History Highlighted on Heritage Home Tour December 5 and 6

"If you don't know where you came from, you don't know where you're going."

This is the year to learn about Seguin's rich history on the Heritage Home Tour on Saturday Dec.5 and Sunday Dec. 6 from 2 pm to 5 pm both days. This year's tour will highlight our town's fascinating history with visits to some of our earliest homesteads and most distinctive vintage homes.

Tickets for the Heritage Home Tour are $8.00 in advance and are available for sale locally at Gift & Gourmet, Keepers, Cascades, the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce and First Commercial Bank. On the day of the Tour, tickets and maps are available at each home for $10.00. Don't miss this opportunity step back in time and learn more about the remarkable history of the men and women who built Seguin.

Homes can be visited in any order, but be sure to visit the reception and refreshments at our Heritage Village at 213 E. Live Oak Street in The First Church. Our other Seguin Conservation Society properties in the Heritage Village, Los Nogales Museum, Dietz Doll House and the Campbell-Hoermann Log Cabin, will also be open during the Heritage Home Tour.

If you would like to be a volunteer docent on the tour, please call tour chair Marty Keil at 303-7333.

Hard Scrabble: A Registered Texas Historical Landmark
513 E. Nolte
The Home of Andrew and Susan Shanafelt
Built in 1838

In 1836 when the Alamo fell, the ensuing Runaway Scrape set all to fleeing eastward in advance of Santa Ana's wrath. But once the battle for independence was won at San Jacinto, it was only two years before enterprising settlers and returning Rangers gathered to form a new town between Gonzales and San Antonio. Under spring-fed walnut and oak trees, 33 men established a town site to become present-day Seguin. One of those men was Jeremiah Roberts. The Seguin Conservation Society is honored to feature Hard Scrabble, a founding structure dating from 1838, on the 2009 Tour of Heritage Homes.

The original structure is an oak log cabin built by Texas Ranger Jeremiah Roberts in 1838. Roberts was one of the original shareholders in the town of Seguin. It is said that the plan for the town was laid out there in 1838 and the founders of the town held their first meeting there in 1839. The dog-trot cabin originally consisted of two rooms about sixteen feet square separated by a ten foot hall. The center section later became the entrance hall when the two rooms were converted into lean-to rooms and a porch spanned the entire front.

Dr. John Park, the Kentucky innovator who brought the concrete formula to Seguin in 1847, built the old slave quarters and kitchen in 1852. It is believed to have been inhabited by Colonel Joshua Young who built Sebastopol State Historic Site in 1854. In 1856, Samuel Elliott purchased the house and added two concrete rooms with a hall between. The addition of the rooms warranted the roof being raised, hipped and rebuilt to cover the entire main structure. A frame addition to the southwest side of the main house had a kitchen and dining room. It was Elliott who named the property "Hardscrabble." (Or Hard Scrabble, as spelled by the Texas Historical Commission.)

In 2005, Andrew and Susan Shanafelt, the current homeowners, purchased the home. They have repaired limecrete walls and have replaced baseboards with attention to matching the original. The house has been freshly painted inside and out. The entire house – including the original log cabin portion that now comprises two bedrooms, the front limecrete addition that is now the living room, and the old smokehouse - will be on the tour. The Shanafelts will display several themed Christmas trees, some with heirloom family ornaments.

Elm Grove: Standing Stately in Stone
906 West Court Street
Home of Robin and Dottsy Dwyer
Built in 1852-3

Elm Grove is a remarkable two-story Greek Revival mansion made of solid rock and walnut lumber. It traces its roots from the German ships at Indianola, Civil War politics and the building of the Governors Mansion in Austin.

