Ludwig Eduard Neuhaus immigrated to Lavaca County, Texas from Ellerburg, Germany, in 1846 founding the settlement he later named Hackberry. Between 1850 and 1852 he constructed a two-story fachwerk structure of oak timbers which functioned as a residence and a merchantile business. In 1881, to meet the needs of his expanding business and brought on by the growing population in the surrounding region, Eduard built the two-story stone structure known as the Neuhaus Brothers General Store. Also at this time, a large Greek Revival house was built east of the store as a residence for the family of the eldest son, Franz Carl Ludwig Neuhaus.

The Neuhaus Homestead and Mercantile served as a stop over on the old Gonzales-San Felipe stage coach route. The General Store functioned not only as a store that supplied all the needs to the residents of the new frontier, but also as a bank, post office and meeting area. In 1881, the store was the largest commercial establishment in Lavaca County, Texas. However, by 1900 the community of Hackberry had waned and the Neuhaus family had started relocating to Houston, Texas.

 

Link to Hackberry, Texas, from the Texas State Historical Association