that built our community.

08/12/2025

🐴**A Glimpse into Early Day Hempstead**🐴

Step back in time with this rare photograph of Herman Carl Barzak’s Saddle and Harness Shop in early Hempstead, Texas. From the neatly lined saddles to the sturdy wagon wheels, this shop was a cornerstone for local farmers, ranchers, and travelers in the horse-and-buggy era.

Shops like Barzak’s weren’t just places of business; they were gathering spots where stories were shared and the needs of a growing frontier town were met.

🕰 A reminder of the craftsmanship and community spirit that built Waller County’s history!

08/11/2025

📜**Bernardo – 1822**📜

Take a step back in time with this historic sketch of Bernardo, drawn in 1822 by Groce Mackey and preserved by the U.T. Institute of Texan Cultures.

Bernardo was one of the earliest settlements in this part of Texas, tied closely to the Groce family — prominent figures in early Texas history. Known for its role as a plantation and gathering place during the Republic of Texas era, it stood as a hub of community, commerce, and culture along the Brazos River.

Its legacy reminds us of the resilience and pioneering spirit that built our region. 🪵🏠🌳

08/08/2025

🏪**A Stroll Through Waller County’s Pharmacy Past**🏪

Long before chain pharmacies lined the highways, Waller County’s health needs were met by small-town drug stores, many of them family-owned, with marble-top soda fountains, whirling fans, and pharmacists who knew you by name.

From patent medicines like laudanum, rhubarb, and syrup of figs to hand-mixed prescriptions behind the counter, or even cattle vaccines, these early pharmacies were community cornerstones. Today, we remember them all:

🏪 Brookshire Drug Centers (1900–1972)
W. L. Bains • Roy Pickard • Alex Muske • Iris Legler • Monte McCauley • Hazel Bains • Arthur Clarke • Nesbitt and Quin • W. M. McGaughey • Miss Bobbie Edmondson (Edmondson Drugs) • Mrs. W. C. Taylor • Frankie Dee Cooper (City Drug) • E. C. Froebel (City Pharmacy) • Richard W. Schultz Jr. (Brookshire Pharmacy) • Dr. J. J. Hopkins

🏪 Hempstead Drug Stores
Armstrong Drug (1889) • Bennett Drug (1927) • City Drug (Davis) (1932) • City Drug (Ramsey) (1931) • City Drug (Wilkes) (1967) • Cole Drug (1889) • Faulkner Pharmacy (1955) • Hi-Way Drug (1932) • McDade Drug • Miller Drug (1898) • Peek Drug (1898) • Phoenix (1898) • Sanders Pharmacy (1905) • Wards Pharmacy (1966)

🏪 Pattison Drug Store
Burford Drug (1873)

🏪 Waller Drug Stores
Armer Drug (1942) • J. J. Arendale Drug (1900) • Bell Drug (1918) • Brown Drug (1928) • City Drug (1918) • Clemons Drug (1908) • Garret Drug (1912)

These weren’t just places to fill prescriptions, they were where neighbors gathered, children shared ice cream sodas, and community ties were strengthened.

Do you remember any of these? Share your memories or stories below!

08/07/2025

⛅**Hockley Weekend Weather**⛅

Here’s your extended forecast for Hockley and it’s looking like a steamy, stormy stretch ahead! ⚡

☀️ Thursday: Hot – 96° | 77°
⛈️ Friday: 40% Storms – 96° | 78°
⛈️ Saturday: 50% Storms – 94° | 77°
⛈️ Sunday: 50% Storms – 94° | 78°
⛈️ Monday: 50% Storms – 94° | 77°
⛈️ Tuesday: 40% Storms – 96° | 78°
⛈️ Wednesday: 50% Storms – 97° | 78°

Expect scattered storms beginning Friday and lasting through midweek. 🌧️ Keep those umbrellas close and stay hydrated, it’s going to be hot and muggy! 🥵

Stay weather-aware, Hockley!

08/06/2025

🔦**Spotlight on Local Business**🔦

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Locally owned and operated, J3 Fence Company is ready to help with all your outdoor needs — whether you’re securing a property, improving access, or fixing damage fast!

* Fences
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Support local. Share this post. And give J3 a call for your next project!

Barb Wire

08/06/2025

🩺**Keepers of the Health: The Final Chapter**🩺

Today, we honor two extraordinary physicians whose legacy of care still echoes through Waller County.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. J.J. Perry was born in 1827 and completed his medical education at the London School of Medicine. A Confederate hospital leader during the Civil War, he moved to Hempstead in the Reconstruction era and practiced until 1907. Known for his kindness, Dr. Perry never charged patients who couldn’t pay. One touching story tells of him returning two bales of cotton to a farmer who had repaid him with three, insisting that one was enough. His quiet service and dedication became legendary in the Fields Store community.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. S.C. Walker, born in 1896, served in World War I before pursuing medicine. He became the first mayor of Hempstead after it was incorporated and brought critical infrastructure like water, lighting, and emergency services to the town. As the only physician in Hempstead during World War II, he opened the Walker Clinic in 1940 and served as County Health Officer until 1971. Even during hard times, Dr. Walker refused to turn away any patient who couldn’t pay.

🕊️ Through war, poverty, and progress, both doctors stood as pillars of mercy, medicine, and moral strength. From cotton fields to city hall, from childbirths to final goodbyes, they were there.

Their stories are not just history — they are the roots of our healing.

08/05/2025

🗞️**The August 2025 Issue of the Hockley Herald is Here!**🗞️

This month’s edition is packed with stories you won’t want to miss:

📚 Back to School in Waller County: Then and Now – A look at how education has grown from one-room schoolhouses to a thriving WISD serving thousands of students.

🌊 The Hill Country Floods: When Joy Turned to Tragedy – A heartfelt account of the devastating July 4th floods that forever changed summer memories for so many Texans.

🏈 A Century of Bulldog Pride – Celebrating nearly 100 years of Waller High School Football history, from its humble beginnings to Friday night lights glory.

Pick up your copy today and stay connected with your community!
📰 Available now at local businesses across Hockley, Waller, and beyond. And don’t forget to check your mailboxes! 📬

📍 www.hockleyherald.com

08/04/2025

🩺**Keepers of the Health – Honoring Waller County’s Medical Legacy**🩺

Today, we spotlight Dr. Little Lee Mahan, Dr. McDonald Orman, and Dr. J. Hamilton Morrison — three physicians whose dedication shaped healthcare in Waller County for decades.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. Little Lee Mahan
Born in 1861 in Alabama, Dr. Mahan was the son of Dr. Levi Mahan. After earning multiple medical diplomas, he moved to Monaville in 1885, where he practiced medicine and ran a store. Later settling in Hempstead, he became a leader in both medicine and the community — serving as president of the Waller County Medical Society, local surgeon for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and even co-founding Citizens State Bank. He was deeply involved in civic life, including his church and the Masonic Lodge.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. McDonald Orman
A native of Monaville, Dr. Orman trained under his uncle, Dr. Lee Mahan, before practicing in Hempstead. Known for his gentle bedside manner, he cared for countless local families. Even after moving to Houston, many Hempstead residents remained loyal patients. His career spanned decades until his passing in 1965.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. J. Hamilton Morrison
One of Waller County’s earliest physicians, Dr. Morrison served during the Civil War before beginning his medical career in Texas. He was appointed County Health Officer in 1885 and also cared for students at Prairie View College. In addition to his private practice, he worked for the railroad to safeguard the health of its employees. His commitment to Hempstead’s well-being lasted well into his later years.