A Passion For the Past
Drives Restoration of Hill Country Home
For more than a year, Susan and Tom Doell, of Dallas, have been working on the restoration of a circa 1900, two-story German rock house in the Texas Hill Country. Located in the small community of Hilda in Mason County, the structure will eventually become the family’s home. Susan Doell spoke with Texas HERITAGE magazine about the special challenges and delights of restoring a more than a century-old building.
able. On that property there was a magnificent two-story rock home. Charles Geistweidt, a descendant of early pioneers in the area, built the structure, which had since been abandoned for 25 years or so. We knew immediately that the preservation of this house was something we needed to do. My husband and I have years of experience in building and remodeling homes of all ages, but we quickly learned that this type of project required a much different Our motivation to take on this level of expertise and experience. project came from a love of the ar- Fortunately, we were able to asea’s history, as well as the fact that semble a great team consisting of we needed a larger space for our a knowledgeable and experienced growing family. My husband’s an- architect and builder from Fredercestors helped found Fredericks- icksburg, as well as skilled rock maburg, and we purchased our ranch sons, carpenters who were attentive near his great-great grandfather’s to every detail, and talented intehomestead 20 years ago. In 2011, rior designers. Every day of this project has the adjacent ranch became avail-
22 TEXAS
|
Vo l u m e 1 2 0 1 3
been a learning experience. At the start, the house had no bathrooms, plumbing, electrical, or heating and cooling systems. Creating our new home has been like working a jigsaw puzzle as we try to make all of the modern amenities fit into the space. From the very beginning, we had two objectives: first, to not alter the original house or cellar and, secondly, to add on a more modern living space that worked with the original home. The exterior back porch was reconstructed on the original stone footing, and it became space for three bathrooms. A window in the back of the kitchen became a door leading to a pantry area, which created additional storage; now you walk from the old enclosed side porch into a family great room and entertainment space. We felt it was important to maintain the in-
From A Watery Grave By James Bruseth and Toni Turner Reviewed by William C. Foster Ten years ago this summer, marine archeologists with the Texas Historical Commission located the 300-year-old wreck of La Belle, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle’s ship, in Matagorda Bay on the central Texas coast. French and Spanish records indicated that tegrity of archival the original house by balthe vessel along ancing the had old been withlost thesomewhere new. the bay shorehad of Matagorda The house all of thePeninsula originalin February 1686, but extensive marine long-leaf pine flooring, four-panel investigations of the area conducted doors, window and door trim, andby the stateceilings, during the previous decade beaded which gave us had a been unsuccessful in locating the site good foundation on which to build.of wreck. Wetheused pictures of the exterior of After the as wreck of La was located, the house, well asBelle interiors of and with substantial private similar residences in the areafinancial to get support of Texas Lieutenant a help senseand ofthe how to restore this home. Governor Bob Bullock, Texas Historical Also, there are many good books that Commission are available on archeologists this particular recovvineredofthe wooden ship and tage home builthull by of thethe Germans the submerged treasure aboard. T.R. as they settled this area of the Hill Fehrenbach, who is a former chair of Country; we relied heavily on those the Texas Historical Commission and is for ideas as we replaced cabinetry, presently commissioner emeritus, writes door hardware, and light fixtures. in his forward to the book that La Belle Absolutely the biggest obstacle is the only 17th-century ship to survive throughout the project has been in North America. From A Watery Grave the rock walls that are 12-18 inches is the artfully told and fully illustrated thick. To move one window and story of the discovery, excavation, and door in order to create a larger preservation of the shipwreck told by the opening into the new addition reprincipal archeological investigator and quired weeks of work that involved director of the Archeological Division of scaffolding, iron structural the Commis-sion rods Jamesfor Bruseth and his support, and dedicated wife, writer Toni Turner. rock masonsEmploying who wereanot afraid to remove unique cofferdam conand rebuild using the old rocks. New