City Library Building
La Grange, Fayette County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Erected 1852 as J. C. Stiehl family home; sold to Etairio Club in 1912 and given to city of La Grange in 1938. Architecture is German "fachwerk," using handmade brick and hand-hewn cedar timbers joined with wooden pegs. Restored in 1967-1969. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1852 as the Stiehl family home, this La Grange landmark is a rare survivor of German 'fachwerk' construction — a timber frame of hand-hewn cedar joined with wooden pegs and filled with handmade brick. Passed to a social club in 1912 and given to the city in 1938, it was carefully restored in the late 1960s and long served as the city library.
Why it matters
The house preserves the building traditions German immigrants carried to Central Texas, where their craftsmanship shaped the look of entire Hill Country towns.
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Related people
- · J. C. Stiehl
Themes & tags
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