Small Sunday Houses played big role

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This article was published 19/10/2024 (341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In Fredericksburg, Texas, tiny houses were in vogue 100 years ago.

A handful of these diminutive dwellings, still standing on side streets and the main drag in this charming southern U.S. city, have a story to tell. With a footprint of less than 30 square metres, they were the setting for Saturday afternoon visits, big Sunday dinners after church and maybe even a weekend nap. Here’s the story of the Sunday Houses.

Fredericksburg got its start in the late 1800s when German immigrants were promised a four hectare (10-acre lot) in the country to farm to help populate the region. When Sundays rolled around, it was important for them to attend church, but that meant an often arduous trip of up to 30 kilometres that couldn’t be done in a day back them. Luckily, these newcomers were also granted a lot in town and many chose to build modest structures to serve as weekend accommodations. Sunday Houses most often had only two rooms. Sometimes a sleeping loft was added on a second storey and accessed by an outdoor staircase — a space-saving feature.

The Sunday Houses were also used when farmers needed to conduct business in town, when medical attention was needed and later on when those farmers chose to retire in town. By the 1920s, when roads had improved significantly, the structures were no longer a necessity, but many families retained ownership. Today, many Sunday Houses have been converted into premium lodging options in this historical destination.

For example, the Loeffler-Weber cabin was built by German settler Gerhard Rorig in 1846 and stayed in the family for 90 years. Today it’s a bed and breakfast with modern touches like an antique king-size bed, gourmet coffee beans and locally sourced pastries. But the wood-burning fireplace and rustic masonry make it easy to recall its original use.

Take a stroll through the Weber Sunday House at the Pioneer Museum Complex, a collection of authentic structures preserved from the 19th century, to get a feel for just how snug the house really was. Furnishings include a bed, table and chairs, wood stove, desk and a small cabinet for food.

Kenneth Hafertepe, who wrote A Guide to the Historic Buildings of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County (2015), said Sunday Houses still have a place in today’s world. “Sunday Houses were built with great simplicity, and that simplicity has a great appeal to modern people who often feel overwhelmed by their possessions and find the Sunday Houses’ spartan yet stylish character to be a great alternative.”

Visiting Fredericksburg

Located northwest of San Antonio, the small city of Fredericksburg celebrates its German soul with plenty of architecture, history and delicious cuisine. It’s home to over 1,500 options when it comes to overnight accommodations, making it a favourite weekend getaway for Texans and those who come from a little further away.

For example, Hoffman Haus is a collection of rooms, suites and cottages a block away from the city’s main thoroughfare. Breakfast is included and there’s a spa on the meticulously manicured grounds. The Trueheart Hotel has 13 boutique rooms and cottages, all connected by footpaths with an outdoor fireplace where you can meet the neighbours. The natural oasis known as Onera has architecturally forward guest units tucked into the landscape. The Spyglass Treehouse is suspended in the trees, while The Monarch includes a stone outdoor soaking tub.

The culinary offerings of Fredericksburg kick off with local favourite Otto’s German Bistro, where sauerkraut balls stuffed with sausage are a must. Entrées include duck schnitzel, a braised Berkshire pork shank and the wurstplatte that includes all the best German tastes like sausages, sauerkraut, braised cabbage and grainy mustard. Always leave room for the cambozola cheesecake, topped with candied pecans and crème anglaise.

Hill & Vine brings the best of Germany and the American South to the plate. Start with the onion rings served with chimichurri-ranch and adobo-lime ketchup, then move on to chicken schnitzel with a sunny-side-up egg. An order of roadside fried pies for dessert won’t last long.

For take-home treats, pop into Das Peach Haus, the country store of Fischer & Wieser specialty products including the original roasted-raspberry-chipotle sauce, peaches and whiskey barbecue sauce, and Texas triple-berry pie filling.

Day trip

If you’re a fan of country music and have ever wondered if Luckenbach, Texas, was a real place, wonder no more. Once home to a German community just a few kilometres outside Fredericksburg, Luckenbach is now a country music hot spot with a general store and bar, dancehall and a stage that hosts live music every single afternoon. It boasts a population of three and stands by the slogan that everybody’s somebody. It’s rare that the afternoon’s performers won’t serenade visitors with a rendition of the song penned by Waylon Jennings.

shel@shelzolkewich.com