Comal Hotel and Klein-Kuse House
Also known as: Prince Solms Inn; Eggeling Hotel
Why it's listed
Two buildings share a half-acre lot between the main plaza and the Comal River in New Braunfels, Texas. The Klein-Kuse House, built about 1850-1852 on land granted to Joseph Klein, is a small cottage of Fachwerk (half-timbered) construction with a vernacular Greek Revival porch and finely made thin paneled doors. Around 1900 it was moved to the back of the lot to make room for the Comal Hotel, a two-story cream-yellow brick building with a double wooden gallery, designed and built by local master builder Christian Herry. Emilie Kuse Eggeling had the hotel built to serve the traveling salesmen and tourists drawn by the railroad and Landa Park, and she managed it until her death in 1930. Her family owned both properties for almost a century, living in the house while running the hotel. The pair illustrates German-Texan settlement architecture, late Victorian commercial building, and family enterprise.
Significance in brief: Together the buildings document New Braunfels' commercial and residential architecture and the economic patterns of its German families. The hotel is a good example of late Victorian commercial hotel architecture, and the house is a representative example of German Settlement Architecture. Both were owned for almost a century by the linked Kuse and Eggeling families, and Emilie Kuse Eggeling's entrepreneurial management of the hotel is also noted.
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 86001373, listed June 26, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 295 E. San Antonio and 165 Market St., New Braunfels |
|---|---|
| County | Comal County |
| Listed | June 26, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001373 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (house) and 1900- (hotel); specific dates ca. 1850-1852 and ca. 1900-1901 |
| Architect / builder | Christian Herry, builder (Comal Hotel) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian masonry hotel (Comal Hotel); vernacular Fachwerk dwelling influenced by Greek Revival (Klein-Kuse House) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, European, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Form lists the property as both occupied and unoccupied/vacant. The hotel was renovated in 1953 and its basement is used as a restaurant; the nominated Feed Store and a 1950s kitchen building are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Central New Braunfels Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.70468, -98.12326 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 86001373.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001820
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.