Texas Historical Commission
Krause House / Mann's Crossing Post Office
Anton F. Krause and Joanna Roesler emigrated from Austria to Texas in 1854. Like many new arrivals, they walked most of the way from the Texas coast to San Antonio, where they were married in the San Fernando Church in May 1855. In 1875 thery sold their San Antonio stoor and saloon and moved with their six children so southwestern Bexar county near Mann's Crossing.
The family purchased 101 acres in 1875 and a smaller tract including this site in 1876. They built a small log cabin and stone kitchen in that year with the help of neighbors. including family friend and stonemason Henry Nentwich, whose daughter Elizabeth later married the Krause's son Charles. The logs were hewn from local elm trees and the sandstone was found nearby. Additions were made as the family grew over the years.
From January 1879 to November 1880 and again from September to December 1886, Anton Krause served as postmaster of Mann's Crossing, using his home as the post office. Krause and his sons also were active in law enforcement, and the house was used by Texas Rangers and Federal Agents to hold prisioners at various times.
Typical of the gradual development of rural farmsteads evolving from a single pen log cabin, the house includes typical features of a vernacular farmhouse such as the original core structure, board-and-batten siding on extensions, standing seam metal roof and box eaves. Its very survival is historically significant. The Krause land was designated a Family Land Heritage Farm in 1975.