Historical Photo Archives

Click on any photograph to see a larger version

Dee Ann Story, a WIC member and retired anthropology professor from UTA spent many years of her retirement scanning, repairing and cataloging thousands of photographs of historical Wimberley.  The database is searchable by subject, name, place, etc.  These treasured archives are housed in a building, named in Story’s honor, adjacent to the Wimberley-Winters House. A large sample of these photos are on view at the Wimberley Valley Museum via a continuous scrolling slide show.  Below you will find a very small sample of the historical photo database. To find out more about Dee Ann Story scroll to the bottom of the page.

Wimberley’s Mill

A mill has been part of the history of Wimberley since before 1847 when the town was named Glendale. As the mill changed owners it also changed names: Montgomery Mill in 1855, Winters Mill in 1857, Cude Mill in 1874, and Wimberley Mill in 1874. John Will Pyland was the last owner of the mill and operated it until the mill closed in 1925.

Wimberley Town Square

In the 1850s, the village consisted of a grist mill, tannery, general store, shoe shop and a multipurpose building serving as a school, church, and town hall.  In the 1870s a blacksmith shop joined the commercial aspect of the village and in 1880 a U.S. Post Office was established. At this time there were 140 people in the community.

“In 1900 the Wimberley Square was dusty in the summer, muddy with ruts when wet. Horses didn’t mind this as much as early car owners did!” Bill & M.F. Johnson, Wimberley History and Legends.

The Way into Wimberley

In the beginning, and long into the 20th century, if you wanted to be in Wimberley, and depending on where you were traveling from, the only way to get here was via numerous bump gates and low water crossings that traversed both creeks, streams, and rivers.  If the water was too high your options were to wait till the water receded (that could take days) or turn around and go back the way you came.

Wimberley as a Resort Town

Since the first Indian’s roamed these hills, people were attracted to the Wimberley Valley because of its many springs, rivers, and creeks.  Most notable are the Blanco River and Cypress Creek, which is home to Jacob’s Well and Blue Hole. Beginning in the 1920’s Wimberleyites began taking advantage of the area’s beauty by building camps along the Blanco River. The Dobie Family, who owned property adjacent to the Blue Hole since 1879, began charging picnickers and swimmers .25¢ a car for access to the swimming hole. (Click on a photo to see a larger version.)

Wimberley Residents – at Work and at Play

Dee Ann Story (1931 – 2010) – The Driving Force Behind WIC’s Historical Photo Archive Preservation

Dee Ann Story, a Wimberley resident and very active member of WIC, was Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin and former Director of the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory.  In 1953 she graduated from UT with a master of arts in anthropology and went on to earn a doctorate from UCLA. She was one of a very few women in a male-dominated field in the US to pursue this vocation.  Before her retirement in 2009, she became an honored scholar in her field.

Dr. Story was a leading expert on East Texas’ Caddo Indians, among other areas, and has been dubbed the dean of Texas archeology. Among numerous other achievements, Dr. Story was honored with the Curtis D. Tunnell Lifetime Achievement Award in Archeology, recognized as “…a true pioneer in the field of archeology.” Texas Historical Commission’s Executive Director, Larry Oaks, explained, “The innovation Dr. Dee Ann Story has brought to the field of archeology demonstrates her remarkable commitment to saving the real places of Texas. Her dedication as a preservationist to enriching the lives of others through history and prehistory plays an irreplaceable role in preserving our state’s past, as well as enhancing its future.” Dr. Story also received the THC Award for Historic Preservation and the 50th Anniversary Award by the Society for American Archaeology, as well as originating the service-oriented Dee Ann Story Conservation Award presented by the Southern Texas Archaeological Association.

After retiring from academia Dee Ann remained active in her field, focusing her attention on archeological outreach efforts in Hays County and Wimberley. Along with securing a conservation easement from The Archaeological Conservancy in order to protect a prehistoric, burned-rock midden site on her property in Hays County, she spent the last years of her life scanning and cataloging thousands of historic photographs of Wimberley’s past. Wimberley and WIC will always be indebted to Dr. Storey’s untiring efforts in preserving the historical photos.