Feb 17, 2026 - History

Ask Axios: The Stribling House and Reigler Creamery

Madalyn Mendoza

Two weathered stone markers on the ground with engraved text: one reads "STRIBLING HOUSE 1859 1926," the other "REIGLER CREAMERY 1910 1915" surrounded by dirt and fallen leaves. — The stones are steps from each other, just off Washington Street and Beauregard. Photos: Madalyn Mendoza/Axios

Last month, we invited readers to send us their best city curiosities — so I figured I'd start with one of my own.

Zoom in: During a walk along the San Antonio River in King William, I noticed two stones etched with "Stribling House 1859 1926" and "Reigler Creamery 1910–1915." There's no plaque explaining why they're there.

What I found: A UT San Antonio archaeological report from the 1980s shows the Stribling House was a one-story stone home built in 1859 for prominent lawyer Thomas H. Stribling. It's one of the area's earliest residences.

In 1865, he advertised the riverfront property as "suitable for a mill seat." That same year, mill owner Carl H. Guenther bought it for $4,250 as he expanded his operations along the river.
The house changed hands over the decades before the city demolished it in 1926. Excavations later uncovered only its foundations.

Nearby, the Reigler Creamery operated in the early 1900s — another sign of the river's shift from homes to industry. Only fragments of its foundation survived underground.

The intrigue: It's still unclear who placed the commemorative stones — or when.

The bottom line: The rocks are small reminders of a historic river landscape that looks very different today.

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Ask Axios: The Stribling House and Reigler Creamery

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