About The Ingenhuett
Nestled in gently rolling hills beside the Guadalupe River and Cypress Creek, the Ingenhuett on High is a unique venue option in Comfort, Texas. As one of the oldest buildings in Texas, the Ingenhuett on High has an unforgettable atmosphere of industrial chic mingled with timeless elegance. The venue ensures stunning wedding photography with a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, gorgeous natural lighting and striking architecture.
The Ingenhuett on High was first built as a general store in 1867 and held the title of "oldest continually running general store" in Texas until it tragically suffered extensive fire damage in 2006. The current owners have restored the building, adding some modern features while maintaining many of the original aspects. The intersection of historic and contemporary designs is exemplified by antique elements such as the exposed limestone walls and modern elements such as the koi pond.
The Ingenhuett on High features indoor and outdoor spaces that couples may choose from for their ceremony and reception.
The Main Hall
Ideal for receptions, the main hall is one of the largest spaces in the venue and can comfortably seat up to 170 guests or 120 guests with an open dance floor. Features such as the large antique safe and old shop counter that now serves as the venue's bar hint to the historic past of Ingenhuett on High.
The Courtyard
Built around a rectangular in-floor koi pond, the courtyard is perfect for couples desiring a truly extraordinary event. The courtyard can seat up to 100 guests.
The Back Lawn
With towering oak trees, a lush green lawn and beautiful vines, the back lawn is ideal for couples looking for an outdoor ceremony or reception with the indoors just steps away. The back lawn may also be lit for evening ceremonies.
Bridal Suite
The Bridal Suite is a large space for the bride and her party to get ready for the day. The suite features beautiful limestone walls, large antique doors leading to the balcony and ample room for hair, make-up and wardrobe changes.
The Basement
This unique underground area can be used in a myriad of ways. Utilize it for groomsmen to get ready, a quiet dinner for some special guests in this retreat during the reception, or even as a speakeasy for extra bar space.
The Old Ingenhuett General Store
Opened in 1867 by Peter J. Inguenhuett, the store provided a crucial source of supplies to frontier settlers. Its shelves stocked a vast array of products, from ammo to foodstuffs, fishing gear to shovels and all other manner of hardware. As the business grew it moved to the High Street location in 1881 and then was expanded in 1900 to about 2,500 square feet. The store once housed a bank and a post office, both of which closed by the mid-1930s, and it later temporarily featured a John Deere dealership.
The downtown area of Comfort is possibly one of the most well-preserved business districts in Texas. There are well over 100 structures in the area dating back to the 1800s, and seven of them, including the Inguenhuett on High, were designed by the famous British architect, Alfred Giles. Giles is arguably most well known in Texas for his numerous designs of county courthouses, and for the historic structures he designed in San Antonio. In Mary C. H. Jutson’s Biography about Giles, she wrote, “He adapted and combined stylistic elements with restraint, sobriety, and simplicity".
In San Antonio, in what is now the King William Historic District, Giles designed residences for Edward Steves (1877) and Carl Wilhelm August Groos (1880), and on the campus of Incarnate Word College, the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (1900); in Fredericksburg, the old Gillespie County Courthouse (1881); in Bandera, the old Bandera County Jail (1881); in Floresville, the Wilson County Courthouse (1884); and in Laredo, the Webb County Courthouse (1909).
As news spread about our completion of the project, so have rumors about what is in “store” for the prime location in the heart of Comfort. We have decided to share the beautifully restored building with the public as a special events venue. The walls of the Inguenhuett will once again be filled with the hustle and bustle of a small Texas town in the form of weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and holiday parties.
With the completion of the project, and the official opening of its doors to the public, the small downtown area of Comfort seems whole again.
