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Old Town Helotes

This walking tour features 11 historically significant structures. Along the tour you will see examples of simple structures, primarily of wood and limestone, reminiscent of the German-influenced Hill Country style typical of the area.

This 0.3–mile walking tour features 11 historically significant structures, starting at the Hileman/Riggs House (near the City parking lot) and ending at the Ross Barham House. A 12th structure, the Marnoch Homestead, is well worth seeing; however, because it is outside of the Old Town District, we suggest you drive.

In 1881, Arnold Gugger, a Swiss-American, founded downtown Helotes. He saw the potential of the area then known as “Helotes Crossing.”   Throughout the farming seasons and during cattle drives, travelers stopped to camp at the intersection of Bandera Road and Helotes Creek.

Downtown Helotes began with a homestead, general store, blacksmith shop, and saloon. A boarding house and dance hall followed. For several decades, the town center, surrounded by large farms and ranches, remained little more than a “cow town,” a few buildings on either side of a dusty, packed earth road wide enough to accommodate cattle drives.

In 1992, the Texas Historical Commission awarded the town its first historical marker, recognizing Helotes as a historic settlement. A revitalization project was completed in 2010, and the MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes, which occurs the first Saturday of every month, brings in talented artisans and craftsmen, delectable food, and lively music.

1859
Marnoch Homestead
15350 Scenic Loop Rd
Marnoch Homestead

This homestead, a half-mile from the intersection of Bandera Rd, is the oldest residence in Helotes. Dr. George Frederick Marnoch (1802-1870) commissioned prominent San Antonio architect John M. Fries to build the unique home. It is a private residence.

1881
Gugger Homestead
14464 Old Bandera Rd
Gugger Homestead 1914

Gugger built this two-story limestone homestead for his family. The original stairway was outside, but was removed when one was installed inside in the 1940s.

Helotes General Store
14436 Old Bandera Rd
Helotes General Store

Arnold Gugger (1855-1928) built this general store, also called Gugger’s General Store, using locally quarried limestone. He and his wife, Amalia Benke (1861-1921), were the proprietors.

1912
Hileman's Hall
14405 Old Bandera Rd
Helotes Mercantile Co

Hileman was the first to see the potential of Helotes as a dance and music venue. This building housed the first dance hall in Helotes.

Hileman's Boarding House
14359 Riggs Rd
Hileman Riggs House

Built originally in a Victorian style with an L-shaped two-story porch by entrepreneur Wilbert Hileman (1873-1956), the house’s façade was changed by second owners James & Kate Riggs using local limestone.

1920s
Riggs Grocery Story
14391 Old Bandera Rd
Original Floore Country Store1940s

James Riggs (1879-1964) built the original grocery store; he and wife Kate Niernberg (1879-1946) ran the store. He sold the business to John T. Floore (1898-1975), who renamed it Floore Country Store.

1925
Ross Barham Cottage
14698 Old Bandera Rd

Ross Barham (1895-1983), an early entrepreneur and amateur archaeologist, built this flat roof rock cottage as a residence. A private residence since 1925, it is reminiscent of the cottages being built at the time at Scenic Loop Playground, now Grey Forest.

1930s
Residence/Carpentry Shop
14396 Old Bandera Rd
Helotes Named as Coolest Secret Location in Texas by Reader’s Digest.

Riggs commissioned several building projects in the twenties and thirties, but there were few places for workers in Helotes to stay. Riggs built this cabin for his carpenter.

1931
Riggs Garage & Gas Station
14392 Old Bandera Rd
Riggs Garage and Gas Station

This was the first full-service gas station in Helotes.

1950s
Terry Residence
14359 Old Bandera Rd
Helotes Named as Coolest Secret Location in Texas by Reader’s Digest.

Riggs built this rock house as a residence for his nephew Martin Terry (1920-2000) and his family for the convenience of living near the grocery store,
which Terry managed after Floore ended his lease.

Ross Barham House
14743 Old Bandera Rd
Barham Cottage

This quaint rock house was initially built as a residence. Barham erected the fountain by the house using some of his fossil and rock discoveries.

1952
John T. Floore Country Story
14492 Old Bandera Rd
Floore Grand Opening 1952

Floore Country Store, founded in 1942 as a grocery store across the street, moved to this building in 1952 after the dance hall was completed. The building has been a dance hall and music venue continuously since it opened.

1992
Historic Settlement Marker
14464 Old Bandera Road
Historic Settlement Marker

the Texas Historical Commission awarded the town its first historical marker, recognizing Helotes as a historic settlement. 

2010
Helotes MarketPlace
Helotes Marketplace

A revitalization project was completed in 2010, and the MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes, which occurs the first Saturday of every month, brings in talented artisans and craftsmen, delectable food, and lively music.