We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.
Winston Churchill
Walter Brinkman Home
April and Fred Langston purchased and cherished the Walter Brinkmann Home in 1998. They are the fifth owners of this historic home. The home was built in 1897 for Walter and Hedwig Bodemann Brinkmann.
Holekamp Guest Haus
This large charming residence was built in 1910 by Mrs. Emilie Hugo of San Antonio. Oral history states this was a Sears & Roebuck Company pre-fabricated home. It was delivered in pieces and assembled by their craftsmen. The stated cost was $5,000. In 1919, Otto Holekamp bought the house, and it stayed in the family until 1976, and it was sold to Roy Matter. Later in 2003, it was purchased by John & Mary Straley. They renovated the home and added 6 private bathrooms for each of the 6 bedrooms and ran a Bed and Breakfast. Previous owners, Joe and Ella Gay, remodeled the 108-year-old home, and opened as a guesthouse under the name Holekamp Guest Haus. The home, consisting of long leaf pine floors and high ceilings, was built for a large family and their guests. This Sears & Roebuck kit home, shows the original facade, consisting of hints of both Moorish and Victorian design features with bay windows on each side surmounted by gable details. It has a massive central dormer echoing similar gable details. The home consists of 2 stories, a basement, 3 fireplaces and a porte cochere attached covered drive-thru for carriages. The residence also boasts a large updated kitchen, butler’s pantry, owner’s suite and a large utility store room. Beautiful period chandeliers and lighting fixtures adorn each room. Large ornately carved armoires and unique beds enhance the grandeur and mystique in the six large bedrooms. The second floor affords an imposing view of Comfort and the surrounding hills from both the inside and the side balcony above the porte cochere. The house continues as a Bed and Breakfast to this day.
Meyer Hotel
952 High Street, German native Frederich Christian Meyer came to Comfort in 1862. A wheelwright, Meyer also ran a stage stop and weigh station at this sight which included a small log cabin. He married Ernstine Mueller Meyer 1868. A second story was added in 1869. He constructed a two story wooden structure here for his wife, a midwife, for her work which housed maternity rooms for use by the women of the surrounding area ranches in 1872. In 1887, when rail lines were completed through the area, Comfort began showing promise as a resort community. That same year, the Meyers constructed a two story frame building south of their residence to serve as a hotel. The upper floor of structure was used for guests and the ground floor housed a large kitchen and dining room. With help of their 8 children, Ernestine continued to operate the hotel after her husband`s death in 1889. It was operated by family till 1956.
Marker #3356 - 1981 German native Frederich Christian Meyer (1828-89) came to Comfort in 1862. A wheelwright, Meyer also ran a stage stop and weight station at this site. He later purchased the property, which included a small log cabin he enlarged by adding a second story. In 1869 he constructed a two-story stone residence here for his wife Ernestine (Mueller) (d. 1910), a midwife. A separate wooden structure was built for her work, south of the original log cabin in 1872. The building housed maternity rooms for use by the women of the surrounding area ranches. In 1887, when rail lines were completed through the area, Comfort began showing promise as a resort community. That same year, the Meyers constructed a two-story frame building south of their residence to serve as a hotel. The upper floor of the structure was used for guests and the ground floor housed a large kitchen and a dining room. With the help of their 8 children, Ernestine continued to operate the hotel after her husband's death in 1889, despite a fire which damaged the family home. A second guest house was added east of the first hotel in 1920 by a daughter Julia (Meyer) Ellenberger, who operated the business until her death in 1956.
Frederich Christian Meyer, a native of Germany, came to Comfort only three years after the founding of the town. He and his wife bought property along Cypress Creek and on the old road to San Antonio. They enlarged their home in 1869 and this became an obvious place for a stage stop. A second house was built for Mrs. Meyer to use as a maternity hospital as she was a midwife to her neighbors. Yet another building was added to house overnight travelers.
In 1887 the railroad came to Comfort. This increased the need for housing. That year the Meyer Hotel was built. This was a two-story frame building south of their residence. The upper floor of the structure was used for guests and the ground floor housed a large kitchen and a dining room.
Again in 1920 a second guest house was added east of the first hotel. The hotel was being oprated by Julia Meyer Ellenberger at that time. She operated the business until her death in 1956.
This hotel has been called "Das Gast House" in more recent times. This building was designated as Texas Historical Landmark in 1981.
