Celebrating 175 Years of German Culture in Texas

Fredericksburg Art and Architecture

One of the unique things about Fredericksburg is its German-influenced architecture. What better way to celebrate 175 years of German culture in Texas than by taking in the beauty of 19th century marvels like the Zion Lutheran Church, built in 1853, and the Tatsch Home, built in 1856. These are just a few of the impressive German-built structures you can find on a self-guided walking tour of the Fredericksburg Historic District. 

If you’re an art lover, be sure to check out the Lee Ethel Fredericksburg exhibit at Appretiare Fine Art. This collection of Ethel’s work captures the spirit of Fredericksburg and its people and will be on display to commemorate Fredericksburg’s 175th birthday celebration through September 15th. 

Reason for the Season

The dispute for territory in modern-day Texas has a long and complicated history. Fredericksburg and the surrounding Hill Country once belonged to the Comanche Nation, specifically the Penateka Comanche, and changed hands frequently in the 19th century. Modern-day Texas was used as hunting territory by the powerful Comanche Nation before the Spanish began to move north. In the late 1700s, the Comanche presided over Hill Country and battled frequently with encroaching Spanish forces.

In the 1840s, the Comanche were still a powerful force in Texas and had concerns about Texas colonists settling farther into Comanche land. The Butler-Lewis Treaty signed between several Comanche tribes and the Texan colonists failed to delineate a border between the parties. Border disputes between Texans and the Comanche were so widespread that the U.S. allowed a new arrival of German settlers in the region, led by John O. Meusebach, to negotiate their own deal with the Comanche.

Meusebach established Fredericksburg on the outskirts of the Fisher-Miller land grant, a portion of land that was purchased from the Republic of Texas for German settlement. After some negotiation, the land grant was extended to include Fredericksburg, however the ill-defined border with the Comanche was still a source of conflict. In 1847, Meusebach met with the Penateka Comanche and signed a treaty on behalf of the German settlers outlining clear borders, guaranteeing payment from the German settlers to the Comanche, and securing a code of peace. This treaty is hailed as the only unbroken contract between European colonists and First Nations in the history of the United States. There were several infractions of this treaty, including illegal crossing by a handful of German settlers into Comanche land and delayed payment, but the contract was generally upheld by both parties. A monument of the treaty can be found in San Saba County, Texas to this day. From 1846 to 1847, German immigrants laid the foundation for what is now a thriving town in Hill Country.