The long-abandoned Metzger family homestead at Boot Ranch has been meticulously restored and transformed into Metzger Market, an artisan general store for Boot Ranch members and guests. The Market includes a coffee bar, hand-dipped ice cream, wine, beer, gifts and food products.
Architect Don B. McDonald took a light touch on changes to the structure—striving to retain its character and authenticity while renewing its structural integrity and introducing modern mechanical systems. Designer Donna Figg’s interior concept is of a modern bistro with a mix of reclaimed grey wood for nostalgia juxtaposed with clean black and white finishes. Centurion Custom Homes handled restoration and construction.
The adjacent stone outbuilding has been refitted with mailboxes to serve the whole community. Outdoor seating, a kid’s play area, restrooms and ample parking for golf carts and cars make this a lively stopping off point.
Nestled between the golf practice park and Hole #9, the Metzger homestead dates from the mid 19th century. It was home to German settler Peter Metzger, his wife Anna and nine children on a 160-acre tract Metzger purchased from the State of Texas in what was then known as the Palo Alto community, 4.5 miles north of Fredericksburg.
In February 1865 two of the Metzger daughters, ages 18 and 13, were walking home from town after dark and encountered a small band of Kiowa Indians. The elder girl, Anna Marie called “Emma” by the family, resisted capture and was killed. The younger girl, Anna, was enslaved by the Indians and eventually reunited with her family in November of 1865, escorted home by her brother Joe and three friends. She married Fredericksburg resident Charles Wartenbach in 1870 and lived in Mason County until her death in 1917.
The Texas Historical Commission has approved an official Texas Historical Marker for the Metzger House site, thanks to the efforts of Boot Ranch team member Lynn Sample who is an active volunteer with the Gillespie County Historical Society.
