The Beckmann Inn
By Tracey L. Campbell

Maybe it's just an odd twist of destiny that the former home of a flour mill heiress is now a gluten-free, food allergy haven. Or maybe it's the cyclical nature of fate. Whatever it is, the combination of the King William Historic District in San Antonio, Texas, and the Beckmann Inn is a match made in heaven.

If you enjoy historic homes, the King William neighborhood is a seemingly endless visual feast. The 25-block enclave has survived a roller-coaster ride of fortunes. Initially settled in the 1840s by German immigrants, the neighborhood was soon populated with large mansions as the immigrants prospered. By the 1920s, the area lost its luster, and the Depression brought on widespread  deterioration. In the 1950s, a small forward-thinking group of people began restoring the dilapidated homes, and in 1967 the King William Historic District was designated the first historic neighborhood district in the state of Texas.

The splendor of the homes would be worth a long-distance trek, but  thankfully it's not necessary. The neighborhood is a quick trolley ride from the downtown Riverwalk/Alamo area.

Constructed in 1886, the stone Queen Ann-style Beckmann Inn was originally built for Marie Guenther Beckmann, daughter of the Guenther flour mill dynasty.

Innkeepers Betty Jo and Don Schwartz have owned the Beckmann Inn for six years. Radiating southern hospitality, the innkeepers serve a full gourmet breakfast, complete with dessert.

"We don't do a buffet," Betty Jo said. "We prepare each dish individually. Our chief objective is to make sure that every single guest feels at home. We've had guests with just about every allergy - gluten, pecans, strawberries, shellfish, you name it. Catering to a traveler's food sensitivity is just part of the job. I wouldn't have it any other way."

The five guest rooms are decorated with period antique furniture, and each has its own private bath.

For those who may be sensitive to mill dust, the Beckmann Inn may not be a wise choice. The Pioneer Flour Mill (of the Guenther flour dynasty) is located approximately a quarter mile from the Beckmann. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The owners of the Pioneer Flour Mill are proud to report that it is the oldest continuously operated flour mill in Texas, still running at the original site built in 1859.

The Beckmann Inn is located at 222 E. Guenther Street, San Antonio, Texas 78204. For more information, contact the Beckmann Inn at 210-229-1449 or 800-945-1449. You can find the Beckmann's web site at www.beckmanninn.com.

For more articles like this one, click here and purchase issues of Living Without Magazine.