HISTORY: The construction of the Luckenbach House was started in 1849, according to Mrs. Edith Gray and Mr. Clifford Wendler. The original three rooms were of native rock, with the rocks starting under the ground so that the walls were solid and there was no way to get under the house. The ceilings were very high and the doorways were unusually large. There was a roughly finished upstairs with a heavy rock wall dividing it into two rooms. When the house was restored this center wall was removed with great labor because the rocks were more like boulders and had to be dropped outside to the ground. These rocks may be seen today in the back yard of the house. The original water well in the back yard has been covered over and serves as a small grotto. In adding rooms and making repairs, some of the lumber and beams were marked with the signature "Ringtail Rhino" and one was dated Feb. 5, 1908. Ringtail Rhino was a name used by Arnold Sophus Toepperwein, a fine cabinet maker and carpenter. At that time the house consisted of three rooms, a living room, a bedroom and a kitchen, plus the new frame addition on the back of the house, a dining room and a bath. The George Mitchell family restored and modernized the house in 1970. It now consists of eight rooms. The center hall is the living room, two bedrooms, dining room, kitchen and three upstairs rooms. Ceilings were lowered to 8 feet upstairs and 10 feet downstairs. These large rooms are a surprise because the house looks small from the front view. A screened porch shelters the main entrance. Other families who have lived in this house are Louis and Josephine Zinsmeister, and Paul and Hedwig Holekamp. Their son, Clarence, was born in this fine old house.

George and Baudelia Mitchell, owners of Mitchell Cleaners, have owned this home for many years.

Source: Boerne Public Library files.- May, 1999

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