Max Grona House

This house at 328 Jefferson Street, corner of Hays Street, was built 1890 for Max Grona, blacksmith and wheelwright.   

ca 1988--View from Jefferson Street--Kerr County Historical Commission Collection

Born in Germany, Max Grona came to Texas at the age of two. His parents worked on a ranch near Fredericksburg, where he learned his trade. 

Grona settled in Kerrville where he became a respected member of the community.  He was elected a Kerrville city alderman in 1896 and again in 1908.

His shop on Water Street, known as Grona & Ely, was forced to close in 1926 when the Bluebonnet Hotel was built on the site.  Unwilling to retire, he moved his shop behind his home.  According to his obituary, his health began to fail, so he was unable to do much work.  However, the new shop was a favorite spot for old friends to gather to reminisce and play dominoes.  He died in 1939 at the age of 83 and is buried at Glen Rest.

It is now the Board of Realtors office. Architectural features include an arched dining room entry, Doric columns and a Greek revival style.  It was restored in 1984 under Mike Walker, architect.

ca 1988--View from Hays Street, Kerr County Historical Commission Collection

2011--View from Hays Street

A picture of Max Grona's new blacksmith shop--the one behind his house where the dominoes games took place--can be seen at Joe Herring's blog at
http://joeherringjr.blogspot.com/2011/01/417-hays-max-grona-repair-shop.html