Looking south down Hunter Road towards Gruene Road.

Built on the site of an earlier Grist Mill, the Gruene Cotton Gin was constructed in 1878 by H.D. Gruene. Powered by the Guadalupe River, he gin was steam-operated and served to process the vast amounts of cotton grown in the area. The gin played an important part in the economic development of Gruene, a community dependent upon the cotton crop. The gin was destroyed in a 1922 fire, and only part of th boiler room remains. A new electric gin was built at another location and served the community until the cotton crop was lost to a boll weevil infestation in 1925. [Texas Historical Commission 1989] Since 1977, the site has been operated as the Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar.

The son of German immigrants, Henry D. Gruene was born in New Braunfels in 1850. In 1872 he built this home, in what was then the town of Goodwin. Gruene became a leader in the development of the community, which later was renamed for him. Although the town declined after Gruene's death in 1920 and now is part of New Braunfels, this Victorian home, with its elaborate Eastlake detailing, stands as a monument to his contributions. [Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984.] The building was entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.