Hedwig Village: A Quiet Houston Suburb
When Houstonians are seeking a peaceful place to hang their hat, this picturesque retreat in West Houston offers pure solace. Families from all over have come to this highly-rated neighborhood to find affluent homes in a little place known as Hedwig Village. Hedwig Village has much to offer anyone who loves coffee shops, excellent schools, and even beautiful parks to add to this quaint scenery. Although this area has a colorful history to be told and spectacular growth, it has maintained its small-town feel while not being too far away from the big city. In fact, it’s known as one of the smallest incorporated municipalities in Harris County. While rich in history, older homes typically mean issues pop up with older plumbing such as leaks, water heater replacements, or even a need for a whole home repipe. If you need an emergency plumber in Houston, Cooper Plumbing is here to help!
Hedwig Village History
German Settlers
Originally, Hedwig Village started out as part of the John D. Tyler and Isaac Bunker leagues around 1824. Soon came the German people who immigrated to the local area to find places to build their homes, and raise their families on fertile farms. Later, Jacob and Dorothea Schroeder, a kind German family, built a lovely log cabin on this land in the year 1839. Everything there was fruitful farmland, so the Schroeder family knew that by establishing a farm life there with their two sons Heinrich and Fritz, they could prosper. This German family ran the farm themselves with everyone in the family pitching in. Twenty years later the land was worth $100, and they owned plenty of cows, horses, sheep, oxen, and swine.
Many more German families came to the area seeking the same benefits that this incredible area had to offer. Jacob Schroeder became the founding member of the German Society of Texas and was happy to see the area growing so quickly. The sons of Jacob and Jacob himself decided it would be best to sell some of the land in order for more of these families to make way for a new community to emerge. Fritz also purchased additional land for himself and his new wife Dorathe Bleker in 1860 before he left to serve in the Confederate army. Fritz’s son Henry inherited much of this property and married Hedwig Jankowski.
Hedwig Jankowski Schroeder was a single woman who came from Germany to the United States in 1905. She came to be with her sister who came before her, who already had a prospering business in the area. Her sister owned a saloon and a local hotel that was thriving. Later that year she met Henry Schroeder who also became known as one of the founders of the area known today as Spring Branch. After his passing, she inherited the land and area from him to do as she pleased. She made the decision to donate the land to Harris County and because of that, she became its namesake.
Incorporation & Growth
In the early 1950s Spring Branch had failed to form a municipal corporation. Fortunately, affluent communities such as Hedwig Village, Piney Point, Hunter’s Creek, Hillshire Village, and more were finally formed in the surrounding area. On December 23, 1954, Hedwig Village was incorporated, and established a zoning ordinance later in 1955. Since it was incorporated in an outside area, initially Houston did not include it in its city limits. Hedwig Village wanted to remain small and avoid Houston’s annexation of the land around them. This small area began to grow but kept its country-like atmosphere. It became known as the only municipality to accept the existing commercial sector while still remaining small.
Originally Harris County took care of its citizens when it came to safety but soon the city appointed Fred Peisker and F.D. Arthur as co-marshals for their very own patrolling officers. Patrolled by local citizens as well, Hedwig Village residents looked out for each other until 1977 when its very own police department was created. This was seemingly the same with the Fire Department as well as they were incorporated.
As the energy industry began to grow in Houston, so did Hedwig Village. It had gone from days of watching the cattle graze, to streets like Hedwig Road being paved next to housing developments. In 1960, the population was a little over 1,000 residents with over 300 homes. In 1970 more land was purchased from the Corbin family in order to make room for a park dedicated to Mrs. Hedwig Schroeder. Life was good in this small village and the community was always very tight-knit even while expansion was kept to a minimum.
Life in the Village
Outdoor Living
When you come to Hedwig Village, you certainly can’t miss the fantastic Hedwig Park on Corbindale Road. Beautifully shaded and located next to the Spring Branch Memorial Library, Hedwig Park is a place where many local residents can go to enjoy solace. This picturesque retreat even offers the Edith Spang Reading Garden for many to enjoy with their peaceful afternoons.
For residents who have young children, there are multiple play areas, structures, and swing sets to accommodate. For families who enjoy get-togethers, there are large areas of covered picnic tables and even electricity to plug in all the chargers you need. Lucky for many, this park is mainly fenced but has plenty of areas that are spacious enough to play ball games with small groups.
