The Dienger Building - Part of Boerne's History

The Dienger Building is one of the most iconic landmarks in Boerne Texas.  The building was designed by architect Alfred Geils and utilizes a Gingerbread style architecture that you can see in the trim for the column that line the front of the main building. The Dienger was built in 1884 by the son of German Immigrants, Joeseph Dienger. The downstairs was a Dry Goods Store while the upstairs was rented out for special events like weddings and parties.  The one store addition that you see going off to the right of the two-story main building served as a Blacksmith shop and feed store. In 1930 the building was converted to a Savings and Loan and served in that capacity unit 1945 when it returned to its roots and was converted into a Grocery Store. In the 1950's Epperson Motors which sold Oldsmobiles, International Trucks, and Maytag Appliances. 

In 1967 nine local businessmen decided to purchase the Dienger Building and convert it into the Antler Resturant.  The Downstair served as the dining area and they opened a Bar Upstairs. It is at this point that some believe the Dienger Building began to be haunted by Joeseph Dienger who had died in 1950 at the ate of 91.  The story goes, that Joeseph had been an ardent prohibitionist and the opening of the bar upstairs disturbed his rest.  The staff of the Anter began hearing strand noises, knocks on the door with no one there, the phone ringing with no one on the other end and seeing unexplained shadows.   To test this theory the owners of the Anter decided to set a table for Joeseph and his wife Ida, with two full glasses of water.  The story goes that the table was undisturbed by the staff all night, however, when they went to clear the table at the end of the night both glasses were only half full of water.  In 1978 the Antler closed and the Dienger building became a Bank.  At this point, the ghost sitings seemed to have stopped unit 1991 when the building was taken over by the Boerne Public Library.

Reports from staff working late at the Boerne Public Libray tell of unusual noises other oddities, led to an investigation by the Kling Brothers of Everyday Paranormal and host of the show Ghost Lab in 2008. During their overnight investigation, they claim to have recorded a shadowy figure and what sounded like an old-time banjo.  The recording also appears to catch an unidentified voice saying shhhhh there's something up the stairs.

When the Library moved to its current location a few blocks down main street the building remained empty unit 2014 when Raymond Lunsford purchased it and restored it, opening the Dienger Trading Company.