Historic Happenings - City of New Braunfels

Historic Happenings
A Publication of the New Braunfels Planning and
Community Development Division
Upcoming Deadlines Issue 14
and Meeting Dates
Historic Landmark
Commission:
Meeting Date:
May 14
Application Deadline:
April 23
Meeting Date:
June 11
Application Deadline:
May 21
Meeting Date:
July 9
Application Deadline:
June 18
Inside this issue
ABCs of Preservation
All about Bungalows.
Where in New Braunfels
Quiz
How familiar are you with
the City’s architectural
heritage? Enter to win a
prize!
Dealing with Flood
Damage
April 2013
May is National
Historic Preservation Month
The City of New Braunfels is proud to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month this May.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation founded National Historic Preservation Month to
raise awareness about the power historic preservation has to protect and enhance our homes,
neighborhoods, and communities. The theme of this year’s celebration is, “See it. Save it.
Celebrate it!” Historic Preservation provides many benefits to communities through
neighborhood stabilization, economic advantages, and the environmentally responsible re-use of
embodied energy and building materials. Additionally, historic preservation benefits quality of
life by fostering civic pride and celebrating a shared cultural heritage.
On April 22nd, Mayor Pospisil read an official
proclamation declaring May 2013 as Historic
Preservation Month. To commemorate Historic
Preservation Month, the City’s Historic
Landmark Commission is hosting a self-paced
“Historic Property Scavenger Hunt,” in the
newly designated New Braunfels Downtown
Local Historic District. This event will
challenge participants to stroll through a portion
of the District and locate some of the unique
features present on historic buildings. Several
local businesses have donated prizes to a grand
prize gift basket valued at over $500 (see list on
page 2). All entries must be received by May
31st and the winner will be selected by a
drawing of all correct entries. Entry forms are
available at The Sophienburg Museum, the New
Braunfels Heritage Village, City Hall and online
at www.nbtexas.org/historicpreservation.
Several local museums will also be participating
in the City’s fifth annual Free Museum Day on
Saturday, May 18th, from 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Institutions Participating in
Free Museum Day
New Braunfels Heritage Village and
Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture
1370 Church Hill Drive
The Sophienburg Museum
401 W. Coll Street
(830) 629-1572
New Braunfels Railroad Museum
302 W. San Antonio Street
The New Braunfels Fire Department
Museum
131 South Hill Avenue
Ferdinand Lindheimer Museum
419 Comal Avenue
Part one of a series on
treatment of your historic
Buckhorn Barber Museum
Other ways to celebrate include touring the
property in the event of a many outdoor murals chronicling New 531 W. San Antonio Street
flood.
Braunfels’ history through the Historic Outdoor
Art Museum (www.nbmurals.org), participating
in the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce’s Footprints in Time Historic Walking and Driving
Tour (nbfootprintsintime.com), visiting the newly restored Comal County Courthouse on Main
Plaza, or taking a walk or drive through some of the older neighborhoods. If you own a historic
building that you would like to see listed as a local landmark, please contact Amy McWhorter,
Historic Preservation Officer at (830) 221-4057 or [email protected].
Historic Happenings, Issue 14
April 2013
Preservation ABCs
“B” is for Bungalow
The term “Bungalow” is widely used in architectural history and historic preservation to describe
a variety of modest homes constructed in the early 1900s. Although many refer to the
“Bungalow Style,” of architecture, this is a bit of a misnomer as the term actually refers to an
architectural plan characterized by a more informal massing of interior spaces than those
common in the preceding Victorian era. Bungalow houses, although often associated with the
Craftsman or Prairie Styles, were built in several architectural styles such as Tudor Revival,
Pueblo Revival, and Colonial Revival. In Tudor Revival Bungalows, the prominent entry porch
is often supplanted by a projecting front-gabled wing and roof pitches are much steeper.
Whereas in Mission and Pueblo Revival examples, hipped, low-pitched roofs are more common.
