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Texas: Central, South, and Gulf Coast » South Central Texas » Seguin to Floresville » Nordheim (Dewitt County) » Schuetzen Verein

Schuetzen Verein

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c. 1900. West end of Broadway St.
  • (Photograph by Gerald Moorhead)

There is only one building of architectural significance in Nordheim, but it is reason enough to visit this small town. Located on the hill known as Pilot Knob, the highest ground west of town, the Schuetzen Verein, or shooting club, is plain on its elongated octagonal exterior, yet of monumental size. The great roof provides a hint of what lies within, truly spectacular structural carpentry in the profusion of frame trusses that support the lantern. The lantern's windows serve as a means of ventilating this great hall, making it bearable in the hot summers for dances and other community events. Buildings of this type were once much more common in the small towns of Central Texas. A number survive in Austin County (see Texas Dance Halls,pp. 94–95), but few can equal this one for size and impact.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Gerald Moorhead et al.
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Data

Citation

Gerald Moorhead et al., "Schuetzen Verein", [Nordheim, Texas], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/TX-01-SF30.

Print Source

Cover: Buildings of Texas

Buildings of Texas: Central, South, and Gulf Coast, Gerald Moorhead and contributors. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2013, 197-197.

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