Historical Society of Helotes

The Hileman House (and Riggs Residence) is a historic boarding house located in Old Town Helotes. Cowboys from Bandera and elsewhere often spent the night at the boarding house before going to market in San Antonio, putting their cattle in fenced pastureland near the town.

It was originally built in a Victorian style with an L-shaped two-story porch by entrepreneur Wilbert Hileman in 1912. The house’s facade was changed by second owners James and Kate Riggs using local limestone.

To learn more about the history of the Hileman-Riggs House (now Texas Grounds Coffee Co.), view the interpretive sign at 14359 Riggs Road in Old Town Helotes.

In 1868, 13-year-old Arnold Gugger moved with his parents, Swiss immigrants Anton and Marie Gugger, to Helotes, where his father started a rock quarry business. His older sisters—Matilda (Braun), Ida (Epp), and Emma Katherine (Boerner)—were already living in the area, having married into Helotes pioneer families.

Arnold Gugger (1855-1928) is one of the few pioneers who wrote about his life in Helotes. A copy of his five-page handwritten biography in the historical society archives contains dates and information pertaining to his life and is a valuable primary resource that provides evidence for the establishment of downtown Helotes. He wrote, “And in the year of 1881, we started a Blacksmith Shop, Grocery Store, and a Saloon.”

Visit the link below to read the rest of the article in the August 2026 issue of Helotes Highlights Newspaper:

https://highlightspub.com/HH_8_26/HH_8_26.html

The Historical Society of Helotes has installed a new history exhibit at Helotes City Hall to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Society.

In 1966, a few residents interested in preserving Helotes’ history formed the Helotes Historical Society. The group was spearheaded by Lucy Perkins Brown (1916-1988), editor of The Helotes Echo, and Wanda Terry (1921-2005), owner of the Hickory Hut Restaurant in Old Town Helotes. After Wanda’s death, a small group of dedicated volunteers kept the Society going. The organization was renamed the Historical Society of Helotes and achieved 501(c)3 tax-exempt status in 2010.

Since then, the Society has sponsored educational activities and projects to preserve the history of the area, such as a Walking Tour Map of Old Town Helotes, Interpretative Signs in front of historic Old Town buildings, and a digital archive of Helotes Echo newspapers from the 1960s through the 1980s available on the Society’s website.

The new exhibit “Celebrating 60 Years of Preserving History,” will be on display until February 2027 at City of Helotes City Hall at 12951 Bandera Road.

(📸: HSH Historian Kathy Masters and HSH President Cynthia Massey)

The Historical Society of Helotes was deeply honored to receive a proclamation from the City of Helotes during last Thursday's City Council meeting in recognition of the Society's 60th anniversary.

Helotes Mayor Pro Tem Buck Russell, a fellow Historical Society member, had the privilege of presenting the proclamation to HSH President Cynthia Massey. Several members and board members of the Society were also in attendance to share in this special milestone.

For six decades, the Historical Society of Helotes has been dedicated to preserving the stories, landmarks, traditions, and heritage that make our community so unique. This recognition belongs to every member, volunteer, and supporter who has contributed their time, talents, and passion to preserving Helotes' history for future generations.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the City of Helotes for this meaningful honor and to everyone who has supported the Historical Society over the past 60 years. We look forward to continuing our mission of preserving the past while inspiring future generations to appreciate the rich history of our hometown.

Here's to the next 60 years!

For more than 30 years, this five-room white cottage, now The Cottage of Helotes, has housed antique stores under different names and proprietors, but for several decades it served as a residence for local workers. An early resident was a carpenter who helped erect other buildings on Old Town properties owned by James Riggs (1879-1964). In the 1950s, a family of seven—a mother, father, and five children—resided in the cottage. The father worked at the Sinclair Gas Station down the street.

One early resident who lived in Old Town as a boy in the 1940s remembers the excitement when a renter who lived in the cottage—Mr. Lewis—bought the first TV set in the area [sometime after the war]. He related, “In the evenings, people would gather in front of the cottage and watch wrestling.”

More recently, the cottage has housed such retail businesses as a hobby shop, arts and crafts store, and antique stores.

