Wahrenberger House
historic place
The Wahrenberger House, located in Travis County, Austin, Texas, was built in 1867 by Friedrich Huster. Charles Klein purchased the house in 1868. He later deeded it in 1882 to his daughter, Caroline Wahrenberger, who was the widow of early Austin settler John Wahrenberger. The house served as a site for education, housing the German-American Ladies College from 1873 to 1879, and the Texas German and English Academy from 1880 to 1886. As a semi-private residence, it also took in boarders. Among them were Pat Neff, who later became Governor of Texas, and Sam Rayburn, who would become Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Architecturally, the house began in a simple vernacular Greek Revival style. Over time, it saw additions like a porch and a second story in the rear around 1873. A Victorian phase began in 1887, and a Classical Revival portico was added in 1916. The Wahrenberger family lived in the house as a private home until about 1946. A historical marker was erected at this site in 1963. The Wahrenberger House is a significant example of 19th-century architectural evolution in Austin.