Harrison House Chronology of Important Dates

Jean M. Heide © 2001

The John S. Harrison House Homestead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2006. In April 2009 the house was listed as a State Archeological Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission. 

The John S. Harrison House Homestead consists of a 12.856 acre parcel out of a 127-acre tract as described in the deed from Henry Friesenhahn to August Friesenhahn and recorded in Volume 1373, Page 312, Deed Records of Bexar County, Texas; said parcel being out of the Torribio Herrera Survey No. 68, Abstract 309, City of Selma, Bexar County, Texas.

Chronological Listing of Important Dates

John S. Harrison    1852-1854  -  original two-room limestone block house with outdoor staircase and sleeping loft (loft had two windows on each side of the chimney on its south side and one window on its north side)

Martin Schmid and Wilhelm Geier  1854 – 1894 -  no changes made to original house

Andreas, Hugo and Armin Stautzenberger  1894 – 1905  -  no changes made to original house

Henry, August, and Harold Friesenhahn  1905 – 2001 (when grandson of Henry, Harold Friesenhahn, sold the property to the City of Selma).

            1905 – north side and south side additions built

(two bedrooms were added on each side of original house)

(the original fire place was covered over)

(two chimneys were added between the four bedrooms for wood burning stoves)

(L-shaped porch was built across front of the house and down its north side)

1930’s – removed a section of the north side porch and used lumber to add small kitchen and bathroom at rear of 1905 south side addition

1960’s – enlarged old kitchen and moved bathroom next to screened porch attached to left rear of 1905 south side addition

2016 – complete restoration and rehabilitation of the John S. Harrison House and four historic outbuildings; said property now a city park and community center.

Bibliography

Discussions with Mayor Harold Friesenhahn, 1999 – 2006 as attested to in the National Register Nomination Form prepared by Jean M. Heide, 2006

San Antonio Express-News, Thursday, August 11, 2016, Section A, p. 1.

Submitted by Jean M. Heide

Member of the San Antonio Conservation Society Farm & Ranch Committee