Digging up the past in Gonzales

Riding my bike through Independence Park this week I noticed the nice new sidewalk going in along US 183. Alongside the sidewalk was a row of dirt piles that had been excavated during the construction project. Upon inspection, I noted numerous bricks sticking out of the piles which reminded me that this area was the location of the Sunset Brick & Tile Company facility.

Most of the bricks had been broken but there were a few that remained whole, and I even found one brick with most of the “Sunset” name intact. I also found several pieces of tile, both glazed and unglazed, but was not sure if it was made at the brick yard or was just broken pieces of old clay pipe or pottery shards. If anyone has any information on the tile that was made at the brick yard or knows any buildings in town that have tile from the facility I would appreciate the information.

When I got home, I researched the historic Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps available for the City of Gonzales at the University of Texas Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - Texas (1877-1922). Sanborn Map Company published large scale maps of the cities and towns throughout the United States including the City of Gonzales for use of fire insurance companies.

Map No. 8 created in October 1922 showed the location of the Sunset Brick & Tile Company facility just south of the Guadalupe River Dam along the current day US 183 right-of-way. The map shows the location of the clay storage shed, drying kilns, brick shed, and clay pits. From their location I suspect some of the old clay pits are present day water hazards on the golf course.