Bungalow houses were extremely common in
New Braunfels during the 1920s and 1930s, as
they were nationwide. Therefore, there is a wide
variability in floor plans, forms, and styles.
However; there are some common elements that
represent character-defining features of
Bungalows. Most Bungalow houses are one or
one and a half-story, wooden framed structures
of moderate size with prominent porches and
gabled roofs. The most common type of
Bungalow in New Braunfels is the front-gabled
Box Bungalow, which is recognized by its plan depth (typically twice as deep as wide), and
entry porch (typically beneath a projecting, lowered front-gable). The entry is typically located
off-center and opens directly into the living room, a departure from the use of formal parlors in
the Victorian era. Side-gabled Bungalows and airplane Bungalows (characterized by “pop-up”
second stories) are also found in the New
Braunfels.
Above: The most universally recognizable Bungalow type, the Craftsman Style Box Bungalow,
has a projecting front-gable porch and Craftsman details. Right: A Tudor Revival Style Bungalow with steeply pitched eaves, a smaller
porch, and a gable-front wing.
The Craftsman Style is synonymous to
Bungalow architecture, as it is the most
prevalent style applied to Bungalows.
When you picture a Bungalow, you
probably imagine it with Craftsman details. The Craftsman style’s roots lay in the European Arts
and Crafts Movement of the mid to late 1800s, where many authors and designers sought to
reform and reinvigorate the decorative arts trade in response to the industrialization of the
manufacture of decorative objects. The style emphasized Folk or medieval details that
showcased or alluded to the skilled workmanship involved in production. Structural details were
often exaggerated and machined finished gave way to hammered, rough textures. Craftsman
details common to Bungalows include exposed rafter tails, battered foundations, decorative
wooden brackets in the gable ends, multi-light windows and screens with decorative wooden
muntins, geometric woodwork designs, and interior features such as hammered metal fixtures,
wooden built-in storage areas, and geometric detail on interior wood trim. Occasionally, rough
stonework is applied to chimneys and porch supports.
Page 2
Historic Preservation
Scavenger Hunt
Grand Prize
The Other Place Resort
(2 night stay)*
Crosswalk Coffeehouse
($15 Gift Card)
Henne Hardware
(Free Gift)
Comal Café
(Lunch for Two)
Huisache Grill
($50 Gift Card)
McAdoo’s Seafood Co.
($50 Gift Card)
Comal Flower Shop
($25 Gift Certificate)
The New Braunfels
Railroad Museum
(Free Gift)
The Sophienburg
(Admission Pass, Free
Gift, Pass to
Weihnachtsmarkt)
The New Braunfels
Heritage Society
(Admission Pass, Free
Gift)
The New Braunfels
Conservation Society
(Admission Pass, Free
Gift)
The City of New
Braunfels Parks
Department
(4 day passes to Landa
Park)
*restrictions apply
Historic Happenings, Issue 14
April 2013
When April Showers Bring Rising Waters
April is off to a rainy start, and we all know we
need the rain. We also know that living in
“flash flood alley,” brings an increased risk for
flooding in the area. If your historic building
floods, there are some remedial actions you can
take to minimize the damage. If you suspect
structural damage, it is imperative that you
consult with a qualified structural engineer or
architect to thoroughly assess the structural
integrity of your property.
Once the water recedes and you are able to
safely re-enter your property, there are some
basic safety precautions that you should follow:
never attempt to cross through flowing water
(by foot or vehicle), stay away from power lines
and electrical wire, make sure that your power
is turned off (and have any previously
submerged wiring inspected before turning it
back on), watch your step as surfaces may be
slippery, be alert for gas leaks, ensure grills and
generators are properly ventilated, clean
everything that got wet (wearing protective
clothing and using proper ventilation), and
follow local guidance on preventative vaccines.
Before initiating clean-up efforts, it is a good
idea to document (photographically or using
video) the damage. Do not immediately discard
architectural debris! The original owner may be
looking for those items.
