Faulkner Building gets new face lift,owner

COLDSPRING – Constructed in 1964, the Faulkner Building in Coldspring has a new face lift as colorful as its past. Coldspring resident and businessman Keith Andries recently purchased the building from its heir, San Jacinto County Judge Fritz Faulkner, and started remodeling inside and out. The original building was constructed by the late James Eugene “Gene” Faulkner in 1946 on land he had purchased in 1945. Gene, as he was known by many in San Jacinto County, had his law offi ce housed in the original building. “My father borrowed $4,000 from the bank to construct the building,” Fritz said. “At the end of the building was an area where movies were played during the late 1940’s and 1950’s.” Tragedy struck the original building, burning it down in 1963. “I was only about fi ve years old but I remember the event,” Fritz said, as he recalled an old soft drink machine being among the few items surviving the fi re. The Faulkner family started rebuilding immediately, completing the current facility in 1964 when Gene was elected as San Jacinto County Attorney. “Records show that he (Gene) ran on the Democratic ticket. If I had known that when I was growing up I would have had a lot of fun with him because he was such a strong Republican,” Fritz said. He served one term in offi ce before setting up his full-time law practice in the Faulkner Building. Throughout the years, many businesses have been housed in the building, including McMurrey Insurance, a dentist, several beauty and barber shops, two surveyors, real estate agencies and Farm Bureau Insurance, according to Fritz.

“The late Dr. Davidson had an office in the building until his death in the 1970’s,” Fritz said. “In 1972 the building was doubled in size and later rented to San Jacinto County Head Start until they outgrew the facility,” Fritz said. Other than Gene, several other Faulkner’s have practiced law in the Faulkner Building, including Fritz and his mother, the late Hilda Faulkner, an avid San Jacinto County historian although she was originally from Germany and came to the county as Gene’s young bride. Fritz put the building up for sale a couple of years ago when the appraised value skyrocketed in his opinion. About eight months ago Keith Andries purchased the building and another family is now conducting business in the facility. Keith’s daughter, Jessica, opened a boutique, his sister, Wanda Andries-Pilkington opened an art gallery, his close friend, Alexandra Elliott, opened a physical therapy center and he has an office for Andries Energy located in the remodeled building.

Attorney Damon Thomas, not part of the family, also has an office in the building. “Wanda did the art work on the outside of the building for me,” Keith said. “Traveling through Oklahoma she (Wanda) saw murals painted on buildings and included some of those ideas here.” Keith also owns Rose Hill Ranch located outside Coldspring on land rich in county history. While remodeling the Nick Elliott relaxes on a bench made from recycled wood taken from the old Sewell Dairy near Rose Hill. His mother operates a physical therapy business in the remodeled Faulkner Building, Coldspring. Using recycled wood and metal from the old Sewell Dairy near Rose Hill, construction workers build a porch across the front of the Faulkner Building and two benches.

Wesley Andries watches as the remodeling of the Faulkner Building progresses. His aunt Wanda painted the windows and boards on the brick wall behind him. outside facade of the Faulkner Building he used refurbished materials obtained from an old milk dairy that was torn down. The dairy was formerly owned by the Sam Sewell family, according to Keith. Keith considers himself fortunate to own property so close to historic Fireman’s Hill, known as the first location of Coldspring in the 1800’s. He now raises Paso Fino horses on the property – a South American breed. “Paso Fino means horse with a fine walk in Spanish,” Keith said. Keith plans a public open house in the near future.