HistoricSiteMarkers
Reconstruction & Gilded Age

Hofheintz-Reissig Store

Austin, Travis County, Texas

Marker Inscription

Built between 1850 and 1875 for German immigrant Henry Hofheintz (1822-1880), this structure served as a grocery and dry goods store for nearly 100 years. Built later was the one-story addition, which was used as a saloon and a residence. Hofheintz' eldest child, Catherine Louise, and her husband, Adolph Reissig, inherited the store, and the property remained in the family until 1966. An important reminder of Austin's small, residential business establishments, the Hofheintz-Reissig Store is also a fine example of German-influenced architecture found in many 19th-century Texas buildings. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

German immigrant Henry Hofheintz built this store in Austin sometime between 1850 and 1875, where it served as a grocery and dry goods shop for nearly a century. A later one-story addition did duty as both saloon and residence, and the property stayed in the family—passing to his daughter Catherine and her husband Adolph Reissig—until 1966. Its German-influenced design typifies the modest neighborhood businesses that dotted 19th-century Texas towns.

Why it matters

The Hofheintz-Reissig Store preserves the immigrant-built, family-run commerce that knit together everyday life in a growing Texas capital.

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Related people

  • · Henry Hofheintz
  • · Adolph Reissig

Themes & tags

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