Yorktown
DeWitt County, Texas
29 04.202' N 97 33.897' W
Directions: Start at the intersection of CR-3014 and FM-108. Go .8 miles west on CR-3014. The dance hall is on the right (north) side of the road.

Text: The small community of Gruenau was settled by German immigrants who arrived in the area circa 1872. In 1898, twenty-one charter members founded the Gruenau Turn and Schuetzen Verein (gymnastics and marksmenrsquo;s association. The association provided exercise as well as social interaction, and was modeled after similar clubs in Germany. One of the first undertakings of the association was the construction of a movable platform to be used for performances, dances and competitions. The group constructed a permanent hall in 1900 on two acres owned by Ernst Haerting, Sr. and Anton Koopman. The men later sold the property to the club for the price of $100. J.H. Koopman later sold and an additional .97 acres to the club. Gruenau Hall became the gathering place in the community for musical programs, feasts, exhibitions, masquerade balls and shooting competitions. A new hall was constructed on the property and was dedicated on November 27, 1927 with festivities that included a shooting contest, gymnastics competition and a sausage supper. The verein celebrated its golden jubilee with the gathering of thousands of people on April 14, 1948. Activities of the verein declined during the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s, as residents moved to urban areas or left the community to join war efforts. The verein continued to hold bi-annual feasts at the hall celebrating the planting and harvesting seasons. The hall was also used by local social, agricultural and fraternal organizations, and hosted reunions, dances, wedding receptions and other celebrations. Although the 1927 verein hall was destroyed by a 2007 fire, the associations remains active in the community.