Dewees is a ghost town in Wilson County, Texas, located a few miles southwest of Poth. The town was founded at the end of the Civil War by brothers John Oatman Dewees and Thomas Dewees, who became highly successful cattlemen, driving tens of thousands of Texas Longhorn cattle annually from their ranching operations. Their Dewees Ranch, once a vast 100,000-acre operation spreading across Wilson, Atascosa, and Karnes counties, played a significant role in the cattle industry during the peak of the Texas cattle-driving era.

The Dewees legacy is preserved through the Dewees Remschel Estate Park and Museum, a 130-acre park established through the will of Claribel Dewees Remschel, a descendant of the family. Claribel’s vision was to create a public museum and park for Wilson County residents. The estate features a historic house originally built in Gonzales, Texas, in 1866 by Dr. Robert T. Knox. In 1983, Claribel contracted the Wood House Moving Company of San Antonio to move the structure to her ranch in Wilson County for $22,000. Due to the house’s size, it had to be dismantled, with the upper story salvaged and stored on top of the first floor, while the remaining first floor was divided into two sections and reassembled on concrete piers at the ranch.

The demolition work was performed by Joe Matejcek Construction of Gonzales for $10,500, and although the house became livable, the reconstruction of the second story was not completed before Claribel's death. The restoration of the house was eventually overseen by Randy Hohlaus of Kell-Munoz-Wigodsky, who focused on peeling back layers of later construction to reveal the home’s original form. The house, originally built in a Victorian vernacular style with Italianate flourishes, underwent significant changes over the years, including the removal of its original three-sided porch and tower, replaced with a large round porch supported by Corinthian columns.

Guido Construction Company of San Antonio was contracted to complete the restoration for $250,000, and the work was finished in September 1997. The house was transferred to Wilson County and the Wilson County Historical Society in January 1998. Today, it serves as a venue for events and a museum, showcasing the area's rich ranching history and the architectural charm of the historic home. The park and museum honor both the Dewees family’s contributions to the cattle industry and the local cultural heritage of Wilson County.

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455 Dewees Rd, Floresville, TX 78114

The Dewees-Remschel House

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