The Dambach-Besier House stood at 515 E. Main Street for 135 years and was moved to 325 West Main Street where it has been reconstructed to form the entrance to the Pioneer Museum and the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau Welcome Center.

F. Dambach originally built the limestone house in 1869. It was purchased by the Besier Family for $400 in 1881. The Besier family sold the house and, in 1967, a partnership made up of Sam Parker, Henry Joseph, J.D. Stein, Ty Cox and Kenneth Kothe incorporated the house into the new Sunday House Restaurant and Convention Center.

In 2005, Kenneth and JoAnn Kothe donated the house which was disassembled, moved, and reconstructed with funding from donors to the Gillespie County Historical Society. The reconstruction of the old house at the Pioneer Museum is the signature accomplishment of Phase One of the History in the Making Campaign, and serves as a symbol of the community’s commitment to preservation.

The Kammlah House began in 1849 as a one-room structure, but grew through the years with the addition of three kitchens, a cellar, a stone patio, bedrooms and living areas. When the Historical Society purchased the Kammlah property in 1955, four generations of Kammlahs had lived in the house. A barn and smokehouse are part of the original property owned and run by the Kammlah family. Between 1870 and 1924, the Kammlahs operated a general store in the front rooms.

The Fassel-Roeder House also evolved in stages, starting off as a one-room butcher shop. A kitchen, living room and front porch were added later. An amazing coin-operated music box from Leipzig, the Polyphony, is featured in the parlor. Along with the Kammlah buildings, it sits on its original lot on West Main Street.

The 1880s Walton-Smith Log Cabin was the family home of John and Nancy Walton and their three children. After John’s death, Nancy married John Smith and they added to the house as needed. When it was rediscovered in the 1980s, the original cabin had been totally encased by additions to the house. In 1985, it was moved and rebuilt at the Museum by Cox Restoration in memory of Jay Cox.

The White Oak School recalls the time when most Texas school children attended one-room country schools. The interior is furnished with wooden desks and teaching aids from this earlier era. Charles Feller, a former student at the school, and his wife donated the White Oak School to the Museum.

The Weber Sunday House served as a place to eat and rest when the Weber family made the seven-mile trip to town for shopping and church. This type of structure is unique to the Fredericksburg area. As roads and vehicles improved, the Sunday Houses fell into disuse. With the outbreak of World War II and gas rationing, life in the Sunday Houses became as warm and friendly as it had ever been.

The Arhelger Bathhouse stood behind the Arhelger Barbershop on East Main Street. Between 1910 and 1930, dusty travelers frequently stopped in for a haircut, shave and a hot, sudsy bath. Donated by Kenneth and JoAnn Kothe, the bathhouse has been part of the Pioneer Museum since 1995.

The Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum displays pieces of early 20th century firefighting equipment. Fredericksburg’s Volunteer Firemen have protected residents for over 125 years.

The Vereins Kirche (an extension of the Pioneer Museum) was built soon after the arrival of the first German settlers, and stands as a tribute to the courage and vision of Fredericksburg’s founders. It was the first public building in the town, and served as a town hall, school, fort, and a church for all denominations. This is also the original site of the Pioneer Museum.

The original building was demolished in 1896, but local citizens long dreamed of rebuilding it - a dream that came true in 1935 when a gala celebration was held to dedicate the new structure as a pioneer memorial.

Today, this much-loved symbol of our German heritage is centrally located in the MarktPlatz. Inside, exhibits introduce visitors to the stories of Fredericksburg’s past.

Pioneer Museum
325 W. Main
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
Phone: 830-990-8441
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday; 10 am - 5 pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

Vereins Kirche
Center of Marktplatz
Phone: 830-997-7832
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday; 10 am - 4:30 pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

Summer: Museums open on Sunday & Monday

Admission: Includes both museums
Tickets may be purchased at either location

$5 for ages 18 and up
$3 for students 6-17 years
5 & under free

($2 if Verins Kirche only)

We are open year round!

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