DIENGER-ECKERT-BILLINGSLEY HOUSE
108 W. Hosack

HISTORY: Through the years many changes have been made to the house at 108 Hosack Street, near Main Street, known as the old Dienger, Max Eckert, Howard Calder house. The land was originally acquired from Maria Ignacia Leal during the period of the Republic of Texas, on May 13, 1835. Dr. Ferdinand Herff owned it at one time. Around 1855 Doretta and Carl Dienger bought it along with other properties for $1000.00. Carl Dienger died in 1899. In 1912 a contractor named Clemens added several rooms to the original two room stone house, dismantling the log house which dated c 1848, for Dorothy and August Dienger, who was the son of Carl Dienger. It was now a rock and frame house. There were double rock walls and at sometime a porch or gallery ran completely around the house. The water supply came from a well dug very near the back door of the house. It was 46 feet deep and still had good water when last tested. There was never a fireplace in the house. It is told that Mrs. Dienger did all of her cooking outside the house.

For a period of time, two ladies lived in the house. They were Lena Dienger and Emma Laue. The Max Eckert family purchased this home for $5,000 around 1946. At that time it was a six or seven room house made of brick and rock.

In the early 1970s Howard Calder purchased this old home and restored it to the present comfortable home. There are two bedrooms, a bath, kitchen, living room, dining room and a sun room. There is one room upstairs.

Source: Boerne Public Library files.