Mugge, Edward, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1880 at 218 N. Terrell in Cuero, this two-story frame house has an L-shaped plan, weatherboard siding, a gable roof with wood shingles and two-over-two double-hung windows. A two-bay, two-story shed-roof porch on the east side has turned posts, jig-sawn balusters and brackets. Elaborate jig-sawn ornament with floral motifs decorates the door and window surrounds, gable ends and eaves, and a polygonal bay with a balustraded porch above projects from the front wing. Roof cresting and corbeled brick chimneys add to the display. The house was built in stages and stands on a large lot north of downtown. It was the residence of Edward Mugge, a German-born banker and businessman who was a principal partner in H. Runge & Co. and took part in Cuero's cotton compress, cotton oil mill and textile mill. Mugge died in 1897, and the house stayed in the family name until the 1940s. It is regarded as perhaps Cuero's most architecturally significant house.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it perhaps Cuero's most architecturally significant house, noting its highly ornate jig-sawn woodwork. It was the home of Edward Mugge, a German-born banker and businessman who was a principal partner in H. Runge & Co. and was involved in most of Cuero's industrial enterprises.
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 88001994, listed October 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 218 N. Terrell, Cuero |
|---|---|
| County | DeWitt County |
| Listed | October 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001994 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition is described as good, with a rear addition; it remains in residential use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Cuero Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.09202, -97.29276 (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 88001994.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107318602
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.