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The Schuster home was built in 1917 on land purchased by George Schuster in 1915. This land was part of the Freeport town site. The home was built primarily by George Schuster’s sons, Manuel, Henry, and Joe, all experienced carpenters. The two-story home was built on heavy cedar tree blocks with large tapered columns and supported by a wraparound pine floor porch. Two enclosed chimneys along the ridge of the two-story home provided heat in the early years prior to the city’s available use of natural gas. The walls are covered with milled cypress wood, making the home one of Freeport’s first and most well-constructed wooden structures. After George and his wife’s death, Joe and his wife, Valentine, who lived in a small house in the backyard, purchased the family home from the Schuster estate in 1951. Valentine continued to live in the home after Joe’s death until 1981. Her children continued to maintain the house in its original state after her death. Much of the original furniture is still used today, some of which is over 100 years old. Schuster descendants established the Schuster house corporation in 2003. The corporation then placed the home into the care of the Brazos historical society which undertook a 10-year restoration of the house. With donations, membership dues and community help, the Schuster home was completely restored to its original state and opened to the public as a museum. This historic home is tangible evidence of one of the earliest homes in Freeport still in existence. |
