Raised in the automotive industry, Milton Crenwelge is now the family business patriarch. The longtime owner and operator of the Crenwelge Automotive Group, Milton has been a business and civic leader in Fredericksburg for decades. At the Gillespie County Fair, he appeared as Grand Marshal in the Gillespie County Fair Parade. He gave us insight into this honor and explained more about his distinguished career. (Edited for clarity and length.) Since this was the second time he acted as the Parade’s Grand Marshal, we asked him about the first time. He said it was back in 1948 — when he was 15 years old — and the town had actually closed down the highway because the parade headed to his new dealership location. “I got to drive the first new car from the east end [of town] to the west,” he said, stating he was accompanied by the high school band. Next, we asked about how his company, Crenwelge Automotive, began. He said it was started as a gas station by his father in 1927, where they did vehicle services and repairs. “And then we got into selling cars in the 1940s. We got the first franchise in 1940. However, when World War II broke out, we didn’t have any new cars for four-and-a-half years. But luckily, with the service station and repair business, through those years, we were Selling, Service and Civic Leadership An interview with Milton Crenwelge 1956 Centennial Anniversary Parade for Kerr County. My Dad provided a new 1956 DeSoto Coupe for the “Tap & Toe Dance Studio” where my Mom was the dance instructor. They were dating at the time and not yet married. The young girl next to Mom was Donna Faye Friedrich and her mother, Ruby, one of the owners of the dance studio. 1946 Centennial Parade of Fredericksburg Fredericksburg Parade shows our second location on Main Street in the 100 block. Our family gas station and dealership are shown at upper right. 16
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