Herff-Rozelle Farm
Also known as: Herff Farm; Rozelle Farm; Ellezor Acres
Why it's listed
Herff-Rozelle Farm occupies 56.5 acres on the eastern outskirts of Boerne, where Cibolo and Menger creeks meet. Pioneer physician Ferdinand Herff bought the land in 1852 as part of a 320-acre tract, and he and his wife Mathilde built a two-story cut limestone house there in 1883 after an earlier house burned. The family used the farm as a summer retreat, and Herff's son Charles lived and farmed there until the property was sold in 1935 to George and Erma Rozelle, who kept sheep and dairy cows and planted orchards. Farming continued into the 1980s. Sixteen contributing resources survive, including the house, a barn, smokehouse, aviary, workers' quarters, outhouse, windmill, water tower and tank. Pastures still stretch from Herff Road to the creeks, in an area now crowded by subdivisions and commercial development. The property was listed for its agricultural history, its connection to Ferdinand Herff, and its vernacular architecture.
Significance in brief: The farm is presented as an excellent, little-changed example of a Texas Hill Country farmstead, significant under Criterion A for early ranching and agriculture in Kendall County. It is significant under Criterion B for its link to pioneer physician Ferdinand Herff, whose house and a nearby storage building are the only remaining structures associated with him. Criterion C is cited for the stone house as a fine example of rural vernacular architecture and for the intact utilitarian farm buildings.
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 09000983, listed December 3, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 33 Heroff Rd., Boerne |
|---|---|
| County | Kendall County |
| Listed | December 3, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000983 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1883-1959 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & Early 20th Century Revivals / Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by a nature center since 2007, which plans to preserve and restore the house and land; current uses are outdoor recreation and conservation area. |
| Acreage | 56.5 |
| Coordinates | 29.77892, -98.71232 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 09000983.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5738341
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.