Breustedt, Andreas, House
Why it's listed
This one and a half story farmhouse in New Braunfels, Texas, was built in 1858-59 by Andreas Breustedt, a German immigrant who arrived in Texas in 1846. It uses fachwerk, a medieval half-timbered technique: hand-hewn local cedar timbers with mortised and pegged joints, filled with sun-dried adobe bricks, plastered, and covered with clapboard. The plan has a central hall with two rooms on each side. Its large scale and open-well staircase distinguish it from most German pioneer houses in the region. Breustedt lived there until 1907. In 1965, with a service station planned for the site near Interstate 35 and Highway 46, the house was bought, moved about half a mile, and restored to its 1859 appearance. A small den, screened porch and stone chimney were added at the rear. It was listed for its architecture as an outstanding example of mid-nineteenth century German pioneer building in Central Texas.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of a mid-nineteenth century German pioneer house in Central Texas, built with fachwerk (half-timbered) construction. Its large scale and open-well staircase set it apart from similar houses in the region. It was saved from demolition in 1965 and restored to its 1859 appearance.
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 82004497, listed July 22, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1370 Church Hill Dr., New Braunfels |
|---|---|
| County | Comal County |
| Listed | July 22, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004497 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Andreas Breustedt |
| Architectural style | German pioneer fachwerk (half-timbered) house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and used as a private residence, with plans to deed it to a foundation trust for use as a museum of handmade Texas furniture. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.70892, -98.09624 (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 82004497.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107318637
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.