Preservation Texas, Inc. has announced that the rehabilitation of the Herff Homestead in Boerne, Texas, will receive a 2016 Honor Award on February 18, 2016. The Honor Award will be presented at a special ceremony at the historic State Theatre on Congress Avenue in Austin as part of the Preservation Texas 2016 Summit.
One of Preservation Texas’ Most Endangered Places in 2010, the Herff Homestead has been carefully restored through the efforts of the Cibolo Nature Center & Farm, an organization dedicated to protecting the Cibolo Conservation Corridor.
Built in 1883 by Ferdinand and Mathilde Herff, the house was at the center of a large farm near the newly established town of Boerne. Though the farm decreased in size over the years, the house and surrounding buildings were maintained for more than a century before the last inhabitant passed away and they fell into disrepair. The Friends of the Cibolo Wilderness purchased the farm in 2007 and spent years rehabilitating the Homestead as a learning center, carefully restoring the house while fighting battles to protect the property from sprawling, unchecked suburban development.
Opening to the public in 2014, the Herff Homestead serves as an anchor for the surrounding land, which is being transformed into a learning center where sustainable living practices and the stewardship of nature are celebrated
“We are proud of the dedication of the Cibolo Nature Center and the citizens of Boerne for saving the Herff Homestead,” said Preservation Texas executive director Evan Thompson. “The preservation of historic rural resources is a critical issue in Texas, as we continue to lose farm and ranch land to sprawling, unchecked suburban development at a breathtaking pace.”
The project team included the Cibolo Nature Center & Farm and Alamo Architects.
Founded in 1985, Preservation Texas is a member-supported non-profit historic preservation advocacy and education organization based in Austin, Texas. The organization does not receive any government funding.
For more information, visit www.PreservationTexas.org or call 512-472-0102.