About

About The House

Behr House is the essence of “old and new”. The main house is comprised of a small pioneer stone and log portion built in the mid-to-late 1800s, while the newer part hosts a Great Room and three other guestrooms, including an expansive suite with 1900’s reclaimed log cabin walls. Then, there is the 1860’s stone barn with its 20-inch thick, rough-cut limestone walls bearing the patina of over one-and-a half centuries of weathering with a small living area, kitchenette, loft bedroom, modern bathroom addition, and its own private courtyard.

The oldest part of the house is attributed to Friedrich Behr, born in Hanover, Germany who arrived at the port of New York City in November 1851. He and his wife, Sophie, had four children: Anna, Emma, Herman and William, all born in Texas. They bought the 50 acres December 1858 for the price of $450 and three packs of shingles then in the mid-to-late 1800’s built the small stone and log pioneer structure. One of the sons, Herman, and his wife Caroline acquired this property from his parents March 1890. They sold 200 acres that had the house on it to Emil and Ellen Dietz in 1924 and it remained in family hands until sold to long-time Fredericksburg residents, Dr. Charles and Loretta Schmidt in 1973. After removing 20 bales of hay that had been stored in the house, the Schmidts proceeded to renovate the dilapidated barn and old house, then added a two-story wing. In the early 1980’s they were able to offer the old barn as the first B&B guesthouse in Fredericksburg. In 2004 the Fletchers purchased the property and continued on with renovations and high-end updates including the addition of a 1900’s wood banister in the main house imported from an English manor and custom mahogany cabinetry in bathrooms. Fast forward to 2019 and new owners, Shelley and Jim, have renovated the historic property to get it to where they want it for the B&B- painting, new hardwoods in the guestrooms, new carpeting, and extensive landscaping/hardscaping have added a brand new patio, pavilion, stone garden borders, as well as, a front porch cover and courtyard to the old stone barn.

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