Location
David Rudolph "Tex" Wintermann
Topics
Description
Wintermann raised cattle, grew rice, and ran an irrigation firm and agricultural supply business near Eagle Lake. He was also a recipient of the American Motors’ Conservation Award (1973), and worked consistently in cooperation with nature. In his farming operation, he resisted use of insecticides. He also kept six sanctuary ponds to protect wintering ducks and geese on the coastal prairie, and collaborated with Ducks Unlimited in providing for waterfowl in Texas. As well, Wintermann and his wife Eula (in tandem with the Duncan and Verhuel families) played a crucial role in creating the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge (1972), contributing a gift and heavily-discounted sale of roughly 840 acres for the preserve.
The image shown here, reputedly the only portrait by the noted landscape painter, Jack Cowan, was kindly shared by the Wintermann Library in Eagle Lake.
Audio/Transcript
Files
- David Wintermann, "A History of Rice", Eula and David Wintermann Library, Eagle Lake, Texas (unpublished, undated).
- David Wintermann, Obituary, Houston Chonicle, February 7, 1997.
- Hon. J.J. Pickle, "Pesticide Fighter Honored", Tuesday, November 6, 1973, FR 36072.
- Leon Hale, "Windmilling with Wintermann", Houston Post (undated).
- U.S. and Wildlife Service, "Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge Map".