Guenther House (San Antonio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Carl Hilmar Guenther House
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Guenther House in 2012
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 Carl Hilmar Guenther House
Location in Texas
Carl Hilmar Guenther House
Location in the United States
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| Location | 205 E. Guenther St., San Antonio, Texas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Arts & Crafts |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001539 |
| Added to NRHP | October 11, 1990 |
The Guenther House is a special place in San Antonio, Texas. It's a restaurant, a museum, and a store all in one! You can find it in the historic King William neighborhood. This beautiful building was first built in 1859. It was the home of Carl Hilmar Guenther, who started the famous Pioneer Flour Mills. Today, his family's company, C. H. Guenther and Son, Inc., runs the Guenther House. It became a recognized historic place on October 11, 1990.
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Meet Carl Hilmar Guenther, the Founder
Carl Hilmar Guenther was born in Germany on March 19, 1826. He was one of eight children. Like his father, Carl was trained to build and fix mills. This job is called a millwright. In 1844, he became a master millwright in Europe. He also knew how to build with wood and stone.
In 1848, Carl traveled to the United States. He decided to become a U.S. citizen in 1851. He officially became a citizen in 1854. Carl even became a Justice of the Peace in 1856. On October 7, 1855, he married Dorothea Pape. They had seven children together.
Carl Guenther's Journey to Texas
Carl Guenther first visited the United States in 1848. He arrived in New York City and spent some time in Wisconsin. After that, he went back to Germany. Three years later, Carl returned to the U.S. He landed in Indianola, Texas, which was a big port for German immigrants.
Building a Mill in Gillespie County
Carl moved to an area southwest of Fredericksburg, Texas. He dreamed of building his own flour mill there. He started building a steam-powered mill using special French millstones. There was a big flood that almost washed away his unfinished mill. But Carl didn't give up! He kept working and finished his mill. It became known as Pioneer Flour Mills. This mill made flour from wheat and corn for the people in Gillespie County.
Moving to San Antonio
After a while, Carl faced problems with floods and dry spells. These made it hard to run his mill. In 1859, he decided to move his business. He saw that San Antonio was growing and needed more mills. So, Carl chose a new spot for his mill. It was right next to what is now the King William Historic District.
The Guenther Family Home
Carl Guenther's home was one of the first houses built in the King William neighborhood. He started building his house with local limestone. The stones came from the area that is now Brackenridge Park. The wood used was strong pine from East Texas.
The original front door of the house faced south, towards the mill. In 1915, the house was made bigger. The main entrance was then moved to the north side, facing the San Antonio River. The old entrance is now a hallway. It connects the museum part of the house to the River Mill Store.
The top floor of the house is called the Roof Garden. It used to be a place for dances! Today, it's used for meetings or luncheons. On the south side of the house, there's a patio and a covered area for outdoor dining.
A part of the house that was once the library is now a museum. It holds special family items and things from the history of milling, dining, and baking in San Antonio. You can also see souvenirs from Carl's travels around the world. The museum, store, and restaurant are open to everyone every day of the week.
See also
