able to keep the business going.” Crenwelge said the war-years shortages and business changes were similar to what they endured with the coronavirus pandemic, and that the more recent difficulties getting vehicles because of microchip shortages had “sort of prepared” him and his staff on how to survive. Moving on, we talked to Milton about the actual history of the Crenwelge Automotive Group and how it all began. In downtown Fredericksburg, on the 100 block of East Main — also known as Dooley’s Block — there were 28 service stations and eight new car dealerships before and after World War II. And then came the franchised car dealers. In those days, Chrysler had three divisions — Chrysler, Dodge and DeSoto — and each had Plymouth, so there were three Plymouth dealers on one block across the street from Dooley’s. “There was Joseph Brothers Dodge-Plymouth,” Milton said. “A few doors up next to the publishing company, Standard Service was Chrysler-Plymouth, and we were at the end of that same block with DeSoto-Plymouth. That was a huge part of the local economy. Nobody got rich, but everybody made a living because you worked 16 hours a day and looked out for each other. Milton stated, “Back then, our first location was across the street from where the Walmart is today. There was the Fredericksburg Tourist Park, and next to its entrance was a service station with a little house Mom (Mickey) and Dad with the 1940 DeSoto. Milton Crenwelge won a trip to Washington DC in 1960 for his outstanding sales volume with Plymouths in 1959. attached. And that’s where my dad started the service station and auto repairs in 1927. Then in ’34, he moved midtown to the 100 block of Main. This second location was located where the Christmas Store is now housed on the southeast corner of Llano and Main. In 1948, he moved to the 400 block, and in 2001, we moved to the 800 block.” Milton told us he started working for his father when he was 10 years old. He remembered that at age 10, his father told him to watch the driveway of the service station on the corner of Main and Llano. Two hours later, his father returned and told Milton, “You have a new brother.” Along with new baby brother Ruben, Jr., Milton grew up with three sisters and another brother, Marvin. While Marvin is still at the company, they lost Ruben a few years back. “But all three of us worked in the business,” Milton said. “Ruben was our service manager for 52 years. And I think MILTON CRENWELGE— CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 Part of owning and running a dealership means sometimes running into people with celebrity status. At one point in his storied career, Milton helped Willie Nelson trade in his Jeep. 17 FALL 2022
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