On January 9th, R.H. Walker sold Plaza Hotel to Roy Miller of Corpus Christi, which included all of Mr. Walker’s buildings on the square, such as the hotel, garage, and the store occupied by Kleine Brothers. Additionally, J.H. Boothe House was built on Block 47 at 706 St. George Street with architect Atlee Ayres. On April 2nd, it was reported that Gonzales would have a new State Park that included the whole of East Avenue proper, beginning at the high school campus end and extending a distance of three miles due east, and the high school was at this time on the College Street campus. On May 22nd, C.E. Dilworth and driver Elmo Mathieu left the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio and drove a record-breaking speed of 89 miles per hour in a 1913 Cadillac Roadster. On the same day, Hartwell J. Kennard was the only graduate of Gonzales High School. On June 5th, the school census was 1,006, compared to 969 from the previous year, and the north side of the iron fencing at the City Cemetery was completed at a cost of $400 by the Ladies’ City Cemetery Society. Work on the east side was set to begin soon. Also, on the same day, a new ordinance passed to extend the boundaries of the area in Gonzales where hogs may be legally kept, and another ordinance was passed stating that no lumber yards or lumber storage areas would be allowed in the city limits.
On June 9th, the Baker Air Dome Theater, an open-air theater, opened on St. Lawrence Street. Adolph Richter had previously opened Ric’s Airdome by 1912, which was the first picture show established in Gonzales. On June 12th, a new ordinance passed extending the boundaries of the area in Gonzales where hogs may be legally kept, and another ordinance was passed stating that no lumber yards or lumber storage areas will be allowed in the city limits. On June 26th, the Plaza Theatre was mentioned in local reports. On July 10th, Representative O.B. Robertson purchased land on East Avenue, and a census report showed that there were 669 goats in Gonzales County valued at $1,240. Also, the same report showed that land in Gonzales County averaged $21.13 per acre, up $11.25 per acre in the last decade. On August 7th, the City Cemetery Society met and reported that they had finished and paid for the fence around the City Cemetery, which was completed at a total cost of $1250, and the east side was put in first-class repair. On August 20th, Senate Bill #57 passed, creating the Gonzales Independent School District.
On August 21st, W.D. Faus advertised that he did cement work. On August 28th, C.C. DeWitt was reported to have died at his home in Houston, and he was brought to Gonzales where he was buried in the DeWitt family cemetery, which was called “Mason’s Mound” and later known as Santa Anna Mound. Inquirer reported that 352 bales of cotton were received at the cotton platform on the last Saturday. On September 4th, the mound property just south of the Guadalupe bridge was sold by Mr. C.E. Dilworth to J.B. Wells, Sr., which included the old graveyard and Mason’s/Santa Anna mound. The total amount was about 312 acres at $100 per acre.
On September 25th, the first talking movie was presented at Baker’s Air Dome. Two scenes from Quo Vadis were shown with clarity and accompanied by the “talkophone”. The following week, on October 2nd, R.P. Jahnke took over the old R.A. Houston residence, which had been known as The Turner House for the past two years. Jahnke turned the property into a boarding house. Additionally, Mrs. Rochelle took control of the Rochelle House on the same day, after an absence of some time.
One week later, on October 9th, the Guadalupe River experienced a major flood. The river crested at either 37 feet 8 inches or 35 feet, depending on the source, but regardless it was the largest flood in recorded history for the Guadalupe River. The flood caused significant damage, including the washout of the Guadalupe River bridge at Oak Forest.
Finally, on December 4th, the Guadalupe River flooded again, this time cresting at 38.10 feet. In happier news, Gonzales was recognized by Holland Magazine as the cleanest town in Texas.
