Tewes, Edward and Texanna, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1870 near New Berlin in Guadalupe County, Texas, this one-story house has walls of uncut field stone covered in stucco, a center passage with two rooms on each side, and a rear ell of three rooms added around 1880 that gives it an L shape. Edward Tewes, a German immigrant who arrived in Texas as a boy in 1854, bought the land in 1870 and built the house with stones gathered from Cibolo Creek and a mud mortar. He opened the first store in New Berlin in 1867, served as postmaster for 26 years, and donated land for a school. The house is valued for that association and as probably the best preserved local example of a 19th-century German residence in the community. The Tewes family moved to San Antonio in 1894 but kept the house. A restoration beginning in 1987 repaired the stucco, floors and woodwork. The cistern and smokehouse also survive on the property.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is tied to Edward Tewes, who helped found and develop the German community of New Berlin through his store, post office, land holdings and school efforts. It is also called probably the best preserved local example of a 19th-century German residence in New Berlin. It meets Criteria B and C 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 96001566, listed January 9, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8280 Linne Rd., Seguin |
|---|---|
| County | Guadalupe County |
| Listed | January 9, 1997 |
| Reference number | 96001566 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1870-1894 |
| Architect / builder | Tewes, Carl August Edward (builder) |
| Architectural style | Other: Center passage with rear ell |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a single-family dwelling and recently restored (restoration began in 1987), maintaining a high degree of historic integrity. |
| Acreage | 3.8 |
| Coordinates | 29.46774, -98.10324 (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 96001566.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002095
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.