In 1853 Andrew Herron and his two sons, Parmenia and Andrew Jr., came to Texas after the annexation of Texas by the U.S., bringing with them 9 slaves. They had the house constructed of solid rock, bringing large stones and ballast rocks from German immigrant ships from Indianola by oxcart. Their slaves hand cut the rock blocks with wire saws and stacked native fieldstone in an Ashlar pattern. The exterior walls are several feet thick and are stone-stacked-on-stone. Herron was a business partner of architect/builder Abner Cook, operating a stone quarry and lumber mill on the Guadalupe River. Cook is believed to have built the house, and two years after completing it, Cook designed and constructed the Texas Governors Mansion in Austin. The interior window and door trim details at Elm Grove and the Governors Mansion are identical. Herron was prominent in pro-slavery secession politics. Both men are buried in the family cemetery on Prexy Drive in Seguin.

In 1864, Captain F. A. Vaughn, Robin's great-great grandfather, bought the home at the end of the Civil War. Vaughn had fought for the Union side and fled to Mexico. When he returned, he still had his civil rights and later became mayor of Seguin and County Clerk. Esther Campbell Vaughn lived here for many years, as did Cliftine Van Gilder Dwyer.

Robin and Dottsy bought Elm Grove from Robin's mother, Cliftine, in 1987. The original mortar was replaced when the entire house was repointed and restored in 1989. Inside, the grand central stairway is made of walnut wood, as are all the doors and windows. The upstairs trim is "grained" pine; ink-stained to look like walnut. The floors are wide plank long-leaf pine upstairs and oak downstairs. Original beadboard and wall stencils are extraordinary details of this house. Three of the five original fireplaces are now in working order. Robin and Dottsy will have a fresh tree and will display several Christmas collections of angels, villages and Santas.

The Weinert House: Bed and Breakfast and Special Events
1207 N. Austin Street
Built in 1895

The F.C. Weinert House has the elegance of the Victorian age in this 1895 Queen Anne landmark. This grand house was designed by McAdoo and Wooley, students of Architect J. Riley Gordon, and was built by John Goodrum. The original owner was Ferdinand Carl Weinert, a descendant of August Weinert, a German émigré who came to Texas in the 1840's. F.C. Weinert was elected State Representative three times between 1892 and 1910, a State Senator in 1912, Secretary of State in 1913 and State Representative again in 1930-34.

The 4,000 sq. ft home is painted in Victorian hues of taupe, maroon and cream and the three-story turret is trimmed in an intricately carved frieze. The house features a parlor with beautiful fretwork over the entrance, a music room, windowed porch, dining room, six fireplaces and four beautifully appointed guest rooms. An antique baby grand piano, Persian rugs and dormers, gables and a balustrade porch together give character and interest to this home. The entire home will be on the tour, including the Nolte Room, Erskine Room, Starcke Room, Lovett Suite, the Woods Porch and the Betty Ann Matthies Conference Room.

The home was owned for many years by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lovett, as Mrs. Lovett was the granddaughter of F.C. Weinert. In 1990 it was sold to Lenna Thomas was operated it as a Bed and Breakfast for fifteen years. In December 2005, when it was sold to Christina and Robert Kibel, the Weinert family members sold the adjoining rear lot to the Kibels, so the entire senatorial estate of 1.6 acres is now intact. The Kibels performed extensive remodeling and landscaping, added a patio and swimming pool, and created a guest house from the former carriage house. Mike Heckman of All Occasions Catering now operates The Weinert House Bed and Breakfast and Special Events and looks forward to stylish and elegant showers, receptions, luncheons, galas and group meetings here for years to come.

The Bergfeld House: Restored Elegance
620 N. Milam Street
Built Between 1900-1910

This Victorian Classic Revival home was built by Arthur Bergfeld, a native of Germany, pharmacist and the owner of the Bergfeld Drug Store in downtown Seguin for more than 50 years. Bergfeld was the great-grandfather of Janice Woods Windle, author of the popular series of novels based around Seguin; True Women, Hill Country and Will's War. The Bergfeld House is prominently featured in Will's War, which opens with the funeral train bearing the body of Louise Bergfeld Tewes to lay in the parlor of this house.

