Comfort Historic District

Comfort, in southwestern Kendall County, Texas, was founded in 1854 by German settlers, and this district covers much of its original townsite. About 85 acres hold 121 buildings, with generous open lots that date to the town's founding. Development came in two phases. The first, from 1854 to about 1865, produced log cabins and fachwerk houses built of local cypress and limestone; the 1854 Heuermann Log Cabin is among the oldest houses in town. The second phase began in 1879, when merchant August Faltin hired San Antonio architect Alfred Giles to design a limestone store, the first building in town by a trained architect. Limestone commercial buildings followed along High Street, including an opera house, store, saloon and hotel. Most residences date from 1890 to 1920 and are Victorian frame houses, many on an ell plan with jigsaw porch detailing. Highway construction in 1932 added newer buildings that are classed as intrusions or compatible.