New Braunfels: Historic Downtown

New Braunfels: Historic Downtown

  • <p>San Antonio Street, ca. 1900 (New Braunfels Convention and Visitors Bureau)</p> <p>Commercial storefronts along an unpaved street with several horses and buggies</p>
  • <p>Naegelin’s Bakery</p> <p>Building with sign saying Naegelin’s Bakery</p>
  • <p>An early image of Naegelin’s (New Braunfels Convention and Visitors Bureau)</p> <p>Vintage image of two storey building with sign saying Naegelin’s Bakery</p>
  • <p>Bakers at the Plumeyer Bakery, 1913. The former bakery building on San Antonio St. is now home to the New Braunfels Art League Gallery</p> <p>Four men wearing aprons in an industrial kitchen with a table full of dough and a scale</p>
  • <p>Henne Hardware, ca. 1970s.</p> <p>Large, two storey commercial building with painted sign on brick saying Louis Henne Company Hardware</p>
  • <p>Inside Henne Hardware today.</p> <p>Modern photo of interior of store with a high ceiling, wooden floors, and a ladder to reach items on top shelves</p>
  • <p>The Old Schmitz Hotel, ca. 1865 (now Guadalupe Hotel)</p> <p>Two storey building with balcony named Guadalupe Hotel, Jacob Schmitz</p>
  • <p>Schmitz Hotel (Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0.)</p> <p>Contemporary image of three storey hotel with front balconies named The Schmitz</p>
  • <p>The Comal Hotel (now Prince Solms Inn)</p> <p>Groups of people standing on the porch of a two storey building with balcony named Comal Hotel</p>
  • <p>Prince Solms Inn (Travis K. Witt CC Y-SA 3.0)</p> <p>Contemporary image of two storey hotel with balcony named Prince Solms Inn</p>

A downtown stroll reveals many architectural reminders of New Braunfels’ early German past. One gem, the fachwerk Klein-Naegelin house, is probably the oldest remaining house in town (ca. 1845-46). Treat yourself to a famous streudel at Naegelin’s Bakery – one of the state’s oldest bakeries, founded by Prince Solms’ baker and taken over in 1868 by Alsatian immigrant Edouard Naegelin, Sr. And just like you could more than a century-and-a-half ago, you can still walk down the street and buy a hammer at Henne Hardware — its present Victorian building dating to 1893.

Want to sleep surrounded by history? One option is the remodeled Schmitz Hotel, which German immigrant Jacob Schmitz bought in 1858 to turn into his “Guadalupe Hotel.” Or perhaps stay at the old Comal Hotel – now the Prince Solms Inn – built in 1898. Walking and driving tours of downtown and beyond are available on New Braunfels’ mobile app.

Historic Downtown New Braunfels

  • Seguin and San Antonio Sts., New Braunfels, TX
  • 800-572-2626
  • Visit Website
  • Several structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Watch: German Texas Culinary Heritage