Vivroux Hardware Is No More

When we moved to Seguin, we would go to Vivroux Hardware store for anything and everything needed for the house we were remodeling. Everything! When our grandchilden visited, we would take them to the back of the store for an ice cream cone served at the soda fountain.

On July 17, 2001 there was a fire at the Vivroux building which basically gutted it. The store had been in the same family for five generations and was a downtown landmark for 123 years.


The loss forced the hardware store out of business; there is now a coffee shop (ChiroJava) and a gift shop at that location. There are plans for a new sports bar/cafe there, also. One can see the original hardwood floors and pressed tin ceilings. Read Gerald E. McCloud's article about his Day Trip to Seguin's Vivroux Hardware, July 31, 1997.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/column?oid=oid:529347
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"Vivroux Hardware is the largest retail firm in South Texas. Their big two story building borders three streets. They get the bulky goods by carload and sell at a close margin. They supply almost every blacksmith in the country with his needs. Besides hardware, tinware, cutlery, etc., they handle wagons, buggies, windmills, in fact everything from a mouse trap to a threshing machine. Most of the stock is owned by C. J. Vivroux, and John Vivroux; the former is president and the latter secretary of the firm, both energetic and enthusiastic young business men, and boosters of their home city."

[The Seguin Booster, April 1, 1912 - Printed in the Seguin Enterprise October 20, 1999 ]

Saturday, October 17, 1998

The flood of 1998 broke previous flood records throughout the Guadalupe County River basin and "reached or exceeded 500-year flood projections" in some areas.

"The flood of October 1998 is a good example of how two hurricanes, a strong low-level flow from the Gulf of Mexico , an upper level trough over New Mexico and a surface cold front combined to create the largest flood of the century for the Upper Guadalupe River Basin and the worst flooding ever recorded in the lower basin." [The Guadalupe River Valley Authority in Cooperation with the Federal Emergency Managment Agency publication]

My husband and I watched on a sloping 'hill' across the street from our house in Elmwood as the water rose. And rose. AND ROSE. There was about four and a half feet of water (powerful forceful raging water) in our home. We rebuilt this home and generous and gracious neighbors across the street (in fact on the very 'hill' we stood as we watched the waters rise) invited us to live in their tennis court apartment while our home was rebuilt. We have since moved from this home (which held marvelous family, grandchildren and friend memories) to a smaller 'garden home' and are quite happy here - as we were there.

We watched the waters rise until evening - thus this snapshot was taken when the sunlight (what there was that day!) was waning. The photo of the red door is the entrance to our present - much smaller - home. High and dry!

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Architecture in Seguin

When we moved to Seguin from Denver (December 1997), we knew three persons: the realtor who handled the house transaction, the person who managed the estate sale for the owner, and the owner who sold us the house - and we only met them at the time we purchased the house. However, in 1993, I read Janice Woods Windle's novel True Women - not knowing that I would one day live in the town she writes about in her book. Life takes some unexpected turns.

This has been a GOOD move. We love Seguin!

A little Seguin history: "The community of Seguin was established in 1838 by members of Mathew Caldwell's Gonzales Rangers, but was not incorporated until 1853. It was originally called Walnut Springs for the nearby fresh water sources. Just six months later the name was changed to honor Colonel Juan N. Seguin, one of Sam Houston's ablest Lieutenants throughout the struggle for Texas' independence. As leader of a dedicated group of Texans of Mexican ancestry, Col. Seguin participated in the great victory at San Jacinto. Later he served as a Republic of Texas Senator and as Mayor of San Antonio." http://www.ci.seguin.tx.us/general/history.htm

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/hes3.html

The snapshot of this Seguin house (412 East Elm Street) is on the market for $399,500 and it is a beautiful home, built in 1910.

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Gratitude Moment - or actually the entire day

Attempting to create a "Blog Page" and organize my thoughts combined with images has been gratifying - this first day of the New Year - 2009! It has also been challenging for I am so ignorant about the nuts and bolts . . . and learning as I stumble! However: I count this experience as a blessing - learning something new - and sharing with friends (or more likely: boring my friends!).

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blog

Definition

A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.

Information

A blog is often a mixture of what is happening in a person's life and what is happening on the Web, a kind of hybrid diary/guide site, although there are as many unique types of blogs as there are people. People maintained blogs long before the term was coined, but the trend gained momentum with the introduction of automated published systems, most notably Blogger at blogger.com. Thousands of people use services such as Blogger to simplify and accelerate the publishing process. Blogs are alternatively called web logs or weblogs. However, "blog" seems less likely to cause confusion, as "web log" can also mean a server's log files.

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Happy New Year!

There is a certain excitement about anticipating the events of a new year. A
hopefulness.
No one knows of course what the future holds - but I pray that 2009 will be a good year!

New Year - 2009

A NEW YEAR'S PRAYER

Dear Lord, please give me...

A few friends who understand me,
and yet remain my friends.

A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would feel the poorer.

A mind unafraid to travel,
even though the trail be not blazed.

An understanding heart...
A sense of humor.

Time for quiet, silent meditation.

A feeling of the presence of God
and the patience to wait for the coming of these things,
with the wisdom to know them when they come.

~By W.R. Hunt

Interesting article in the Science section of the New York Times (December 29, 2008) regarding religion and self-control.

Dr. Michael McCullough states: “Brain-scan studies have shown that when people pray or meditate, there’s a lot of activity in two parts of the brain that are important for self-regulation and control of attention and emotion,” he said. “The rituals that religions have been encouraging for thousands of years seem to be a kind of anaerobic workout for self-control.”
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