Built in 1907 for William C. Kleine and Julia Bingham Trigg Kleine, this one story Prairie style residence reflects the rising fortunes of a second generation merchant family and the era’s taste for broad horizontals, generous rooms, and high ceilings. William, born January 12, 1872, was the son of August Kleine and Babette Pfeuffer Kleine, German immigrants. August operated a well known furniture store on the northwest corner of the main square and trained in the cabinet and furniture trades before his son shifted toward real estate. William graduated from Texas A&M College, worked with his father, then entered land and property work. He married Julia B. Trigg of Lockhart on January 17, 1900, and they had two sons. Contemporary tour and press summaries in Gonzales repeatedly date the house to 1907 and attribute its commission to William and Julia.
House history and features. Period descriptions emphasize large rooms with eleven foot ceilings, extensive longleaf pine finishes, and distinctive curly pine trim left in a natural finish. Floors are quartersawn longleaf pine throughout most rooms, with oak in the primary bedroom. Circulation is enhanced by three sets of nine foot French doors and two sets of nine foot pocket doors, characteristic of early twentieth century plans favoring cross ventilation and open entertaining suites. A careful 1997 restoration retained the original spatial sequence and woodwork and reintroduced period light fixtures, stained glass accents, and vintage style bathware. The kitchen was updated with custom longleaf pine cabinetry and beaded board panels to remain consonant with the historic interior. Prairie style traits found here include the emphatic horizontal roofline, broad porch projection, grouped window openings, and a low, ground hugging massing.
Later events. William died on June 24, 1920 after a hunting accident, a detail repeated in local retrospectives of the Kleine family; Julia and their children remained closely connected to extended relatives in the region.