The following entry comes from the original application to the Texas Historical Commission for an official Texas Historical Marker for what is now known as “The Groppe Building,” located at 130 North Main Street, West, Texas.  It is fortunate that this historical designation was sought as the extensive necessary research and documentation now provides a valuable record of accurate historical facts and their sources.  A similar process accomplished the same thing for the restored barn on the Groppe Farm (previously noted on this site).  The Groppe Building currently houses the Olde Czech Corner Antiques, Etc. as it has now for the past several decades.  The following document was submitted with an official application to the Texas Historical Commission on May 12, 1983.

                                                                                                   

THE GROPPE BUILDING

1892-1983

(The First Brick Building and the Oldest Business Building in West, Texas)

Author:  Mae Groppe Popp

The lot on which this structure was built was originally a part of what was designated as University Lands,¹  pursuant to an act authorizing the disposition and sale of these lands.

On July 23, 1863 the State of Texas sold George R. Bennett 160 acres of these University Lands.²  The land was then sold on September 8, 1866 to Thomas M. West for the sum of $320.³

Thomas M. West sold a parcel of this land to the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company on October 29, 1881.⁴  The remaining tract of land was purchased by G. M. Dodge on December 7, 1881,⁵ except 3.1 acres heretofore deeded to Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company, and except 6.24 acres reserved for a dwelling house.  G. M. Dodge also deeded a small tract to M. K. and T. R. R. Co. on September 6, 1886.⁶  A plot showing the location of the Thomas M. West homestead and the M. K. and T. R. R. is recorded in the McLennan County Deeds Records.⁷  This plot was also considered as an official map of the City of West by a resolution passed by the City Council on March 8, 1901, signed by J. J. Holt, Mayor of West.⁸   The town was incorporated on June 30, 1892.⁹  Some of this land w

as divided or designated as lots and sold by lot and block number.  G. M. Dodge sold Lot 4 in Block 7, this having been a part of his original tract, in the town of West, to D. C. Carr on December 19, 1882, for $125.¹⁰  August Bernheim and Bauer purchased this lot (Lot 4, Block 7) from D. C. Carr on July 19, 1885.¹¹  Ernest Bernheim and Bauer sold the lot back to D. C. Carr on August 18, 1885.¹²  D. C. Carr and wife, Hettie M. Carr, sold Lot 4 in Block 7 to McIleney Company for $700 on August 22, 1885.¹³  W. W. Glasgow ought the lot on January 14, 188 for $575.¹⁴  On January 18, 1886, Samuel Sanger bought the lot from W. W. Glasgow for $750 and subsequently deeded it to Sanger Bros. For a consideration of $1.¹⁵  This deed makes mention of a wooden storeroom situated on the lot.  Sanger Bros. sold the lot including the storeroom on December 31, 1889, to John Autrey for $700.¹⁶

On July 18, 1892, John Autrey and wife, D. A. Autrey, sold Lot 4 in Block 7 to August Groppe, Sr. for $1,000.¹⁷  The descendants of August Groppe, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth (Blume), have owned the property continuously to the present time.

August Groppe, Sr. tore down the above mentioned wooden storeroom and used the lumber for a buggy shed on the farm he owned.  After a time, no longer having a need for the buggy shed, it was torn down and the lumber was used for an extension built onto the main barn.  After a tornado damaged that extension to the barn, the lumber was them used to build a horse barn.  Some of that same lumber from the original old storeroom is presently used as paneling in the entrance hall at 820 Frandora Lane, Houston, Texas, the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Groppe, son of Henry Groppe, St. and grandson on August Groppe, Sr.

August Groppe, Sr. and his brother-in-law, Dietrich Blume, were the first German settlers to arrive in the West area and founded the German community there.

August Groppe, Sr. was born in Hanover, Germany on December 11, 1840, and came to America in 1867.  He arrived via New York and found his way to St. Louis where he lived for five years working for Buck’s Stove Company.  In 1872, he made a brief visit to German.  Upon his return to America he headed south landing in Waco, Texas.  He immediately made inquiries regarding work and was told that a Dr. McGregor needed a driver for his horse drawn buggy.  He worked for the doctor for two years.  During this time he learned of the availability of University Lands in McLennan County.  In 1874 he purchased 160 acres, being granted and original letter patent number 234, to the purchase of these 160 acres of University Lands.¹⁸  He later bought an additional adjoining 320 acres for a total of 480 acres located approximately three miles south of the town of West.  (The original farm is still owned by August Groppe’s descendants and has now been farmed continuously by the Groppe family for 109 years.)  This same year he married Elizabeth Blume.  Her, on this farm, he and his wife began their life together in a log cabin with an earthen floor, later building a comfortable two-story farm house were they reared their six children:  William, Annie, August Jr., Margaret, Lucy and Henry.  