"On the procession moved, past the red brick German Methodist Church, the Koepsel home, and into the heart of town to the courthouse square and the Mendlovitz Dry Goods Store where upstairs in the Klein Opera House the woman had performed so beautifully. Turning east on Market Street, the procession passed the Nolte Bank and the St. Andrews Episcopal Church where the bells tolled their terrible tale, and passed the Plaza Hotel where the woman had recently danced on the rooftop until dawn. Then it was north again, along Crockett Street past her father's drugstore and to his home on Milam Street.

The pallbearers carried the casket into the parlor. The yard and the porches filled with neighbors and strangers. So many people came to pay their respects that it took most of the afternoon for the line of mourners to pass the open casket. When only family and close friends remained, the dark man raised his violin to his cheek and played a lullaby of Brahms." *

The stately mansion is painted aqua, teal, brick and pale yellow, and has wrap-around verandas, 15 Corinthian columns and 12' ceilings. The current owners completely restored the house in 1999-2002, installing new foundation, plumbing, electrical, heating and AC systems. All the woodwork was restored or replaced. They added a new kitchen, master bath, wallpaper, crown moldings, a wrought iron fence and an attic staircase. The distinctive curved bay windows in the gable are now framed in sumptuous gold damask. The sumptuous elegance of the décor represents the many travels and interests of the owners. The house was featured in the June 2008 edition of San Antonio at Home magazine. As one of Seguin's most elegant homes, it should not be missed.

*Excerpt from the Prologue of Will's War by Janice Woods Windle, 2001, Longstreet Press.

See Seguin's Roots at The Heritage Museum
114 N. River Street
Built in 1898

With this year's focus on Seguin's long history, the new Paleo-Indian Exhibit at the Heritage Museum is a good addition to your tour. Recent discoveries of Indian artifacts dating from 11,000 years ago to the 1700's have been unearthed at a new archeological site in Seguin along the Guadalupe River. Ancient tools and weapons of long ago made of flint, chert or obsidian are on exhibit.

The Heritage Museum is housed in the former Red and White Grocery Store owned by the Baenziger family of Seguin, Texas. Mr. Henry Troell constructed the red brick building in 1898 as a two-story structure with a balcony. Originally, the building held several small businesses on the ground floor; a haberdashery, a furniture store, and a clerical business. The Kempenstein Opera House operated upstairs for many years. The floors are pier and beam and are constructed of loblolly pine. The high ceilings were decorated with ornate pressed tin. The red bricks were manufactured in Seguin.

In 1932, Otto Baenziger bought the building that became the Red and White Grocery Store. Otto's son, Harold, expanded the business into a full grocery store. A hand drawn freight elevator hauled equipment and produce to the upper floor. In 1952, the Baenzigers moved the store to another location and in 1992, the Baenziger family offered to donate the building to a private group if it would convert the building into a museum.

Art Deco Eclectic
402 Wallace Street
Home of Richard Kinney
Built in 1955

Don't let the modest size of this American Cottage home dissuade you. Inside, you will be transported to an earlier world of the Arts and Crafts Movement of 1900-1920 and the Art Deco era of the 1930's and 1940's. Owner Richard Kinney purchased the 2 bedroom/1 bath house in 1999 after losing his home in Seguin's flood. With the help of friends, a talent for color, a love of fine art, travels to Europe, and knack for finding authentic fixtures and furniture, he has created a wonderfully creative and inviting ambiance. In the living room art gallery, Richard has painted the room in the rich earthy Deco tones, added crown molding and ceiling stencils, and refurbished the hardwood floors. A marbleized fireplace mantle exemplifies the sweeping curves and stepped forms of the '40's. Three Art Deco chandeliers enhance the motif, and completing the look is an authentic Stickley chair. Richard's fine art collection includes several oils by Mapson and a stunning watercolor by Lloyd Herfindahl, one of America's foremost muralists. On a whimsical note, see the lamp made from the blade of a rotary mower.

