Heidgen, Johann and Anna, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built about 1882 at 121 Starr Street, east of downtown San Antonio, this two-story house was constructed by German stonemason Johann Heidgen to hold his large family. Its ground floor uses rubble limestone and its upper floor cut caliche block, with walls averaging 16 inches thick and a side-gabled standing seam metal roof extending over an upper gallery. The west wall sits directly on the curb of a branch of the Acequia Madre, the Spanish irrigation canal begun around 1718 to supply the Alamo mission; this open stretch, about four and a half feet wide, is one of four surviving in the central city. The house is described as a rare surviving example of a once-common German vernacular type. It was restored in 1971 and is now a professional office. The Heidgen family was also closely involved in building and sustaining St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The property is listed for its architecture at the local level.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare surviving example of the two-story stone I-plan dwellings built by German immigrants in San Antonio, and one of few remaining historic buildings in the Irish Flat neighborhood. The adjoining open section of the Acequia Madre branch is one of four surviving open portions in the central city. It is listed under Criterion C for architecture at the local level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000591, listed June 9, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 121 Starr St., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | June 9, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000591 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1882 |
| Architect / builder | Heidgen, Johann |
| Architectural style | OTHER/I-plan, canal (acequia); vernacular German house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a professional office (a lawyer's office); restored in 1971 for the Alamo Council of Camp Fire Girls. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 29.42803, -98.48265 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000591.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6216320
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.