📖 What We’re Reading 📖

"Death of a Texas Ranger" is the thrilling, action-packed story of the murder of Texas Ranger John Green by Cesario Menchaca, one of three Rangers of Mexican descent under Green’s command.

Immediately word spread that the killing may have been the botched outcome of a contract taken out on Menchaca’s life by the notorious Gabriel Marnoch, a local naturalist who had run up against the law himself. But was it? Much more than just a story about a tragic frontier killing, it is the story of an era.

You can purchase an autographed copy of "Death of a Texas Ranger," a Will Rogers Silver Medallion Award winner and San Antonio Conservation Society Publication Award winner, by Cynthia Leal Massey, noted historian and Historical Society of Helotes President, from the HSH website store at https://historicalsocietyofhelotes.org/store/ols/products/death-of-a-texas-ranger.

🎉 Join Us as We Celebrate 60 Years of Preserving Helotes History!🎉

The Historical Society of Helotes invites all members, friends, and supporters to attend the City of Helotes City Council meeting on Thursday, July 23, where the Society will be honored with a Proclamation recognizing our 60th Anniversary.

📍 Helotes City Hall, 12951 Bandera Road
🗓️ Thursday, July 23, 2026
🕖 7:00 p.m. (The presentation will take place promptly at the beginning of the meeting.)

This special recognition celebrates six decades of preserving the rich history, heritage, and traditions of our community. We would be honored to have our members and supporters there as we mark this important milestone together.

Additionally, we invite you to visit the newly installed biannual history exhibit in the City Hall gallery honoring the HSH’s 60th Anniversary. The new exhibit “Celebrating 60 Years
of Preserving History,” will be on display until February 2027.

Following the presentation, everyone is invited to join the Historical Society Board at the Old Town Helotes Family Park for refreshments and fellowship as we continue the celebration.

Thank you to the City of Helotes for recognizing the Society's 60 years of service, and thank you to the many volunteers, members, and community partners whose dedication has helped preserve the stories of Helotes for generations.

We hope to celebrate with you on Thursday!

Take a step back in time and discover the stories that helped shape our community!

The Historical Society of Helotes invites you to explore the searchable online archive of the Helotes Echo, featuring thousands of digitized newspaper pages documenting life in Helotes from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Whether you're researching local history, looking for familiar names and faces, or simply curious about Helotes' past, the Historical Society of Helotes digital newspaper archive collection offers a fascinating glimpse into the people, events, and milestones that made our city what it is today.

Start exploring at: https://historicalsocietyofhelotes.org/archive-collection.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Historical Society of Helotes. The City will honor the Society with a Proclamation to be presented at the July 23rd City of Helotes City Council Meeting, and the public is invited.

In 1966, a few residents interested in preserving Helotes’ history formed the Helotes Historical Society. The group was spearheaded by Lucy Perkins Brown (1916-1988), editor of The Helotes Echo, and Wanda Terry (1921-2005), owner of the Hickory Hut Restaurant in Old Town Helotes. After Wanda’s death, a small group of dedicated volunteers kept the Society going. The organization was renamed the Historical Society of Helotes and achieved 501(c)3 tax-exempt status in 2010.

Since then, the Society has sponsored educational activities and projects to preserve the history of the area, such as a Walking Tour Map of Old Town Helotes, Interpretative Signs in front of historic Old Town buildings, an archive of Helotes Echo newspapers from the 1960s through the 1980s available on the Society’s website, and a biannual history exhibit at Helotes City Hall. One of the Society’s primary goals is the future realization of a museum in Old Town Helotes.

To read the rest of the article, go to the July 2026 issue of Helotes Highlights.
https://highlightspub.com/HH_7_26/HH_7_26.html

Local artist Charles B. James (Cbjames Art) and Helotes historian Cynthia Leal Massey (CLM Books) collaborated on “The Art of Helotes,” a whimsical tour of Old Town Helotes told through paintings, architecture, and stories.

This 48-page, full-color hardcover book features Charles’ watercolor illustrations alongside Cynthia’s stories about the Old Town Helotes’ distinctive buildings, people, and businesses. It is dedicated to the Helotes pioneers who left a great legacy, and to those who have taken up the mantle to preserve it.

To purchase your copy from the HSH Store, visit https://historicalsocietyofhelotes.org/store/ols/products/the-art-of-helotes.