EBENSBERGER-MURPHY HOUSE
136 Cottonwood

DESCRIPTION: One story stucco over hollow rough red tile brick, with two wood columns on the front porch; basement. Original central heat was the first in Boerne. Hardwood floors, cedar lined closets. Two tiled porches with one on the front and one on the south side of the house. Along the upper portion of the exterior walls their is a design using spindles and a ledge covered with the large red Spanish style roofing tiles. Roof is a flat roof covered with feltpaper & standing seam galvanized metal.

HISTORY: There is a fireplace in the home although it was rarely used for heat. The original stove was a kerosene, but due to the influence of the Ebensberger's good friend, Arno Richter, the superintendent of the local electric power company, they installed one of the first electric stoves in Boerne in their home. The two car garage/guesthouse has a full basement that served as a wash house. There was a large 4,000 gallon tank house & windmill located in the lot's Northwest corner.

In 1991 this house was designated as Historic by the Texas Historic Commission. At that time its current status was described this way: It is still being used as a residence and has had no structural changes since it was built in 1925. The metal roof has had a foam sealant added on top of it and fiberglass insulation was installed in the attic. Air conditioning was added to the central heating unit using the same original air ducts.

The kitchen was remodeled in the 1960's, a dishwasher and tile floor were installed. The tank house and windmill were removed after the house was given city water and the garage was converted into a guesthouse apartment in the 1970's. The living and bedrooms areas are in the original shape except for the ceilings, which were covered with wallpaper and now are covered with ceiling tile.

Source: Boerne Public Library Files 

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