Kott Hotel
424 Main Street, Two story hotel, built by Richard Kott in 1890, originally had eight units and was known as the `Kott Hotel`. Around 1900, Mary Crenwelge of Fredericksburg purchased the hotel. She and new husband, W.L. Surber, ran the hotel under the name `Comfort Hotel`. The Surbers would transport hotel guests to and from the train depot with their horse drawn surrey. Mr. J. Wray purchased the hotel and the entire block in 1945. He converted the hotel rooms and enclosed the porches to become six apartments and rented them until 1978. The 1978 flood caused great damage, and the hotel deteriorated and remained empty for a time. In 2003, Suzanne Wray Smith and brother Steven Wray repaired the hotel and rented the downstairs apartment. The present owners, the Wilkes, have done extensive renovation and created two charming daily guest rentals upstairs, while keeping a long-term rental apartment downstairs. The two upstairs units feature architectural antiques for walls and shelving. Newly added antique metal ceiling tiles adorn a bathroom, and the bead board walls and clawfoot bathtubs keep the early 1900s look. Another bathroom has a modern touch with a beautiful glass enclosed shower. Furniture pieces are built into the kitchen counters for added period authenticity and are topped with granite.
Mimi's Sunday House
This charming guesthouse is one of the original homes in Comfort, built around 1860. The home was built for Henry Schwethelm and his young bride. It was constructed with fachwerk walls and consisted of three rooms with 12-foot-high ceilings. The lovely long leaf pine floors and sturdy walls are standing today under lapboard in the original home's walls. The original fachwerk is visible in the kitchen and dining area and around the exterior back door. Current owners are John and Amy Murphy Morran of Austin, Texas. After World War II, Henry Clay HC and Edna Biermann Murphy purchased the home and moved in with their three children Colleen, Ross and Randolph. They operated Murphy's Magnolia Service Station where "Comfort Pharmacy" is now located on Hwy 27. The Murphy's enlarged their home by enclosing the front porch to add two bedrooms for their children. The Morran's remodeled the home and added a large glass walk-in shower, and a small kitchenette. Owners, John and Amy Murphy Morran Amy is a granddaughter of H.C and Edna Murphy, gathered their memorabilia items and ideas and created "Mimi's Sunday House". They crafted a collage of her grandmother Mimi's store ledgers. Recipe names of Mimi's delicious after-school treats are imprinted on a picture-board, that is located on the dining areas fachwerk wall. Of interest is an antique bed, handmade in Comfort, that has slats going lengthwise instead of crosswise. Lovely, colorful family heirloom quilts and an embroidered sampler add unique charm to this cozy cottage guesthouse.
High Street Guesthouse
This home was built in 1906 for William and Henrietta Bianchi Felbaum. William was the Postmaster for Comfort. He was the son of G. Felbaum who owned the circa 1866 house next door. Both houses remain in the family. The six owners are the children of Paul & Florence Felbaum Dreiss. They are Tina Dreiss Bohnert, Debbie Dreiss Wilke, Carol Dreiss Thomas, Kane Morgan, Ron Morgan and Paul Dreiss, III. They have kept the original charm and workmanship of longleaf pine floors, high ceilings, clawfoot bathtubs and sturdy wooden walls. They have converted this 112-year-old home to a very charming guesthouse, which sleeps up to 8 people. It consists of a front porch, living room, dining room, beautiful updated island kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Collectibles and antiques fill the guesthouse, along with numerous games and TVs that are available for guests. This early 1900s home is located on High Street in the center of Comfort and is close to shops, restaurants, event centers and local wine bars. A walking tour of downtown will delight the guests and allow them to visit many buildings with historical markers.
Ingenheutt Store
830-834 High Street, Comfort
HISTORY: This building was one of the oldest and continuously operated stores in Texas. It was designed by the architect Alfred Giles and built for Peter Joseph Ingenhuett. The business was in the same family for five generations. The original store was opened in 1867 on the site where the Ingenhuett-Faust Hotel now stands. About 13 years later the new building was opened.
Source: Boerne Public Library files.
Perserverence Mill
First mill built in 1855 on Cypress Creek next to Ernst Altgelt home.
Karger Farm 1894
The Paul and Dora Karger Farm in 1894. The large irrigation tank was built to irrigate this early commercial produce farm. Produce was taken to the Mexican Market in San Antonio to sell to the highest bidder. George Karger is on the framed structure, left to right, Dora, Paul, Betty, Elspeth and Alfred Karger.
Roggenbucke house- 1883
Carl von Roggenbucke house, built in 1883. Rocks were quarried in the Louis Wiedenfeld place and it was built by Wilhelm Biermann II. It was located on North Creek Road near Comfort.
Rudolph Allerkamp Store
built 1908 Comfort
Rudolph Allerkamp Store under construction during 1908-1909 - In picture left to right, unknown, unknown, Richard Schladoer, Eddy Allerkamp, Henry Allerkamp, Richard Doebbler, Rudolph Allerkamp - building the Allerkamp Store on High St., in Comfort.