PRESENTER
Katie Totman, HPO
SUBJECT:
HST25-092: Discuss and consider a recommendation to the Texas Historical Commission on an application for the National Register of Historic Places nomination for Central New Braunfels Historic District, roughly bounded by S Gilbert Avenue to the northeast, Butcher Street to the southeast, the southwest property lines along N Academy Avenue to the southwest, the former International and Great Norther Railroad tracks to the west, and W Zink Street to the northwest.
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development Services
BACKGROUND:
As a Certified Local Government (CLG), the City of New Braunfels is required to provide a recommendation on any National Register nominations within City limits. A letter was received from the Texas Historical Commission in March 2025 stating that the Downtown area has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination includes the area roughly bounded by S Gilbert Avenue to the northeast, Butcher Street to the southeast, the southwest property lines along N Academy Avenue to the southwest, the former International and Great Norther Railroad tracks to the west, and W Zink Street to the northwest. This includes a large part of the local Downtown Historic District, two properties in the Mill Street Historic District, several local landmarks, and other non-designated properties. Unlike local historic designations, inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places carries no regulatory restrictions. However, as mentioned above, many of the properties in the proposed boundaries are already locally designated as historic. The draft nomination is included in the attachments.
The Central New Braunfels Historic District represents a vital part of the city's cultural and architectural heritage, encompassing approximately 100 acres of the original 1845 town plan. Located in the heart of New Braunfels, the district is defined by its historic boundaries-S. Gilbert Avenue to the northeast, Butcher Street to the southeast, N. Academy Avenue to the southwest, the former International and Great Northern Railroad tracks to the west, and W. Zink Street to the northwest. The district’s layout follows a distinctive skewed grid pattern, branching out from Main Plaza, which remains the city’s historic and civic centerpiece. Main Plaza serves as an open public space, anchored by the Comal County Courthouse at its northwest corner, and is surrounded by a variety of historic commercial, governmental, residential, educational, and religious buildings.
Reflecting the city’s evolution from a mid-nineteenth-century German settlement to a thriving commercial, industrial, and tourism hub, the district showcases a diverse range of building styles and materials. Historic development patterns have resulted in a natural clustering of property types-county government buildings and commercial blocks dominate the core near Main Plaza, while residential areas extend toward the district’s southwest and northeast edges. These residences range from modest early single-family homes to larger bungalows and center-passage houses. Educational and religious buildings are interspersed throughout the area. The proposed district contains a total of 197 resources, of which 152 (77%) are considered contributing structures that uphold the historic character of the area. Additionally, 19 resources are already listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This high percentage of contributing properties underscores the district’s significance and its potential for continued preservation and enhancement as a key cultural and economic asset for New Braunfels.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff recommends approval of the listing of the proposed Central New Braunfels historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.