Old Central Drugstore
Fredericksburg, Gillespie County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Alphons Walter (1866-1957), a Swiss-born jeweler and watchmaker, had this 2-story building erected in 1905. He sold the property in 1909 to Robert G. Striegler (1874-1934), a noted Fredericksburg civic leader who operated the Central Drugstore on the lower floor. Despite later changes in proprietors, the drugstore occupied this site for over 70 years. the local telephone exchange leased the second floor for offices and a switchboard until 1954. The building has also housed doctors' offices and Herman Heyland's photographic business.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Swiss-born jeweler and watchmaker Alphons Walter raised this two-story building in the heart of Fredericksburg in 1905, then sold it in 1909 to civic leader Robert Striegler, who ran the Central Drugstore on the ground floor. A drugstore would occupy the site for more than 70 years, while the upper floor housed the town's telephone exchange, doctors' offices, and a photographer's studio.
Why it matters
The building shows how a single Main Street storefront could anchor a small town's commerce, medicine, and communications for generations.
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Related people
- · Alphons Walter
- · Robert G. Striegler
Themes & tags
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