Hedwig Village cares about its scenic environment beyond what many other communities do. They are even fully recognized as a Tree City USA. This means that they have fulfilled their requirements to be in this program by having a city ordinance that protects and cares for their trees. This program is through the National Abor Day Foundation and even has a Tree Advisory Board approved by the City Council. To keep this quaint area of Houston looking pristine, they also have a Parks, Trails, and Beautification Committee in place. They are in charge of projects such as tree planting, landscaping, and more. Trees cannot be altered or even removed without a city permit due to Hedwig Village being very proud of its tree canopy that keeps this area’s very natural charm.
If you live in Hedwig Village and have an emergency plumbing issue, Cooper Plumbing is here to help!
Dining
If you are looking for great food that’s reasonably priced, Hedwig Village residents have plenty of options. Some of them are even award-winning. Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette is one of these with its beef dishes, sushi, and even freshly made pastas. Some restaurants even stand strong after 30 years such as the Memorial Bakery.
If you want southern cooking with a fine dining atmosphere then look no further than Federal American Grill. Many homeowners here have even found themselves walking to nearby dining areas when the weather is permitting. If you want to grab a bite to eat but don’t mind a short drive, CityCentre has an eclectic variety of dining choices and it’s only 2 miles away.
Looking to repair or replace your water heater in Hedwig Village? It’s one of the many services Cooper Plumbing offers.
Housing in Hedwig Village
Although Hedwig Village has maintained its rural charm, its housing and scenery are far from rural. Early on, most of the homes were built very close to what resembles ranch houses. Not many are known to move out of Hedwig village so there aren’t as many homes for sale as there are compared to some of the other Houston neighborhoods. Many of the homes have evolved from their previous ranch style to mansion types due to the affluent demographics here. This means the average home in this area reaches well into one million or more.
Schools in Hedwig Village
When looking for a place to call home, most tend to take into consideration the types of schools their children will attend if they have kids or plan on having children in the near future. Hedwig Village luckily has some of the top-rated schools available in Houston. They are zoned to Spring Branch Independent School District. The schools available nearby are:
- Wildcat Way School
- Bunker Hill Elementary
- Hunters Creek Elementary
- Memorial Drive Elementary
- Spring Branch Middle School
- Memorial High School
Summary
Although this quaint little area of Houston will always remain modest in size, the hearts of the locals here in Hedwig Village will always remain immense. The local residents here have poured their time and energy into keeping their community safe, keeping their scenery preserved, and making sure they honor their beautiful history. If you are coming to visit, be sure to enjoy the nature and tree canopy that surrounds the neighborhoods and if you are looking to stay, don’t forget to do your homework and get the right home for you and your family as well. Being a part of a welcoming suburban community is just one of the many perks this area has to offer.
Mr. Rob2023-07-11Very professional, found the problem and fixed it in minutes.Lindsey ONeal2023-06-28I thought we had a clogged drain and they had a technician in the area that was there in less than 15 minutes after I called. Turned out to just be a stuck stopper which we felt silly about but they were very professional and very helpful.justin pechan2023-05-20They had been able to come out that day. They plumber sho showed up was very respectful of my house and my plumbing problems. He worked diligently untill he was able to overcome the not so correctly installed drainlines.Sandee Trevino2023-05-11Upfront and professional with the issue and estimate. I will use them again and highly recommend for any size job!C Pham2023-05-10I called a few places regarding my slow draining shower and Jeremiah at Cooper Plumbing was helpful from the moment he answered the phone. He was able to get me on schedule that day and worked around to when I would be available. Luke our technician was wonderful. Very nice, respectful, and tried to keep things as clean as possible so we wouldn’t have much to clean. He fixed our issue in no time and now we can shower without water rising. We will definitely keep Cooper Plumbing in the book for any of our plumbing needs in the future.David Batagower2023-04-28I’ve relied on Cooper for quite a few years for my personal home, as well as regularly recommend them to clients. As a Realtor, I have just a few vendors on my short list that are consistently reliable, show up on time, and are trustworthy. Cooper has remained one of those over the years, and I always recommend them with confidence.
77024