Martha Knies Keep Texas Beautiful Leadership Award

“Ladybird” Johnson, the First Lady, and her efforts of beautifying America and Keep America Beautiful were full underway when San Antonio’s Hemisfair, a world’s fair exposition, was to be held and the move to spruce up Texas for world visitors was needed.

In 1967, the beginnings of Keep Texas Beautiful were underway to do just that. Communities across the state since have been beautifying their common spaces, creating works of landscape art. Martha Knies started that process in Wimberley, and now she is being recognized for her long-time commitment to beautification.

Keep Texas Beautiful has honored her with their most prestigious award, the Leadership Award, according to their website.

“Keep Texas Beautiful presents: This once-ina-lifetime distinction is awarded to an individual who has provided outstanding leadership in improving and enhancing the environment of their community, the state of Texas and beyond. Martha Knies of Wimberley.”

Keep Wimberley Beautiful’s work is on display throughout Wimberley. The plants and landscape at the front of Wimberley Square. Pretty nice, huh? At one time it was all nothing but weeds and mud, with no City of Wimberley to keep it clean. Heck, there was no “City.”

“Sitting and having coffee at the Cypress Creek Café on the Square, there was a concrete ledge with mud piled up against it. Weeds were in the mud, and there was a lot of litter on the Square… Somebody said, ‘somebody needs to do something,’” Martha Knies said. Then she thought, “There’s no city government. Just do it.” That was the start of Keep Wimberley Beautiful.

Martha is known all throughout the state, and – dare I say it – is a legend in the beautification community.

She has contributed throughout the community including a column she has written for the Wimberley View for about 25 years. She is always out cleaning up trash on the sides of the road and motivating others to do likewise. She can often be found tending the flower gardens of any location she happens to pass.

Those weeds and mud led to the formation of Keep Wimberley Beautiful, which Martha led for many years and of which she is still a member. The first project was the Wimberley Square, then the landscaped beds at the Senior Citizens Center and then other areas that needed a special touch around the valley.

Any visitor to Wimberley must first pass the “Welcome to Wimberley” sign, and if you moved here, you won’t forget the first time to see it. Those are maintained by Keep Wimberley Beautiful. Take a drive around town in these days of isolation and see the many beautiful areas around town: In front of the Chamber of Commerce, the Post Office, the floral fields on Ranch Road 12 and 3237. All these areas that KWB has seeded and maintains, and it’s all volunteer.

“It’s not just what we do in the beginning, you set an example for others. You show others what could be done and you motivate them. For example businesses don’t come in to Wimberley without doing something (having a plan), as there is an established reputation of keeping Wimberley beautiful. Churches and other organizations and everybody pitches in. Wimberley has done that well.”

Receiving a leadership award is not for something for just one thing she has done. It is for her efforts for over 30 years, starting in Pharr, Texas, where she and her husband lived before moving to Wimberley. She’s also helped other cities in their quest to receive the Governor’s Community Achievement Award, where communities “are selected for their ability to engage citizens, local businesses, schools and other organizations in environmental improvement initiatives.” The award was won by KWB three times.

“I don’t want to take credit, so many other people were essential… I was fortunate as what I have done is what I loved and have the time and freedom to do whatever was needed.”

Keep Texas Beautiful, might be honoring her, but here in Wimberley there’s also a park with her name, honoring her efforts, which are both bright and colorful displays, all throughout the valley. Recently at her physician’s office, he asked her what she liked to do to relax. She pondered the question, took her time and laughing, answered “pulling weeds.”

Keep Wimberley Beautiful is accepting donations for the Martha Knies Community Park, located right off the Square on Old Kyle Road. Sprucing it up and maintaining the facilities is needed to keep it a quiet respite right off the Square. Donations are always needed, and it is one way to honor Martha and the hard work all the volunteers do to keep this “a little bit of Heaven.” Checks can be made out to:

Keep Wimberley Beautiful P. O. Box 2253 Wimberley TX 78676

Martha Knies is the recipient of the Keep Texas Beautiful Award.