Breustedt, Andreas, House

The Breustedt House is an outstanding example of a mid-nineteenth-century German pioneer house in Central Texas. Larger in scale than most similarly styled houses, the one-and-a-half-story residence was built in 1858-59 by Andreas Breustedt, a German immigrant who had come to Texas in 1846. The fachwerk house was originally located near the intersection of IH 35 and Highway 46 within the old rural community of Neighborsville (which has since been absorbed into the city of New Braunfels), but development along the interstate highway threatened the destruction of the house. The current owners of the Breustedt House relocated the structure in 1965 on property adjacent to Conservation Plaza and then restored the house too much of its original appearance. In excellent condition, the house is presently used as a private residence and in the next, five to ten years will be deeded to the Braunfels Foundation Trust for use as a museum that will display handmade furniture of Texas.

In many ways, the Breustedt House is typical of mid-nineteenth-century German pioneer farmhouses in the New Braunfels area; however, its large scale and open-well staircase distinguish this house from others in the region.

Andreas Breustedt was born on March 13, 1825, in Westerode, Germany, and immigrated to Texas in 1846. After briefly serving as a Texas Ranger, Breustedt settled in the New Braunfels area in 1848 and three years later bought a 161-acre farm near the rural community of Neighborsville. He married Caroline Dauer on August 16, 1852, and lived in a small cabin on the farm. As the family grew (the Breustedts were to have twelve children during their marriage), Breustedt realized the need for a larger house and in 1858 decided to build a new home. When completed the following year, the house featured a large loft for the children. All of the children eventually moved away, but Breustedt continued to live in the house until 1907 when he sold it and moved to Seguin. Although the property has changed hands many times since then, the house has continued to be used for residential purposes.

In 1965 the house's strategic location near the intersection of two major highways almost resulted in the building's destruction. A small parcel of the Breustedt land was sold to allow for the construction of a service station, and this property included a portion of land on which the Breustedt House stood. Plans were made to raze the house, but the Dillens, realizing its historic and architectural significance, purchased the house and moved it to a location as near as possible to the original site which also resembled its original rural setting. They proceeded to restore the house to its 1859 appearance. However, the Breustedt kitchen was not threatened and remains in its original location and is now a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark). The Breustedt House now stands on nine acres of land which adjoins the Conservation Plaza, a project of the New Braunfels Conservation Society. Deed restrictions will protect the house from any future development and encroachments, and in about a year, the owners will donate the house to the Braunfels Foundation Trust for use as a museum for Texas handmade furniture.