Holiday Home & Lodging Tour Showcases Historic Gems

The Fayetteville Holiday Home and Lodging Tour will be held from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. Tickets are $20 and will be on sale at the hotel starting at 10 a.m. and at locations starting at 11 a.m. The following locations are on tour this year: The Grand Fayette Hotel, formerly the Country Place Hotel owned and operated by Clovis and Mary Ann Heimsath, was originally known as the Zapp Building, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was built in 1900 by builders Stidham and Kurtz in the Romanesque Revival style for local merchant Hugo Zapp to replace a wooden building at the site which burned down. Zapp had bought a shop at this prominent location at the northwest corner of the town square in 1876. The hotel was purchased, remodeled and renamed the Grand Fayette Hotel in 2017. Houstonians Bryan and Beth Chaplin purchased it in April 2025 and have undertaken yet another transformative renovation. Beth’s grandfather and great grandfather, Edward and Thomas Hruska, served as Justices of Fayetteville, and Edward served as Mayor. Driven by local roots and a modern vision of country hospitality, their project not only includes restoration, but responsible preservation, while staying true to the history of the property.

Built in 1925, the former home of the Henneke and Girndt families was extensively restored and renovated in 2025. The house originally was a single-story structure featuring craftsman woodwork and art deco flourishes. The restoration began with the addition of a second story with dormers and the removal of sheetrock to reveal pristine shiplap, which had never been painted. Details include a uranium glass fixture from Prague and a solid marble sink from a farm in France. Come and see this formal historic home on its centennial anniversary.

The home, which originally faced Rusk Street, was built in 1890 by J. R. Kubena, a major civic leader in the community and State. He and his family lived in the (then) 1,500 square foot home for almost 20 years. J. R. Kubena served in the Texas House of representatives, as Mayor of Fayetteville (among other roles in the community), a founding member of the SPJST, and Secretary of the SPJST Lodge No. 1., Fayetteville, SPJST’s first base of operation in Texas.

The Home and adjacent land was purchased in 1916 by Joseph J. Tschiedel. In the 1930s, members of the family operated business on the portions of the land facing Bell Street. For over 80 years, the home remained in the Tschiedel family.

In 1998, the home was purchased and an extensive renovation and design project which was completed in 2003. The renovation included enlarging the home to 3,452 square feet with three bedrooms and an elevator. Many original elements of the home were maintained, and many unique design details were added. Outdoors, the beautiful courtyard was designed for entertaining. Roline’s is owned and operated by Lori Beth and Allen Jurecka. Roline, Lori Beth’s grandmother and the property namesake, had the gift of hospitality. The Jurecka family dates back five-generations in Fayetteville and the surrounding countryside.

The Bloom Inn is a beautiful 1895 historical farmhouse situated on a 1/2 acre. The name was inspired by the grove of Pecan trees, Crepe Myrtles, Magnolias, and roses on the property. The farmhouse has been extensively remodeled, keeping its original shiplap, hardwood floors, and porches.

The Beattie Cottage, named after the owner’s great grandmother, is the original 1895 carriage house. Before renovation it had a mud floor & original barn doors. The owners renovated the structure, keeping the original doors, adding floors and a wraparound porch, maintaining the style of the period of the home.

The house was built in 1988 and bought by the current owner in 1999, who was raised on Rusk Street and has called Fayetteville his home since birth. Several improvements have been made over the years, including an addition added to the back and an expansion of the front porch. The home features meticulously kept gardens in the spacious yard, and a collection of elephant figurines he has been collecting for 38 years, which are on display for visitors to enjoy.

These two historic homes are located next to each other and have local family ties. In 2020, Rosemarie Rohde and her family started renovations on the 1911 vintage home of her grandparents, Frank and Antonia Zelesky. Frank was a local builder who built many homes in Fayetteville as well as the previous St. John the Baptist Catholic Church built in 1911. Antonia was a midwife in the area. Their daughter Marie married John R. Baca and built a house next door. John was the leader of the famous Baca Orchestra, in which Rosemarie played piano starting at age 12.

Both houses went through extensive renovations by local contractor Josh Vitek (part of another multi-generational Fayetteville family), to modernize but not take away from the history of the home. The family has decorated the rooms with keepsakes and memorabilia and will be present on the tour to provide first-hand knowledge of the history of the houses and the family.

The Red & White Building, built in approximately 1836, is one of the earliest commercial buildings still in use in the County. A road from Old San Felipe to Bastrop via Fayetteville already existed by 1833 and after the Revolution, Fayetteville, with its tavern or stage hotel and mercantile stores, was a stop on that stagecoach road. The structure earned its name from the Red & White Grocery and Dawn Theater that was housed there for many years. Years later it was painted red and white to honor that legacy.

In 2012, Joan and Jerry Herring purchased the iconic building and opened the Red & White Gallery on the first floor, and the Red & White Inn on the second floor. They remodeled the upstairs area into four separate guest rooms, each with its own color and style, all adorned with original art and antiques. A full kitchen and dining area for guests is located on the first floor, as is a screened-in back porch for relaxing.

This modern home with open concept family room and kitchen is part of the Fruge family legacy, is situated on a 100-acre property a serene landscape, complete with a pond, and expansive open fields, ideal for soaking in the tranquility of the area from the expansive back porch.