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Pflugerville on FireAuthor: Chris Wolff
Our first episode drops August 31! This podcast mini-series will inform you about the initiative to defund the Pflugerville Fire Department. Listen on all major podcasting platforms. Subscribe to get the latest episodes. We have some great guests lined up! Language: en Genres: Government Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Heritage House: Preserving Pflugerville's Roots and Frontier Spirit
Episode 2
Monday, 4 August, 2025
Send us a textWhat happens when three lifelong Pflugerville residents with over two centuries of combined local knowledge gather in a historic Sears kit home to share stories? Pure magic.In this special heritage edition of Pflugerville on Fire, I sit down with Vernagene Mott, Glenn Schiller, and David Gabert at the beautifully preserved Heritage House Museum. Together, they recall stories of Pflugerville's past, from the legendary 55-game football winning streak that put our small town on the national map to harrowing eyewitness accounts of the 1971 fire that nearly destroyed downtown.The conversation takes us deeper as my guests reveal what it was like growing up speaking German at home, learning English only upon entering school, and how World War II changed the cultural landscape of Pflugerville overnight. You'll hear about government authorities monitoring German-speaking residents, families butchering their own pork and using "every part of the pig except the squeal," and the cultural traditions that shaped our community's identity.The Heritage House itself tells an extraordinary story - built from a Sears catalog kit that arrived by train in 1912, assembled by community members, and now standing as a living museum filled with treasures. Each artifact holds personal meaning for my guests, from the pump organ that entertained generations of children to the morning gown that represented a family's status and to the Main Street bench where townspeople gathered every Saturday.Whether you're a history buff, a longtime resident, or new to Pflugerville, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the heart and soul of our community. Visit the Heritage House yourself on the first Sunday of each month, and consider supporting the Heritage House Partners in their mission to preserve these irreplaceable stories for future generations. After all, as Vernagene wisely notes, "We're leaving a heritage and we are also living legacies."
