Comfort History
Comfort, a town established in 1854 by German immigrants, reflects a rich history rooted in Freethinking and abolitionist ideals. Ernst Hermann Altgelt, credited with surveying the lots for incoming immigrants, settled in Comfort, marrying Emma (Murck) Altgelt and raising their nine children in the township. The first house, constructed by Fritz and Betty Holekamp, predates Comfort's official founding on September 3, 1854. The initial churches emerged in 1892, and controversy surrounded the dedication of a cenotaph honoring the "Founding Freethinkers" on November 2, 2002. This marked an important tribute to the town's ideological roots. Comfort's downtown area stands as one of Texas's best-preserved historic business districts. Boasting over 100 structures from the 19th century, seven were designed by renowned architect Alfred Giles. Giles, based in San Antonio, diligently oversaw his building sites in Comfort, using various modes of transportation.
Today, Comfort's population largely comprises descendants of the original pioneer families from the 1850s and 1860s, contributing to the town's unique cultural continuity. Notably, Comfort holds historical significance tied to the American Civil War. The Treue der Union Monument, dedicated to the 35 men who died at the Battle of the Nueces, commemorates German settlers who opposed Texas's secession from the Union. Confederate forces attacked them near Brackettville on August 10, 1862. In 1865, the retrieved bones were placed at the site, and the monument was erected in 1866. In 1918, Albert Steves established a Hygieostatic Bat Roost on his Comfort farm. Driven by research from Dr. Charles Agustus Rosenheimer Campbell of San Antonio, this initiative aimed to naturally control mosquito populations using bats, particularly against malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Today, only two bat roosts remain, one in Comfort and one in the Florida Keys, highlighting the town's unique contribution to public health history.