Mark In Texas History: Rudolph Bergfeld

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - The City of Tyler may not be what it is today without one major figure.

Rudolph Bergfeld was born in Wisconsin and apprenticed at his uncle’s jewelry business in Germany. Bergfeld moved to Tyler in 1878 and opened a saloon.

Bergfeld began working in real estate in the 1880s. By the 1890s, Bergfeld began banking. in 1900, the Tyler Chamber of Commerce named Bergfeld the director.

Bergfeld actively developed property throughout the city, including the historic Azalea District. He also sold land to the city to use as a park. That park was named in his honor and it houses this historical marker, which was established in 2008.

Today the park has picnic areas, tennis courts, a playground, an amphitheater, and a spray ground.

If you’d like to have some fun at the park or even check out the historical marker, it’s located on the Broadway Avenue side of the park near the spray ground.

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