Carol’s Corner is one of Cat Spring’s entrepreneurs. We’ve got several. Always have, always will. Whether it be an immigrant farmer from Germany or other parts of Europe or a modern day rancher and restaurateur, Cat Spring attracts them.
Cat Spring has a long history of attracting entrepreneurs, and Carol’s Corner is just one of many successful entrepreneurs who have called this small town home. With its rich agricultural heritage and unique small-town charm, Cat Spring continues to attract new entrepreneurs who are eager to make their mark on the community.
Whether you’re starting a new business or looking to join an established one, Cat Spring offers the perfect blend of opportunity and support. So if you’re an entrepreneur looking for a place to call home, look no further than Carol’s Corner in Cat Spring. With a long history of success and a bright future ahead, this small town is the perfect place to start your next venture.
Many patrons at Carol’s restaurant often ask about the history of Cat Spring and how it got its name. When Carol tells them about the large cats that were spotted at the spring when the German settlers arrived, she often gets laughs because it’s hard to believe. However, there are still reports of sightings of large cats in the area, so visitors should keep their eyes open.
According to an excerpt from the book The Cat Spring Story, published in 1956, the original settlement (not where Cat Spring is located today) had a large spring nearby. A wildcat was reportedly killed in the area, and the spring was initially called Wildcat Spring but was later shortened to Cat Spring (Katzenquelle).
Carol , a native Texan, was born and raised on her family’s Warda farm and ranch, which has been owned by her family since 1875. Growing up in one of the state’s many German-American communities, Carol spoke only German before starting school in a one-room parochial school. After completing high school in LaGrange, she attended six months of business college in Houston before working as a stenographer for the FBI in Washington D.C.
Carol transferred to the Houston FBI Office after two years and attended four years of night school at McMahon College of Court Reporting while working as a Spacette (usher) at the Houston Astrodome in the evenings. In 1971, Carol earned her Court Reporter certification from the Texas Supreme Court and worked briefly for a small court reporting firm before founding Carol Reporting, Records & Video, Inc. Today, the firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with reporters stationed in Dallas, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley.
In addition to running her reporting business, Carol operates BlissWood Bed & Breakfast and raises South American Paso Fino horses, American Bison, and miniature donkeys at her Lehmann Legacy Ranch in Cat Spring, Texas. She also opened Carol’s at Cat Spring Restaurant in April of 2003, a country establishment with fine dining in the lodge tradition that serves dishes ranging from country fare to continental cuisine.
Carol is a member of several organizations, including the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs Association, Les Dames Escoffiers, and Houston Culinary Guild. Since 1990, she has been a major sponsor for the Houston Bar Association Fun Run, benefiting The Center in Houston, and now serves on the Board for the Foundation of The Center. She has also contributed items and stays at her Aspen townhouse to the Houston Children’s Charity’s auction.
In her spare time, Carol enjoys ballroom dancing (she competed nationally for eight years), drawing, gardening, taking flying lessons, and appreciating nature surrounded by her animals.
