First State Bank of Uvalde

Thursday, March 19, 2015 – Uvalde, TX

We took the afternoon off today to go see the art work and antiques at the First State Bank of Uvalde.  When someone told us we needed to go take a tour of the bank I thought they had to be kidding.  We tried to go there on a Saturday, but they only have banker’s hours here at this branch.  They are open 9:00am – 3:00pm Monday through Friday.  When we walked in I thought for sure they would look at me funny when I asked if we could have a tour of the bank, but Vennessa greeted us as we walked in and we let her know we wanted to take a tour and she said she would be happy to take us on the tour.  This is her job!

It is an extensive collection of art and antiques owned by the former Governor Dolph Briscoe.  There is art works from Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Remington and Warren.  And beautiful antiques.

There is also a mounted head of a bull from the Kothmann family.  The plaque below the head stated the bull lived out its natural life before being mounted.  And it just so happens an executive at the bank is the grandson of the gentleman that owned the bull.  Mike wanted to ask him a question, so after his customer left Vennessa asked him to come out.  He came out and told us about the day a younger gentleman walked in and said he is the great-grandson of the man that sold the bull to Mr. Kothmann’ grandfather.  And to top it off he was sure his dad had a picture of the bull.  Well a few weeks after the younger gentleman had come in, the father came in with the picture.  Mr. Kothmann now has a picture of the bull when it was young to add to the mounted head and article.  What a small world.  :)

We were there for about 1.5 hours.  It was a really nice tour!  If you would like to see some of the art and antiques in the bank check out First State Bank of Uvalde

We were hoping to go to the Rexall Drug Store in Uvalde, but it was closed by the time we got out of the bank.  They also close at 3:00pm.  They are supposed to have an old soda fountain there.  Hopefully we will make it there before we leave the area. 

It was another wonderful day!