The Rosenberg Historian’s Labor of Love: Images of America, Historic Downtown Rosenberg

By Joan Frances –

We are proud Americans. We are proud of where we came from and where we are going. The preservation of history is a necessity for the benefit of future generations. Thirty-six Rosenberg historians set out to gather information from a wide variety of credible sources to complete and publish Images of America, Historic Downtown Rosenberg. From conception to completion, with three years of a collaborative effort of gathering pictures, stories and facts, the City of Rosenberg has a tangible resource. 

This labor of love was the brainchild of Rosenberg resident Renee Butler. During her 11 years as owner of Another Time Soda Fountain, Butler encountered countless senior citizens with engaging stories of how the city began and grew – real stories of how life was, how difficult times were and how everyone survived. She heard reflections of floods, wars and the simpler moments of life, as well as stories of seasonal celebrations, successful crops and good weather. 

Butler’s vision was to preserve these memories through a selection of photographs and stories that could be shared by all. It did not take long for this idea to become a reality. The first meeting brought 20 enthusiastic historians who were anxious to represent Rosenberg’s heritage in the most creative and informative way. Two years into the research, Arcadia Publishing contacted Butler, and the details were negotiated. Every page has pictures, some from private owners never seen before, meticulously describing personal experiences from days gone by.

The first chapter of the book covers Historic Downtown Rosenberg. Beginning in 1873 and during the inception of the railroad, Rosenberg became a bustling city. When the train station was closed because transportation shifted to automobiles, the city began to die. A small group of insightful individuals began a revitalization project by building a railroad museum and redirecting business back into downtown. Rosenberg began to prosper once again. 

The book is filled with pictures and history that portrays the true essence of Rosenberg’s origin and development. The photographs cleverly correlate how the buildings were utilized in the past and how they are used today. The reader travels on a horse-drawn buggy through the business district downtown, stopping at the general mercantile and bank. Pictures of the inside of Cumings Drug Store and Soda Fountain provide a glimpse of the décor and fashion of the time. Another Time Soda Fountain inhabits this building today, keeping the original concept alive. Boring’s Variety Store, pictured on the cover of the book, served the city for 56 years, and now, Antiques Around the Corner is the operating business.

The second chapter focuses on the “hub of activity” and the people who contributed to the growth of Downtown Rosenberg. The Vogelsang complex was originally Gray & Son, William F. Erp and Cochran Bros. Company, which sold buggies, harnesses and wagons. This large building was home to other merchants as well. 

Most of the downtown buildings remain today and possess the ambiance and intrigue of the past. The Rosenberg historians created a book like none other. This publication is available and can be purchased at most of the downtown shops in Rosenberg for $21.99. 

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The Rosenberg Historians