Kendalia Halle was built in 1903 by the Nicholas Syring Musical Club, as a place to perform and entertain the small community. At one time there was a bowling alley, a barbershop, and a cotton gin by Kendalia Halle. It was an active community in the Hill Country, and the hall was used for wedding receptions, graduation ceremonies, reunions, and school plays.

Years ago the small portion to the right of the stage was fenced off with chicken wire. This is where the non-paying customers would sit and watch while not being allowed to dance. The paying customers would use this part of the hall to bed down their children while they continued to dance. Dances would begin during the day and last until the next morning, with everyone bringing food to share with one another. Traveling was done by horse and buggy, so going to these dances took quite a bit of effort.

Benches still surround the walls as they did when the hall first opened, but a beer garden was added on to the east side of the building several years later.

The oak tree out front was used to chain unruly customers if they were fighting or causing problems. They were usually released after they had sobered up. One night a fight broke out and one of the band members, not wanting to get hurt, jumped out a window behind the stage. Although not injured in the fight, he hurt himself in the fall.

The red fir wood used to build the dance hall was shipped from Oregon by railroad to Boerne, Texas. It was then brought to the site by horse drawn wagons. The wood provided great acoustics for Geronimo Trevino III's, "Live From Kendalia Halle" recording that was released on September 27, 1997.

Lee Temple purchased Kendalia Hall in 1996 and kept it as a family place to visit. Their slogan is "I'd rather be dancing at Kendalia Hall."

Sometimes when we are resting after cleaning the hall, we try to imagine people over ninety years ago coming to the hall and dancing or just listening to the music. What a beautiful sight that must have been. The people in those days didn't have all the things that we have to entertain ourselves with, and music and dancing was their favorite pastime. We cannot relive the past, but we can enjoy the pleasures that were so dear to our ancestors.
~Tom and Glenda McKinney

The above history is an excerpt from Dance Halls and Last Calls: A History of Texas Country Music, by Geronimo Trevino published in May 2002.

While the outside of Kendalia Halle has kept its original "look" from 1903, the inside has been updated while retaining its "old time dance hall" flavor and ambience.