Marker #3996 - 1986. German immigrant Peter Joseph Ingenhuett (1833-1923) came to Texas and settled on a farm near Comfort in the 1850's. In 1861, he married Marie Karger (1843-1913), and they moved into town in 1867. The Ingenhuetts opened various businesses along what is now High Street, including a hotel, saloon, and livery stable. Ingenhuett served for nearly 25 years as the Comfort postmaster. The small cottage at the back of this property was the Ingenhuett home until the larger dwelling at this site was built in 1888.
The homestead has two buildings involved. The 1863 cabin behind the big house was a home, a wash house, storage room, a taxidery shop, garage and antique shop. It has fretwerk and outside stairs. The 1888 house is a one story, German Victorian limestone with gingerbread on porch.
The original (1863) Peter Joseph Ingenhuett Homestead was located behind the later house. This cabin served as the Ingenhuett's home until they moved into the second floor of the "new" mercantile store building in 1880. In addition to a residence, the cabin has also served many other purposes. It was a wash house with inside hearth, a storage building, a taxidermy shop (when owned by Udo Letz) a garage, and an antique shop (which the Meyer's operated).
The larger house was built in 1888 for Peter Joseph and Marie Karger Ingenhuett. Mr. Ingenhuett was a prominent businessman in the community who built several businesses along High Street including the hotel, saloon, and the Ingenhuett Store.
The house originally had clapboard siding. The stucco exterior was added in the first half of this century to improve the fire resistance as several fires had occurred in the vicinity. The house was renovated in the early 1970's with turned balusters and a new fretwork design being installed on the front porch. It was purchased in 1986 by Bill and Helen Meyer. Working from old photographs, the Meyers replaced the balusters and fretwork design in 1991 to more nearly approximate that of the original construction. The stairway in the central hall, giving access to the expanded attic, was moved from the Ingenhuett-Faust Hotel.
