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WENDLER/VOLLBRECHT TIN SHOP
322 S. Main, Boerne

DESCRIPTION: One story, shingle roof, commercial windows. Tin shop near the street. Occupants lived in the back portion and the adjoining house.

HISTORY: First established by Henry A. Wendler, Sr., a master cabinet maker and business man who came to Boerne in the 1850's, the tin shop was acquired by his brother-in-law, Louis P. Vollbrecht in the early 1880's.

The Vollbrecht family initially lived in rooms in back of the shop, and that portion of the house now visible from main Street was added later. One unique feature of the vollbrecht home was a well and pump in one of the back rooms. Thus, an inside water system long before 1900.

Mrs. Vollbrecht (sister of Mrs. Henry Wendler) was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Luckenbach who settled in Luckenbach, Texas in 1854. She and Mr. Vollbrecht moved to Boerne from Mason where he was employed as a freight wagon driver.

In addition to building tin roofs and tin tanks, some household items were sold in the shop. Also, the Vollbrecht home was furnished with beautiful antiques during this period, many of them obtained from the Rudolph Carstanjen family.

Mr. Vollbrecht stayed active in the shop until his death in 1943 at the age of 90.

Mrs. Mary Wilson was owner of the Vollbrecht home and shop in the 1980's using the building as an antique store for the past fifteen years. The store and home are at present being used for this purpose.

Source: Boerne Public Library files- May 1999

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