In 1852 Hans Heinrich Dietrich Knibbe, Spring Branch’s first pioneer, established a homestead on land purchased for one dollar per acre. His family was joined between 1854 and 1856 by five additional families - Elbel, Porter, Imhoff, Horne, and Fuhrmann. These six farms were equally divided along opposite banks of Spring Creek, a small spring-fed creek which flowed for 1.5 miles into the Guadalupe River. Though the community was initially without a name, a Post Office was established on July 1, 1858 and the name of Spring Branch was adopted. The stream’s name changed from “Spring” to “Spring Branch” as well.