Reducing the humidity within the structure can
reduce the most damaging effects of water to
building materials. However; it is safest and
easiest to remove any mud accumulations while
they are still wet. Thus, it is practical to begin
by removing the mud.
Page 3
"It’s not good because it’s old. It’s old
because it’s good.”
-Anonymous
Above: Floodwaters can carry debris and building
materials great distances.
Mud should be removed using a low to
medium pressure water wash. Make sure that
all electricity is turned off and use an
abundance of caution when cleaning delicate
decorative features. It is important to open
electrical outlets and mechanical chases to
check for and remove any mud accumulations
in interior wall cavities. HVAC ducts should
be treated in the same fashion. Let all interior
cavities dry thoroughly before closing them to
avoid material damage.
Once the mud has been removed, it is
important to begin the drying process to avoid
rot, rust, and spalling. The safest and least
labor intensive method for removing water is
through simple evaporative ventilation.
Opening windows and doors allows humid
interior air to be vented to the outside. Fans
can be used to speed ventilation; however,
caution must be used to make sure that
materials (especially wood and plaster) are not
drying too quickly and becoming warped.
As materials begin to dry through ventilation,
adding heat to speed evaporation may be used.
Below: Flooding from hurricane Katrina caused Heat devices should never be used in absence
heavy damage to Beauvoir, the former home of
of ventilation measures as this will increase the
Jefferson Davis, a National Historic Landmark. The
interior humidity and cause damage to spread.
restoration of the property took three years.
Caution should be used if using gas-powered
fans and heaters to make sure that the area is
vented to prevent toxic fumes.
Should a high-water event occur, valuable
safety information is available through the
City’s Office of Emergency Management at
www.nbtexas.org/emergencyprep.
Watch for more information in flood damage
prevention in the next issue!
The 10th Annual Wein
and Saengerfest will be
held in historic downtown New Braunfels on
Saturday May 4, 2013.
Along with wine tasting, this event offers a
host of entertainment
and activities that include continuous live
music, a grape stomp,
art market, food seminars, a Chef’s Showdown, and activities for
the kids-culminating
with a street dance at
Main Plaza. (This is a
great opportunity to
look for those architectural details in the Historic Preservation
Month Scavenger
Hunt, too)!
Historic Happenings, Issue 14
April 2013
Where in New Braunfels?
Can you identify this interesting architectural
feature? Although these functional features are
common in many urban areas in the country,
they are not often found in south central Texas.
Need a hint? This is not actually found on the
building façade, but on the associated site. The
first person to correctly identify the location of
this feature will win a fantastic prize. Please
submit your answers to Amy McWhorter,
Historic Preservation Officer, at
[email protected] or 830-221-4057.
Nobody correctly identified the
architectural detail from last
issue’s “Where in New
Braunfels,” quiz. Correct
answer is the Old New
Braunfels Fire Station on Hill
Avenue. This local landmark building, built in
1918, currently houses the New Braunfels fire
museum. The building is located at 193 South
Hill Avenue and will be open on May 18th from
noon to 4p.m. for Free Museum Day.
Rehabilitation Tax Relief Deadline Approaching
Do you or someone you know own a historically significant building that needs some
work? The City offers a rehabilitation tax incentive for Historic Landmark properties
undergoing certain improvements. The deadline to apply for this program is July 1st.
Please contact Historic Preservation Officer Amy McWhorter at 830-221-4057 or
[email protected] for more information.
Historic Landmark Commission
424 S. Castell Avenue
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Address label here
Page 4
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Please send an e-mail to
[email protected]
to receive this document
electronically.
Information:
Historic Landmark
Commission Meetings:
Second Tuesday every
month
8:30 a.m.
City Council Chambers
424 S. Castell Avenue
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Contact:
Amy McWhorter
Historic Preservation
Officer
830-221-4057
[email protected]