SAN ANTONIO – It is rural. It is quiet. And it is big.
"We're the second largest [town] in Bexar County, behind San Antonio, geographically,” Dee Grimm, Mayor of St. Hedwig said.
At a whopping 32 square miles, St. Hedwig is spatially sizable, but sparsely populated. And for those who live here, that is exactly how they like it. The town boasts homes that sit on multiple acres, with peaceful surroundings.
So, who is the town named after? To know that, you have to look back at where the town’s originally settlers came from.
"They moved from a Prussian/Poland area called Silesia,” Grimm said.
Silesia is an area near the Poland and former Czechoslovakia border and Saint Hedwig is the Patron Saint of Silesia. Canonized by the Catholic Church in 1267, she was an iconic figure there, said to have created healing spring waters. Saint Hedwig was so revered, that upon moving to South Texas, the town site was named in her honor.
"The polish heritage here is very, very strong,” Grimm said.
The Polish Catholic traditions brought to South Texas are reflected in the town’s beautiful Annunciation Catholic Church. The historic structure stands as the crown jewel of the small community. Throughout the town, you’ll also find plenty of Polish influence; most notably, with one of the town’s more famous names: Lubianski. Lubianski’s store once held popular dances and now has a new location along St. Hedwig’s main drag.
Click on the unique Texas town names below to learn about their origins.