Two-story farm house, barn which has been restored is visible behind

August Groppe was a prosperous pioneer cotton farmer, a stockholder and member of the Board of Directors of the West Cotton Mill, a stockholder in the West Water Company, a school trustee, and the owner of buiness properties in West.¹⁹  In 1882-1883, he and his brother-in-law, Dietrich Blume, founded and organized the St. Peter’s Evangelical Church²⁰ which is located about two miles south of West,  The church building is no longer in existence but the site is now a recorded Texas landmark.

August Groppe, Sr. and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried in the St. Peter’s (Closner) Cemetery, located near the church site, as are many other of the Groppe descendants.

Headstone at grave of August and Elizabeth Groppe

In 1892-1893²¹ shortly after purchasing the  aforementioned lot (Lot 4, Block 7), located on a corner in the center of the town of West, August Groppe, sr. constructed the first brick building in the business part of the town of West²² now referred to as the Groppe Building.  It is the oldest business building in the town.

He retained the services of Frank Soukup, the only known mason in the vicinity.²³  The building was constructed of brick made in the kilns of a brickyard owned by E. D. Skinner.²⁴  The original receipt for $1,747.50 for purchase of the brick is on display in the restored building.  The land on which the brickyard was located is about four miles south of West, on what is now called Wiggins Road.  Although the brickyard no longer exists, the land still yields many bricks buried in the earth.

The building was constructed of “solid three brick walls” with a flat roof.  The outside front and side of the building had curved galvanized metal awnings supported by iron brackets attached to the walls.²⁵  The interior of the building had a wooden plank floor and a beaded ceiling.  A water well was located inside in the rear of the building.  The city of West had no water system until sometime after the completion of the building.²⁶

Groppe Building located at corner of Oak and Main Streets, West, Texas

The Groppe Building, having been built to be used solely as rental property, has been occupied continuously by various businesses since its erection.  The first tenants were Mr. Groppe’s nephews, E. G. and Henry Blume.   They opened a general merchandise store in 1893 called E. G. Blume and Bro.  They carried a complete stock of dry goods, gentlemen’s and ladies’ furnishings, shoes, millinery and groceries.  Two years after the death of Henry Blume in 1905, the firm closed.  Zapalac’s Grocery then occupied the building followed by a drugstore.  The drugstore had a number of owners: first Mr. Skravanek, Mr. Coleman, later Mr. Coleman and Mr. Seat; and finally it was purchased by Wendel Montgomery who owned the drugstore for more than forty years.  The drugstore was well known in the area as The Old Corner Drugstore.

After the death of August Groppe, Sr. on December 3, 1919, the property was passed on to his widow, Elizabeth, and their six children.  After her death on February 14, 1922, it remained the undivided estate of their children until 1947.  On June 17, 1947²⁷ their son, Henry and his wife, Anna (Heitmiller), both the undivided interest in the building from the remaining five brothers and sisters.

Henry Groppe, Sr. and his wife, Anna, had four children; Violet (Mrs. J. B. Park), Ruby Mae (Mrs. Ben J. Popp), Henry and Ocee.  Since the death of Anna Groppe on February 17, 1967. and the death of Henry Groppe, Sr. on January 7, 1970, the property has remained the undivided estate of their four children who are all still living.

Since 1969 major portions of the building had been used for storage and the building was in need of repair.   Restoration was begun in May, 1982.

Paint covering the outside walls has been removed revealing various original signs and advertisements which had been painted directly on the solid three brick walls.  A clear sealant has been applied to the brick as a preservant.  The original iron brackets which supported the curved galvanized metal awnings have again been attached to the building after having been in storage.  The curved metal awnings have been duplicated and fastened to the original old brackets.

In the early times wooden sidewalks were used and later were replaced by concrete sidewalks which were in disrepair.  These were all replaced.

The original interior brick walls had been covered at some time with lime plaster which has been removed showing the old brick interior walls.  Here, too, a clear sealant has been applied.

A lowered ceiling has been taken down revealing the original beaded ceiling.  It has been repaired and painted and central air conditioning has been installed.

