Side, 1980's	Front
Remodelled Front,1994

HISTORY: Built by brothers Lawrence H. and Christian Schrader in approximately 1898, the Schrader Livery Stable provided a quality means of transportation to this community for more then twenty years--until the more efficient automobile gradually took its place and there was no longer a demand for the horse and buggy. The horse and buggy rented for $1.50 per day and a horse drawn bus ride from the railroad depot to local hotels was ten cents. The SA & AP ran two trains daily from San Antonio to Boerne, and Andrew Potter met the trains regularly with a freight wagon to haul suitcases and baggage downtown. Many salesmen and drummers stayed at the nearby Becker House, at 211 S. Main, where the Lester's Texaco Station now is located. The Hotel provided them with a display room where local merchants could drop by and view their wares. There was one salesman called "Candy Jones" who brought along a pet monkey and gave out free samples of candy for the Duerler Candy Company of San Antonio. Horse drawn vehicles entered the old livery stable from Main Street. The Schrader office was on the left and rental buggies on the right. Hay was stored upstairs over the office and horses were kept in the back.

The front portion of the stables was remodelled and used for several businesses over the years--Reiger's Grocery; Handy Andy; Gerfer's BIGS General Store; Kutzer's Hill Country Sales. In 1950 when Archie and Alice Gerfers opened their general store which they named BIGS, there was a canopy extending to the street to shade the cars that stopped there. BIGS moved to 319 N. Main when the Irvin Kutzer family purchased the property and Rosamund Kutzer opened her Hill Country Sales business. They removed the canopy leaving the building with its open front as it is now.

Source: Perry, Garland A., "Historic Images of Boerne, Texas 1982", Econ-o-print, p154; and Boerne Public Library files.- May, 1999

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