structed around La Belle, the archeologielectrical cal team wiring recoveredrequired from the chiseling vessel over through thoseartifacts rock walls witha their one million including bronze interior plaster finish. Plumbing cannon; blue, green, and red seed-size had to trade be hidden the glass beads; in andjoists more and than in a thoubacks of cabinets. The rock for this sand grape-size copper trade bells or crohouse was also mined originally a tals. They found brass pins, at Jesuit nearby in other ordertrade to create finger site, rings,soand goodsan for addition that blended with old use by the French colonists in the exchange structure, it was necessary to find with the local Indian population. Bruseth new similar rock.the Thecargo resourceandbut Turner describe for the fulcolony masons successfully searched in careful detail with illustrations
on our ranch to find rock that would blend with the original stone, which had been exposed to the elements for more than 100 years. My advice to others considering indicating distribution would of barrels a similar the undertaking beand to boxes of muskets, powder, shot, swords, have a complete vision of what you and trade goods found in the hull want the house to be stowed after the restoof the ship. ration process. Include people with When phase is comexpertisethe on preservation the age and design of pleted, the assembled hull of La Belle and the home in that process, and then fromtothe will be beartifacts prepared beship flexible asexhibited you go at the Bob Bullock Texas State History through the construction period. Museum in Austin. La Belle properties artifacts are Restoration of historical also on loan through the Texas Historical is tedious and slow but worth the Commission to central Texas Gulf Coast journey. museums including Corpus Throughout this the project, weChristi have Museum of Science and History, the been gratified by the overwhelming Victoria Museum of the Coastal Bend, support and appreciation the comand a network of local museums associmunity has shown as we bring back ated with the La Salle Odyssey in Bay to life this old structure that has City, Palacios, Edna, Port Lavaca, and been so important to them. Many Rockport. Although La Belle was an of the people in this rural comofficially documented French naval vesmunity are related to the original sel, a bilateral agreement between the owner, spent summers working on United States and France permits La the ranch, or played with the many Belle and its artifacts to remain in Texas children who grew up in this house. in perpetuity. The reason that we decided to During the excavation, the skeletal take on this project originally remains of two individuals were was disacovered. feeling Near of responsibility bring the remains oftoone, the dignity backfound to thea Geistweidt investigators small pewter Famcup or ily’s same winemagnificent taster with thehome. name At “ C.the Barange” time, we wanted to create a space for stamped on the side. In February 2004, our generations the family remainsthat of the Frenchmanwould were enjoy together. We take great satisburied in the Texas State Cemetery in faction in the fact delivered that we by accomAustin with tributes Texas plished both of those goals after a Historical Commission Chairman John long sometimes conNau, and III and the Frenchdifficult ambassador to struction process. the United States Jean-David Levitte. HERITAGE
Thus the French sailor will remain in Austin with his ship. Bruseth and Turner eloquently introduce the reader to the fascinating saga of La Salle’s expedition to Texas and to the remarkable recovery of his ship by the Texas Historical Commission. But the authors add their own dimension. They share with the reader the drama and thrill of a real archeological discovery of a significant lost vessel and the recovery of its treasure that had been buried by the sea and sand for more than 300 years. From A Watery Grave is itself a treasure, one that willpage: elegantly grace coffee tables Opposite This German rock while also enriching academic libraries. house was built by Charles GeistAnd the work discloses even more, it weidt. This page, above, left: The reveals the archeologist in us all.
restoration of the home included an addition of a 1,500-square foot family living space; right: Double porches offer the family spectacular views of the Texas Hill Country. All photographs by Susan Doell.
Celebrate Texas Independence Day, March 2!
carrabba ad here
Carrabba Conservation, Inc.
Conservation Treatment & Protective Framing Cheryl Carrabba Professional Associate, AIC Works of Art on Paper Archival Materials • 9002 Anderson Mill Road Austin, TX 78729 voice 512-452-5880 fax 512-452-6112 By appointment carrabbaconservation.com
Vo l u m e 1 2 0 1 3 |
WINTER 2006
TEXAS
23