Gruene Homestead Inn - The Faust House

The Faust House is the flagship of the 8-acre homestead and is familiar in New Braunfels as "the house that has moved around town." Built in the early 1900's, it was originally located in the downtown area of New Braunfels. Today it sits fully restored on the main Homestead property after being moved three times during its almost 1OO years of existence. The house made its first move to a 10-acre site on Gruene Road and Hanz Drive. This move required cutting the building in half, removing 3 chimneys and the roof, and transporting it across 2 river bridges. It was reassembled and in 1981 the house changed hands as the 10-acre property on which it had been placed was sold. The second move was to a small parcel of land fronting on Gruene Road. In September 1992, Billie and Ed Miles saw the house with a "for sale by owner" sign stuck in the front hedges. They bought it, and moved it for the third time across Gruene Road to an 8-acre site purchased from the estate of Anita and Edwin Hanz. Shortly thereafter, Gruene Homestead Inn opened for business with 3 guest rooms in the restored home. Currently, the house contains two guest units as well as our main office.

Ella's Attic $140 / $168, queen bed, shower, sitting area, breakfast nook, upstairs

The Garden Room $140 / $168, king bed, shower, sitting area, private porch

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Wireless Internet

Upcoming Events
Meeting Room

The Faust House
Ella's Attic
The Garden Room

The Cottage

The Farmhouse
   Judge's Chambers
   Oma's Suite
   Scarlett's Suite
   Lili's Room
   The Back Room

The Cabin

The Texas House
Bluebonnet Room
Yellow Rose Suite

The Country House
   Green Room
   Granny's Attic
   Country Suite
   Back Porch

The Rose Cottage
Lady Banks Suite
Belinda Suite

The Silo

The Millwood House
   Merriwether Suite
   Landa's Loft
   Dittlinger's View

The Ranch House

History
In 1937, Ella Faust sold the house to Arthur C. Mergele, and the house then became known as the "Mergele House". One New Braunfels resident vividly remembers watching television for the first time at the house in the 1950's which was home to her beloved "Tante Hanna" (Aunt Hanna).

The First Protestant Church acquired the house some 20 years later, and used it as an education building. Needing parking space for its growing congregation. The church sold the building in 1978. It was moved to a 10-acre site on Gruene Road and Hanz Drive, which was then outside the city limits of New Braunfels, about a mile from the historic area of Gruene. In the process of that first move, 4 standing chimneys were taken down, the house was cut in half, and the top of the roof was removed. Before the roof could be replaced, the house sustained severe rain damage, and a large portion of the interior was affected. Only 2 chimneys were rebuilt.

In 1981, the house changed hands again, and was moved to a small parcel of land fronting on Gruene Road. This time, only one chimney was left standing, to vent the kitchen stove. Major remodeling was done by this owner - kitchen cabinets were custom built and central air and heat were added.

In September, 1992, the Miles moved it across the road to it's present site. With Ed, the designer and general contractor, doing all the painting, carpentry and roofing himself, and Billie, with her natural artistic bent, doing all the interior decorating, they had, in the local vernacular - created "a silk purse from a sow's ear" in less than five years.

After the house was moved, rotten porches were torn off and rebuilt along with the porch railings and stairs, decaying overhangs and roof eaves were replaced, roofing was repaired, the foundation was completely reconstructed, windows were repaired, replaced and recaulked, the entire exterior structure was repainted using colors of the period. In the interior, tall pocket doors between living and dining rooms were no longer usable and were removed. Plumbing, wiring, air conditioning and heating were completely redone to be brought up to code. Molding was replaced and added, matching the original molding in the house.

Today, the Faust House stands fully restored and is a grand exhibition of early 20th century Texas style Victorian architecture and design.

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