The Fritz Zedler Home

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna give it the treatment it deserves. Now settle in, because this is a story that starts an ocean away and ends right here in Caldwell County. Fritz Zedler was born in Germany in 1840, and by 1852 he had made his way to Texas.

That's a young man crossing a whole world to plant roots in new soil, and plant them he did. He landed in Luling in 1884 and got to work on something called Zedler's Mill, which didn't stay small for long. Thriving business, the marker says, and you can feel the weight of that word.

Thriving. The kind of word that means people knew your name before you walked in the room. So what does a man do when his business is thriving and he's got a little pride to go along with the prosperity?

He builds a house. And not just any house. In 1900, Fritz Zedler built this home from his own plans.

His own plans. The man didn't hand that job off to somebody else's imagination. Ten rooms.

Four porches. You think about that for a second. Four porches on one house, in 1900, in Luling, Texas.

That is a man who wanted somewhere comfortable to sit and look at what he'd built. Fritz Zedler lived to see the year 1932, which means he had a good long run to enjoy every one of those porches. After his time, the house passed on, as houses do.

His daughter Frances held it until 1964, when she sold it. For a stretch after that, it served as rental property, which is not exactly the fate a ten-room house built from a proud man's own plans deserves. But then, in 1970, Corinne and Wesley Parker came along and purchased it.

And in 1972, they restored it. Sometimes a story that looks like it's winding down is really just winding up. Fritz Zedler left Germany, crossed to Texas, milled his way to prosperity, drew his own blueprints, and built something that outlasted everything.

Four porches and all.

What the marker says

Born in Germany, Fritz Zedler (1840-1932) came to Texas in 1852. He moved to Luling in 1884 and began operation of Zedler's Mill, soon a thriving business. This house, built in 1900 from Zedler's own plans, testifies to his pride and prosperity. The original structure had ten rooms and four porches. In 1964 Zedler's daughter, Frances, sold the house. It was used as rental property until Corinne and Wesley Parker purchased (1970) and restored it (1972). Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974