History of the Schreiner Mansion

After serving in the Confederate Army in the Civil War for three and a half years, Captain Charles Schreiner returned to his family ranch on Turtle Creek. A few years later, the family moved to town. The original Schreiner home was a frame building where the mansion now sits.

Learn more about the history of the Schreiner family here.

In 1879, he commissioned San Antonino architect Alfred Giles to design his home. The mansion was constructed in three phases, reaching completion in 1897. The original six-bedroom, two-story home, constructed by expert German masons, was the first limestone home in Kerrville. It was also the first home in Kerrville to have electric lights. The light fixtures that began as candles and kerosene were later converted to gas, which was pumped from the basement and then to electric fixtures.

Read more about Alfred Giles and the architecture of the Schreiner Mansion here.

Although the mansion has changed ownership through the years, the Schreiners were the only family that resided there. After Charles’ death on February 9, 1927, his heirs transferred ownership to the Kerrville Masonic Lodge. In 1972, Mrs. Roland Walters of Camp Verde, Texas, purchased the structure and sold it to the Hill Country Preservation Society, Inc. in 1975. The Preservation Society made extensive repairs to the home. Unique features include several original gas fixtures, mantles, and parquet floors on the first floor.

In the fall of 2009, the Preservation Society donated the mansion and its contents to Schreiner University. During that time, Schreiner’s programming brought exhibits, lectures, and musical events to the venue for the community’s benefit.

In 2015, Schreiner University transferred ownership of the Mansion to The Cailloux Foundation, which is dedicated to charitable causes in Kerrville and surrounding communities. The Foundation continues to repair and improve the historic building, including making the second floor accessible to those unable to use the stairs.

The Schreiner Mansion became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1962 and, in 1975, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.