Long before George Strait ever climbed the steps of Gruene Hall, and before antique shops, restaurants and live music turned the Gruene Historic District into a Hill Country destination, the area was quiet, closer to a near-ghost town than the bustling historic stop it is today.
In the 1970s, fewer than two dozen residents lived among aging buildings and empty stretches of road. It was a place in transition, not yet the destination it would become. Today, nearly 50 years ago, that quieter version of Gruene reached a breaking point.
Look up today, and you might still notice it, a small dent near the top of the Gruene water tower, a faint mark left from the day a crane was brought in with plans to dismantle and remove it entirely. What followed was not just a stalled construction project, but a fast-moving legal fight that would determine whether Gruene’s historic core would survive at all.
Water tower and crane in Gruene, Texas on February 4, 1976. (Courtesy Of Texas Historical Commission)
Larry Lehr, 77, remembers it clearly. He and his wife moved from San Antonio in 1975, settling into a home in the heart of Gruene, drawn in by the town’s history and riverfront setting. Then one morning in 1976, as they pulled out of their driveway, they saw a crane already attached to the top of the water tower.
A crew had begun cutting into its structure. During their move to Gruene, Lehr recalls that the tower was still functioning in some capacity as part of Gruene’s early water system. But nearly a year later, its fate had already been decided elsewhere. A developer had acquired it, with plans to dismantle and relocate it.
As work began, concern quickly turned into legal action. Early preservation figures, along with the late Pat Molak, moved to intervene, triggering a court battle aimed at stopping demolition before it could be completed. A temporary restraining order froze the situation just long enough for negotiations and fundraising to begin.
The Gruene water tower stands in the Historic District in Gruene, Texas, on April 30, 2026, still marked by a faint dent from the 1970s demolition attempt. (Courtesy Of Texas Historical Commission)
Legal battle brews over demolition of the historic Gruene landmark
According to newspaper archival information provided by the Molak Corporation, the estimated cost to acquire the tower and surrounding land was about $15,000. A temporary court window of roughly 90 days was granted during the dispute, with the condition that if funds were not raised, the tower could be disposed of by the owner.
A 1976 New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung clipping from the proceedings noted testimony that framed Gruene’s preservation effort as a shared commitment among property owners to restore and protect the town’s historic integrity. That legal window became the turning point. What had been a quiet, fading river settlement suddenly became a place fighting for its identity.
A water tower at the former Hadlock and Fox Manufacturing site stands in Gruene, Texas. The time the photograph was taken is unknown. (Courtesy of Texas Historical Commission)
Gruene, Texas on December 10, 2025. (Nicholas Hernandez/MySA)
“The water tower is more than just a landmark. It’s a symbol of the moment when a small group of people chose to fight for Gruene’s future. Saving it wasn’t easy, but it set the tone for everything that followed. Fifty years later, it still stands as a reminder of the power of preservation, community, and believing in something worth saving,” Susie Molak, wife of the late Pat Molak, a key figure in Gruene’s revival who helped lead the effort to save the tower, said in a statement to MySA.
Gruene Historic District reflects on identity-saving showdown
Lehr recalled how quickly the vulnerability of the town became clear. There were no formal protections in place, and little standing between Gruene’s historic structures and removal.
“People that were here in the town were kind of moseying around town with [District Judge Robert Pfeuffer] saying, ‘If you let the water tower get destroyed and moved, then somebody will want to take this building out and then somebody will want to move this.’ So, Gruene would sort of unravel,” Lehr recalled to MySA.
As the crane stood ready and the legal fight unfolded, Molak, along with plaintiff William Gallagher, moved quickly to secure a temporary restraining order. Within hours, money was raised locally. It took roughly 10 days, but ultimately, demolition was stopped. That pause changed everything.
A water tower and crane are seen in Gruene, Texas on February 8, 1976. (Courtesy of Texas Historical Commission, Courtesy Of Texas Historical Commission)
The effort not only saved the water tower – now one of Gruene’s most recognizable landmarks – but helped shape the district’s long-term trajectory. Molak would go on to acquire surrounding property, eventually leading to the restoration and opening of the Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar in 1977, the Molak Corporation told MySA.
Today, the water tower sits on property privately owned by Gruene Texas 90 and remains a defining symbol of the historic district.
Looking back, Lehr said the fight marked a turning point not just for a structure, but for how Gruene saw itself: “Fifty years later, the water tower is here as a symbol of Gruene, and you can see it from miles away,” Lehr stated. “It’s good that we kept it. If we let it get out of our control, who knows what would still be here.”
Texas Hill Country community bands together to preserve local history
A water tower sits behind Gruene Hall in Gruene, Texas on April 30, 2026. (Nicholas Hernandez/MySA)
Lehr also recalled how quickly the community came together. Residents, artists and early business owners worked side by side to raise money and organize efforts. One of those efforts included a fundraiser that became known for its unconventional spirit, a cow patty tossing contest held in what Lehr calls “Uptown Gruene.” It was a lighthearted event tied to a serious goal of keeping the tower standing.
Now, 50 years after the crane first reached the tower, that moment is being revisited through the Uptown Gruene Patty Fling, a revived cow patty tossing fundraiser rooted in the original effort to save the water tower. The May 9 event will benefit Canyon High School FFA and feature live music, food trucks, games and throwing competitions for all ages.
More than a celebration, it serves as a reminder of the original showdown that helped define Gruene’s future, when a small community, a court battle and a scramble to raise funds came together in a matter of days to decide whether one of its most visible landmarks would stand or disappear.
This article originally published at The historic Texas Hill Country town of Gruene nearly looked worlds different.