Historic Homes
Cuero has over 60 homes and churches listed on the National Registry of Historic Structures and Texas Historical Commission Registry. Self-guided driving tour maps can be found at the Cuero Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, 124 E. Church. We invite you to look around and explore and enjoy all the stories these historic landmarks tell.
In May of 2004 Cuero was designated a ‘Preserve America’ community due to its collaborative efforts between public and private entities in the historic preservation of structures in Cuero.
Allert – Fischer Home
610 N. Indianola
This house was completed in 1893 by Robert Allert (1853-1910) who was a brick mason and partner in Fuess and Allert, contractors who built many Cuero homes as well as homes in other South Texas cities and in Northern Mexico. Being a frugal man Mr. Allert used the available left over brick from other projects to build his own home-notice the three different courses of brick on the side of the house.
Benjamin – Veth Home
610 N. Esplanade
This house was built in 1892 as a single-family dwelling. Over the years it was converted to three apartments. In the mid 1980’s Lady Bird Johnson purchased and restored the downstairs for the office of her Karnack Cablevision. The interior design features wallpaper patterns of Texas Wildflowers, a pet project of Mrs. Johnson. It was sold to TCI Cablevision in 1992. The Veths bought the home in 1995; Janie Veth continues the restoration.
Bennet–McDougal Home
208 N. Hunt
This 1924 structure features Prairie School styling in its horizontal lines, tile roof with broad eaves and exposed rafter ends and other Mediterranean motifs. It is still occupied by members of the Bennet family.
Blackwell – Finney Home
404 E. Reuss Blvd.
This smaller house was built by Mr. Warn in 1880. It is one of the oldest homes in this area of town and is more of a cottage style compared to the others in the neighborhood. Mrs. Edwin Blackwell (one of the 3 Finney sisters) occupied the house until her death. It is now owned by her great nephew, William Finney.
Blackwell – Sheppard Home
510 N Terrell
This two story Victorian house was built in 1895 by William Albert Blackwell and his wife Jeanette Forbes. W.A. Blackwell, grandson of Captain York, for whom Yorktown was named, was a prominent rancher who moved to Cuero from his ranch to send his sons Edwin and William A., Jr. to school. The house was purchased in 1939 by Henry Fassett Sheppard, Sr. and his wife, Constance Breeden Sheppard. Mr. Sheppard’s family lived in Indianola where his grandfather, Captain Sheppard, had served as a sea captain for the Morgan Steamship line. The Sheppards remodeled the house in 1939. The house was originally built with Florida longleaf pine and features a Queen Anne front door, eleven-foot ceilings, transoms and an ornate fireplace. One of the five Sheppard children, Joseph and wife, Rosemary (Blackwell) purchased the house in 1961 from Joe’s mother and are the present owners. They enlarged the kitchen and extended the living area to the rear of the house. They raised their two children in this home which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Breeden – Riddle Home
509 N. Terrell
Built in 1906 by Mrs. E. Keesler, this house was purchased by Paul Breeden and his wife, Bess Philpot, as a five-room cottage in 1909. In 1920 the kitchen was enlarged and a porch, bedrooms and baths were added. It features some Queen Anne and Classical Revival details. The Lias Steen family purchased the house in 1937. Present owners, the Richard Riddles, have redone the house for their family.
Breeden – Tillman Home
112 W. Broadway
This structure was constructed in 1883 as a one story dwelling for Walter Kibbe Breeden (1858-1931) and his wife Margaret (Pleasants) (1863-1936). The residence was remodeled in 1907 to the design of Victoria based architect Jules Leffland, who also designed the business building on the Southeast corner of Main and Esplanade streets which housed the Breeden Brothers (Walter K. and Charles G.) grocery and mercantile.
Broadway House Bed & Breakfast
402 E. Broadway
The Billow-Thompson Home is a one story frame dwelling built in 1888 for Sherman Billow and his wife. In Cuero it is a noteworthy example of 19th century domestic architecture with an elongated “L” plan. It possibly was moved from Indianola, but this has not been confirmed. Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Schumacher restored and enhanced the home and maintain it as a Bed & Breakfast.
Buchel-Riemenschneider Home
302 E. Reuss Blvd.
This home was built in 1901 by Mr. Lee Joseph, president of First State Bank, who hired Victoria based architect Jules Leffland to design this house. Mr. Joseph at the time was cashier of the bank but within a few years, he became president. He was also involved in many real estate transactions. Joseph’s son wrote “Straw in the South Wind”.
Burns- James Home
130 E. Sarah
In 1894 this Victorian Queen Anne style home was built in Cuero for Arthur Burns (1853-1914) and his wife, Mary Evie (Cardwell) (1855-1914), and their family of five children. They moved the family from their ranch so the children could be schooled in town. Rancher Arthur Burns had land holdings in DeWitt (Burns headright), Jackson County, Borden County, and Dawson County. Cate Cudd, ranch foreman for the Burns’ Jackson County ranch, built the house, which took two years to build due to the distance he had to travel. Columbus Burns, a pioneer with Green DeWitt’s Colony and father of Arthur Burns, made his home at this house with his son’s family until his death; as did Mrs. Burns’s mother, Mrs. Crocket Cardwell, who came to Texas as a member of Stephen F. Austin’s Colony. The spacious house features 6 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 inside staircases, 4 porches (one a sleeping porch) and 4 ornate fireplaces. There are 5 Queen Anne doors and 45 windows, 5 of which are stained glass. This home is still occupied by members of the same family, Mr. & Mrs. Blair James, and is on the National Register of Historical Places.
