New Braunfels Historic Downtown
A downtown stroll reveals many architectural reminders of New Braunfels’ early German past. One gem, the fachwerk Klein-Naegelin house, is probably the oldest remaining house in town (ca. 1845-46). Treat yourself to a famous streudel at Naegelin’s Bakery – one of the state’s oldest bakeries, founded by Prince Solms’ baker and taken over in 1868 by Alsatian immigrant Edouard Naegelin, Sr. And just like you could more than a century-and-a-half ago, you can still walk down the street and buy a hammer at Henne Hardware — its present Victorian building dating to 1893.
Want to sleep surrounded by history? One option is the remodeled Schmitz Hotel, which German immigrant Jacob Schmitz bought in 1858 to turn into his “Guadalupe Hotel.” Or perhaps stay at the old Comal Hotel – now the Prince Solms Inn – built in 1898.