Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Henry Basse House
Photographed by James Hulse, January 1, 2021
1. Henry Basse House Marker
Descended from the Rev. Henrich S.W. Basse, a Lutheran pastor sent by the Adelsverein to serve German settlers in this area, Henry and Hugo Basse operated the Basse Brothers Cement Yard and created the Basse block, a popular building material in this region. This house, built in 1918-1920 by Henry Basse, is a testament to his business success and is a fine example of Basse block construction. A good local example of Prairie School-influenced design, it features a center passage plan and a three-bay, two-story porch with classical box columns on the first story.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
Erected 1991 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 10010.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1991.
Location. 30° 16.746′ N, 98° 53.499′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Texas, in Gillespie County. It is on South Bowie Street 0.1 miles east of Basse Lane, on the right when traveling west. The marker is located out by the street of the housesite. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1004 South Bowie Street, Fredericksburg TX 78624, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Hill Country. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (approx. half a mile away); Schneider-Klingelhoefer House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Klingelhoeffer House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Lehne-Itz House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Weber Das Keller Haus
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Adelsverein. The Adelsverein, also known as the Mainzer Verein, the Texas-Verein, and the German Emigration Company, was officially named the Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwanderer in Texas (Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas). Provisionally organized on April 20, 1842, by twenty-one German noblemen at Biebrich on the Rhine, near Mainz, the society represents a significant effort to establish a new Germany on Texas soil by means of an organized mass emigration. Source: The Handbook of Texas (Submitted on January 3, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
2. Basse Block and Roos Block. Each Basse block was individually molded using a mixture of Portland cement, sand and water, dry mixed and poured into a cast iron mold with 4 collapsible hinged sides. Each block was about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. A 3-man crew could manufacture 25 to 30 blocks a day.
Photographed by James Hulse, January 1, 2021
2. The entrance to the Henry Basse House with the Marker
This is a private home with no access to the home.
Photographed by James Hulse, January 1, 2021
3. The view of the Henry Basse House from the road
Credits. This page was last revised on January 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,181 times since then and 74 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 3, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
