Giddings, Texas

History

Welcome to the Hardmeyer-York House. This house was built in 1874 by a carpenter and his two stepsons.

In those days, it was not easy to build a lovely home like this. For instance, the wide cypress flooring you see here was obtained by taking a wagon pulled by a team of oxen all the way to Louisiana. The fancy woodwork and trim that had to be all done by hand. There were no power tools in those days.

Of course, they had no electricity, running water, or gas, but they were very ingenious and resourceful. For instance, the transoms over the front, back, and inside doors allow air circulation when open thereby keeping them cool.

For heat, there is a fireplace in each room with every two fireplaces sharing a common chimney.

Giddings, Texas

Cemetery, Church, Culture, History, Historical Society, Library, Specialized

The Texas Wendish Heritage Museum preserves the history of the Texas Wends, Slavic immigrants from Lusatia, an area in eastern Germany. Today the Wends of Lusatia are called Sorbs.