Interior of Groppe Building looking toward front door

Inside of Groppe Building in its early days as
The Olde Czech Corner Antiques

Various coverings which had been placed on the original old wooden floor have been removed.  Repair was needed, especially in the area which had covered to old water well.  Apparently, after the development of the West Water Company, the city had an adequate supply of water and the well in the building was no longer needed.  Therefore, the above ground portion for the well was removed and the opening covered with wooden flooring.  After removing the rotten flooring directly above the well opening, the well was found to be in excellent condition, forty feet deep with twenty five feet of clear spring water.  The interior of the round well is in very good condition.  The well has been restored with brick curbing, a stanchion, a wooden cover and a rope with an old pulley and well bucket owned and originally used by Mrs. Henry Groppe, Sr.’s brother.  A light has been installed in the well.  It is one of the focal points of interest for visitors.

View inside well located inside Groppe Building

An antique shop owned by Cecil and Dianne Friend called “Olde Czech Corner Antiques Etc.” now occupies the building.  Memorabilia of the early times can be seen in the shop.  A large picture of Mr. and Mrs. August Groppe, Sr., Mrs. Groppe’s 1876 sewing machine, a cedar chest of drawers with bone escutcheons, all handmade by Mrs. Groppe’s brother, Dietrich Blume, an old memorial history book on early settlers titled “Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World,” and a number of advertising gifts the Blume store gave their customers, are a few of the items on display.

All visitors to the shop are given a tour with a description of the history of the memorabilia on display, the well and the building.

Three additional specialty shops are being developed in the rear sections of the building.

This was the first building to be restored to its original condition in the business district of West.  It has stimulated interest in further restoration and been a significant factor in attracting visitors.  A guest register maintained since the shop’s opening eight months ago includes visitors’ names from many states and a number of foreign countries.

It would seem appropriate that an official Texas Historical Marker be awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for the restored Groppe Building; the first brick building and oldest structure in the business district of West, Texas; built a hundred years ago by August Groppe, Sr., the founder of the German community there and one of the town’s pioneer business and farming leaders; and still owned by his descendants.

Footnotes

¹  An Act appropriating certain lands for the establishment of a General System of Education approved January 26, 1839, by order of the President.  Recorded in McLennnan Surveyors Records Vol. B, p. 48.

²  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 92, p. 267

³  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. K, p. 767

⁴  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 38, p. 36

⁵  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Book 38,  p. 55

⁶  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 92, p. 267

⁷  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 87,  p. 94

⁸ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 276,  pp. 16-19

⁹ West Weekly Times 1902, p. 2

¹⁰ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 48, p 529

¹¹ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. q,  p. 181

¹² Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. q,  p. 227

¹³ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 45,  p. 487

¹⁴ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 50,  p. 558

¹⁵ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 62,  p. 243

¹⁶ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 87,  p. 68

¹⁷ Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 89,  p. 34

¹⁸ McLennan County Land Map published by General Land Office, State of Texas, showing original Letter Patent Number 234 granted to August Groppe.  Memorial and biographical History of McLennan Falls,, Bell and Coryell Counties – titled “Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World” (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1893)

¹⁹ The West Times, July 17, 1906, Second Section, page 1

²⁰ The First One Hundred Years of the Blume Family – Beginning 1853, by Irwin H. Blume.  Copies filed with the following:

a.  The Texas State Library Geneology Library, Austin, Texas 78711

b.  The Texas Archives in University of Texas, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 78712

c.  National Archives and Records Service, Genealogy Division, General Services Division, General Service Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408

d.  Clayton Library Center for Geneological Research, 5300 Caroline Street, Houston, Texas

²¹  Warranty deed shows purchase of lot on July 18, 1892 (see footnote 17) and First One Hundred Years of Blume Family (see footnote 20) states the opening in 1893 of E. G. Blume & Bro.  Also see write-up and picture of grand opening of Blume Bros. store (picture number 1).

²²  As related by Henry Groppe, Sr. to his four children, all now living.  Also see picture number 2 made in 1893 showing Main Street with all wooden frame business houses.

²³  Interview, June 1982, with Mrs. Crockett Closner (Skinner).  Mrs. Closner’s grandfather and E. D. Skinner were brothers.  West Times 1902, page 16, article concerning ownership of brickyard by E. D. Skinner.  See attached item 4, copy of original receipt for $1, 747.50 for purchase of brick used for construction of building.

²⁵  See picture number 3.

²⁶  Henry Milton Apperson.  A History of West, Texas 1836-1920, pp 33-33.

²⁷  Recorded in McLennan County Deeds Records, Vol. 590, p.387.