Wahrenberger House
Encyclopedia
The Wahrenberger House is located two blocks from the Texas Capitol, at 208 W. 14th Street, in Austin
, Travis County
, in the U.S. state
of Texas
. The home was built between 1867–68 by Friedrich Huster and sold to Charles Klein after completion. The house is named for Klein's daughter Caroline Wahrenberger, who was deeded the house in 1882. Since it was built, the house has served as a residence for several generations of the Klein–Wahrenberger family, and was the location for two German–American schools. At different times, both Pat Morris Neff
and Sam Rayburn
lived in the residence when Mrs. Wahrenberger ran it as a boarding house. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Travis County, Texas
in 1978, and was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
in 1972.
In 1880, Klein leased the premises to Jacob Bickler
, founder of the Texas German and English Academy. Bicker was the nephew of educator Philip Bickler who ran the Bickler German–English Academy in Austin. Jacob Bickler began the Texas German and English Academy in 1876, and in 1880 began operating the academy out of the Wahrenberger House. He later moved the academy to the larger Texas Military Institute Castle in Austin, but Bickler himself retained the lease on the house until 1886. On November 9, 1881, the old Texas Capitol was destroyed by fire. Due to their close proximity to the capitol building, Bickler and his students responded to the fire by rescuing many of the historical records housed in the Capitol.
Bickler was still leasing the property in 1882 when Klein deeded it over to his daughter Caroline Wahrenberger. Her husband, local businessman John Wahrenberger, died in 1864, leaving Caroline with four children to support. After the Bickler lease ended, Wahrenberger lived in the residence and ran it as a boarding house. Notable among the boarders were future Texas governor Pat Morris Neff
and future Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Sam Rayburn
. At the time, Rayburn was a student at the University of Texas Law School. After Caroline Wahrenberger.died in 1916, her daughters Mary and Josephine inherited the property. They, in turn, passed the property to their heirs. In 1946, the house became a business property.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Travis County
Travis County, Texas
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...
, in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The home was built between 1867–68 by Friedrich Huster and sold to Charles Klein after completion. The house is named for Klein's daughter Caroline Wahrenberger, who was deeded the house in 1882. Since it was built, the house has served as a residence for several generations of the Klein–Wahrenberger family, and was the location for two German–American schools. At different times, both Pat Morris Neff
Pat Morris Neff
Pat Morris Neff was the 28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925 and 9th President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947.-Early life:...
and Sam Rayburn
Sam Rayburn
Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn , often called "Mr. Sam," or "Mr. Democrat," was a Democratic lawmaker from Bonham, Texas, who served as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for seventeen years, the longest tenure in U.S. history.- Background :Rayburn was born in Roane County, Tennessee, and...
lived in the residence when Mrs. Wahrenberger ran it as a boarding house. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Travis County, Texas
National Register of Historic Places listings in Travis County, Texas
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Travis County, Texas.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Travis County, Texas, United States...
in 1978, and was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
in 1972.
Architecture
Originally a two-story limestone residence when it was built in 1867–68, this house erected by Friedrich Huster has undergone a few changes. Both the main unit, as well as its separate one-story kitchen facility, were topped with a gabled roof. When Charles Klein acquired the residence, he added a second story and a one-story front porch. In 1916, a two–story gallery that had been added in 1887, was removed in favor of a two–story portico with columns. Later changes covered the limestone walls with stucco, in all but the north section of the house. 1946 was the last year the house served as a private residence.Leased property
Klein, and later his daughter, operated the house as a lease property. The German–American Ladies College was operated in the house 1874-1879, under the management of Natalie von Schenck and Alice Nohl.In 1880, Klein leased the premises to Jacob Bickler
Jacob Bickler
Jacob Bickler was a scholar, educator and president of the Texas State Teacher's Association. He was founder of the boys' Texas German and English Academy and the co-educational Bickler Academy, both located in Austin, Texas...
, founder of the Texas German and English Academy. Bicker was the nephew of educator Philip Bickler who ran the Bickler German–English Academy in Austin. Jacob Bickler began the Texas German and English Academy in 1876, and in 1880 began operating the academy out of the Wahrenberger House. He later moved the academy to the larger Texas Military Institute Castle in Austin, but Bickler himself retained the lease on the house until 1886. On November 9, 1881, the old Texas Capitol was destroyed by fire. Due to their close proximity to the capitol building, Bickler and his students responded to the fire by rescuing many of the historical records housed in the Capitol.
Bickler was still leasing the property in 1882 when Klein deeded it over to his daughter Caroline Wahrenberger. Her husband, local businessman John Wahrenberger, died in 1864, leaving Caroline with four children to support. After the Bickler lease ended, Wahrenberger lived in the residence and ran it as a boarding house. Notable among the boarders were future Texas governor Pat Morris Neff
Pat Morris Neff
Pat Morris Neff was the 28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925 and 9th President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947.-Early life:...
and future Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Sam Rayburn
Sam Rayburn
Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn , often called "Mr. Sam," or "Mr. Democrat," was a Democratic lawmaker from Bonham, Texas, who served as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for seventeen years, the longest tenure in U.S. history.- Background :Rayburn was born in Roane County, Tennessee, and...
. At the time, Rayburn was a student at the University of Texas Law School. After Caroline Wahrenberger.died in 1916, her daughters Mary and Josephine inherited the property. They, in turn, passed the property to their heirs. In 1946, the house became a business property.