The Western Room, with a cowhide rug and denim settee, shows the owner's Texas interests with action paintings of indians, cowboys, horses and cattle. In the corner stands a 30" Native American statue covered in arctic fox, coyote and beaver fur. The prized piece in the room, however, is a lighted table made by Emil Galle, a famous French Art Nouveau glassmaker.

The Roosevelt Room contains an Art Deco bedroom set with period fixtures, a portrait of Teddy Roosevelt and an abstract oil by Turner. The staging of this room for the Heritage Home Tour will transport you to a posh era of "puttin' on the Ritz." The Autograph Gallery warrants close inspection to see the many portraits of the famous, the infamous and the unknown. Look for the signatures of Ernest Hemingway, J. Paul Getty, Gypsy Rose Lee, John Philip Sousa and Wilford Brimley.

The kitchen reflects Kinney's love of pre-1949 American-made cars. Back-up lights from a 1941 Chevy shine over the sink and chrome ornaments from a 1941 Buick are displayed over the cabinets. Framed magazine covers depicting his restored cars are tucked in a corner. He wishes to thank friends Jim Farrell, Dave Whittmore, Harold Lee Martin, Keepers Interiors and Marika Bordes for their help with his Art Deco Eclectic house.

Reception in Heritage Village
The First Church
213 E. Live Oak Street
Built in 1849

Come visit with members of the Seguin Conservation Society and enjoy free home-baked desserts and punch at our Heritage Home Tour reception. The First Church is said to be the oldest Protestant church in Texas and was made famous by Janice Woods Windle's book, True Women. Originally located facing the Guadalupe County Courthouse, it was built in 1849 for a meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. For years visiting circuit rider preachers held services here, including a Bishop Pains who came from Missouri on a horse named Thunderbolt. It was used by worshipers of many denominations and was even a schoolhouse at one time. In 1991, the Seguin Conservation Society purchased, moved, and restored the quaint little building. The First Church has been updated to include electric lights, climate control, restrooms and a beautiful bell tower built in 2004 by the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class. This charming old structure has a special ambiance and is perfect for small weddings, meetings and seminars. It is available for rent to the public.

Visit all of our Heritage Village historic building during the tour. Los Nogales, the Dietz Dollhouse, and the Campbell-Hoerrman Log Cabin will be open.

Message from the President

Dear Fellow Conservationists,

Did you get it? Your membership renewal letter. Don't set it aside. Take care of it right away. Send in your annual dues today. We don't want you to miss out on the opportunity to be a part of the Seguin Conservation Society.

The Texas Theatre Restoration Project has begun and you can see the progress underway. Be sure to respond to our Last Call appeal for naming a star, seat or shield for that special family member or friend. The Texas Theatre will be a lasting tribute to our city and a place of entertainment and enjoyment for generations to come.

We've just wrapped up a great Pecan Fest weekend in October with lots of visitors from out of town. Our Heritage Village on Live Oak Street hosted a pecan pie bake sale and the Wilson Pottery Foundation had displays in front of Los Nogales. Everyone is so impressed with our Village and loved learning more about Seguin's history. Thank you to all the volunteers who baked pecan pies, staffed our historic properties, strolled around Downtown Trade Days holding signs, and donated money at the Texas Theatre Construction Kick-Off Party at The Aumont. All told, more than $1,900 was contributed to Conservation Society projects over Pecan Fest weekend, and we had visitors from Fort Worth, Houston, Wimberley, Dallas, Bastrop and as far away as Canada.

Now we prepare for the Annual Heritage Home Tour on Dec 5 and 6, 2-5pm both days. Read more about it in this issue of your newsletter. It's going to be fantastic, highlighting homes steeped in history from the early days of Walnut Springs/Seguin. Buy your tickets early and call me at 830-379-7771 to volunteer as a docent. Be involved and don't forget to fill out that membership form.

Preserving Seguin Together,
Marty Keil, President