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Loyola Beach
vegetation
TE Photo, 2001 |
History
in a Seashell
Our text entry for Loyola Beach is in the form a letter we received
from a descendant of the man Loyola Beach was named after. The letter
follows:
"I am the descendent of Remlinger Underbrink. My great great grandfather
was the one who drew the floor plan for the Church at Vattmann.
The name of the Church is Our Lady of Consolation Church. Ignatius
Underbrink (grandfather) was the architect. Orlando Underbrink (great
uncle) built the three solid oak altars.
Loyola Beach was named after my grandfather Ignatius Loyola Underbrink.
My great uncle Orlando Underbrink built the Cafe at Loyola Beach which
at that time was called Orlando's Cafe. In 1945 he leased the Inn
and opened a restaurant specializing in fish and chicken.
Further down South Texas nearly at the end of the King Ranch near
Raymondville, my Dad's brother-in-law
and nephew went duck hunting behind the King Ranch in the 40's and
they disappeared. To this day they have never been found." - G. Walker,
February 19, 2003
Editor's note:
The disappearance of the two men mentioned above has become one of
South Texas' most enduring mysteries.
Texas Escapes,
in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas,
asks that anyone wishing to share Loyola Beach history and/or vintage/historic
photos, please contact
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Kings Inn Restaurant
in Loyola Beach
Photo courtesy Gerald Walker, October 2007
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Wedding
photo of Orlando Unterbrink and Mammie Remlinger.
Orlando Underbrink was the man who built the King's Inn Restaurant.
Photo courtesy Gerald R. Walker |
Seagulls in Kaufer-Hubert
Memorial Park
TE Photo, August 2000 |
The commercial
district of Loyola Beach
TE photo, 2001 |
Loyola Beach,
Texas Forum
Loyola Beach
and Riviera
Upon reading your article regarding Loyola Beach and Riviera,
I noticed it was written by a Wayne Simms. As I remember, Wayne
was stationed at site 55 in Riviera,
in the Navy base located in Kingsville.
I corresponded with him while he was stationed in Alaska. Then,
I lost track of his whereabouts. He was a family friend. He would
have known me as Lynda or Lynn Pace. My mother, Gracie, owned the
Ranch Cafe in Riviera. By the way,
my Mom owned, operated, and named the original The Green Frog, and
coined the phrase, "Service with a hop!" I would be inerested in
knowing if this is the same "Wayne Simms" I knew. I write prose
and poetry, jingles and songs, and a few articles, all about Texas.
In fact, I am now in the process of developing the old "Hitching
Post," of which you showed a picture. You ought to see it now! ...
Thank you.- Lynn (Pace) Sasser, August 11, 2006
Subject:
Loyola Beach ...from about March, 1961 through March. 1962,
I was in the US Navy stationed at the Riviera Beach Radar Site #55.
We made excursions, when we had money, to all of the local communities.
Riviera and Luke`s HWY 77 Bar...most
of the floor was gone from it...a Mexican bar just across the tracks,
2 restaurants, neither of which I can remember the name of. The
one on the north side of town was owned by 2 sisters, I believe,
and other relatives of theirs were always there, including the two
brothers/cousins? who operated the gas station/garage. A one room
barber shop next to Lukes, in about the same disarray. The grocery
store, owned by a man whose son was a star football player for Riviera
High School. The other restaurant, operated by a lady and her boyfriend,
mostly a BBQ joint, located on the South end of town. Riviera beach,
a bait stand and beer joint, operated by a treasure hunter, his
wife and about 5 kids. Their last name was Brown.... Vattman, or
Loyola Beach, as we called it..Henry Kush, his wife and ex-wife
operated The Green Frog, sold and drank lots of beer..and Henry
and his red headed British wife could cook just about anything.
And cook it good. The Bayview Inn, on the water, mainly a beer joint,
the little Trading Post, and, of course, The King`s Inn which had
about the best sea food I have ever eaten. The rest of the village
was a collection of dilipidated tourist "courts", a rusted trailer
or two and a few homes here and there. I had a fine year there,
even if I can`t remember the names. The school principal`s mother
lived out near the Site and would bring us fresh grapefruit from
her trees.... - Wayne Sims, October 10, 2004
Special thanks to Mr. Walker who furnished these details of the
area's history.
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