Have you visited the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture? It's a major contributor to information about the history of our community. Here's the background story:
New Braunfels, Comal County, Texas have shown repeatedly they take their special anniversaries seriously and enjoy them to the fullest degree. The Texas Sesquicentennial in 1986 was no exception. Preparations began three years before the celebration when Dr. Fred Willard accepted the event's challenging chairmanship. Roxolin Bose Krueger accepted the vice-chairmanship. Joining Fred and Roxolin on the steering committee were John Doster, Jean Pfueffer, Bill Dillen, John Chunn, Robert Partida, Edna Bremer, Jesse Garcia and Bill Jones.
In 1983 as committees were being set-up and plans beginning for the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration an almost unbelievable thing happened. Nan and Bill Dillen gave the grounds and their fachwerk home with its collection of early Texas furnishings to the Braunfels Foundation Trust.
The recipient of the Dillens' gift, the Braunfels Foundation Trust, was the result of the compassionate reaction of Braunfels, Germany when New Braunfels had a major flood in 1972. Braunfels sent New Braunfels disaster funds. These funds began Braunfels Foundation Trust. After receiving the Dillens' generous gift, the Braunfels Foundation Trust formed the Heritage Society to manage the property that became known as the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture.
It was decided that Roxolin as vice-chairman for the Texas Sesquicentennial would be in charge of how best to develop the Dillens' grand gift. Roxolin became the first president of the Heritage Society. A drive was begun for fund-raising via Steward membership in the Heritage Society
The Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture had to be shared with the public. This required trained docents. Roxolin asked Rosemarie to head docent training. A friend of the Dillens, James Patrick McGuire of the Institute of Texan Cultures, San Antonio and an authority on early Texas artwork and author of books on that subject arranged for Rosemarie to become part of a training program at the Institute of Texan Cultures that required her daily attendance for five days a week for a month at the Institute. There was more time required at the University of Texas, San Antonio in addition to the Witte Museum.
There was then special time with the Dillens to learn about the handmade furniture and the local furniture craftsman: Jahn, Scholl, Tietze, Stautzenberger. Further research was ongoing.
Information was needed on the Breustedt home and family. The house was built in 1856 by a prosperous farmer, Andreas Breustedt. When the IH 35 corridor was being constructed the house had to be moved. Due to its size, it could not be moved a great distance; consequently, the Dillens purchased nearby land on Church Hill Drive and to that site they moved the house.
Andreas and Caroline Breustedt had eight children. Three died in infancy. Their sons were William, Walter, Otto and Alvin. Their daughters were Emma (Steinmeyer), Elise (Eikenroht), Emelie (Pieper) and Alma (Lettair). The Dedekes and Bocks are among their descendants.
Among the Breustedts many friends were Wilhelm and Caroline Bruckish who immigrated from Silesia in 1853. They made their home near Hortontown and were the parents of five children. Bruckish was a beekeeper. He was asked to come to Texas because a lack of bees was preventing fruit pollination. He brought several hives of Italian Black bees and contributed greatly to the Scholarship of beekeeping.
Some interesting stories involving the Breustedt home have to do with the front porch. Facing the front porch and to the left on the far end and well concealed is an entrance to the root cellar. The entrance occurred by pushing open the far end of the porch boards. That cellar was the hiding place for the Bruckishs' three sons who were attempting to avoid being in the Civil War fighting for the South. Also, it is possible that the Breustedt home at its former site was part of the Underground Railroad. If you have any information regarding this please contact the museum.
The docent program opportunity was presented to the Steward members. The response was exceptional. Serving on the docent steering committee were Steward members Ann Burrus, Maxine Estess, Charlene Adams, Arlene Sedgwick and Jackie Heitcamp. Along with learning about handmade furniture, the local craftsman, the Breustedt home and the Dillens, another objective was to learn the history of interior design. Each potential docent took a topic, researched it and made a presentation to the group. In addition there were field trips: the Witte Museum with emphasis on handmade furniture, the Institute of Texan Cultures, Austin museums, and Round Top. The docent's first Christmas Season outing was spent with the Rev. L.C. Ervendberg's great-granddaughters, the Timmermann Sisters at their home in Geronimo with their beautiful Christmas tree and their wonderful stories about the decorations beneath the tree as well as on it.
After the Steward member docents completed training it was Rosemarie's responsibility to get at least two more groups of docents. Arlene was the first she contacted. Among the many then joining in the years that followed were Loreen Ludwig (who received numerous outstanding Docent accolades), and Marie Offerman (who along with her husband Don filmed the docent program). Filling the number of docents needed was not difficult. The Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture opened May 31, 1985.
By 1992 the Heritage Society had proven itself and the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture was deeded to it. At present Linda Goebel is docent chairman and Kay Schumann Reneau heads the Heritage Society. The former Dillen property now the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture is where you will also enjoy Folkfest usually in early Spring. This year it will be held Oct. 17-18. We'll share more about Folkfest in later columns. In the meantime, plan to visit the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture. As to their hours and future docent training programs give a call to the Museum 830-629-6504.
A special thank you to Museum Director Justin Ball for his help with this column.
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