Master Architect. Diedrich Anton Wilhelm Rulfs received notoriety as a German-born American architect, who designed many of the buildings in Nacogdoches, Texas. A dozen of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He built huge private homes for wealthy clients as well as neighborhoods of shotgun houses for the train porters, maids and gardeners that served the affluent citizens of the city. He designed the downtown district, an apartment building, and an office building. In the 21st century, there are fifty of his buildings remaining. Besides the buildings in Nacogdoches, he built in other cities such as Lufkin, Garrison, San Augustine, Crockett, and Rusk. He trained as an architect and married in Germany before emigrating to the United States. John Schmidt, a long-time German friend that had settled in Nacogdoches, invited the Rulfs family to join him in Texas. In 1879, Rulfs, his wife Emilie Helene Wilhelmine Boeschen, his older three of six children, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law entered the United States through the New Orleans, Louisiana port. A daughter Emily had died young in Germany. Later, a half-sister and a half-brother joined him. The half-brother was a carpenter, who helped with the constructional aspects of his business. First, he built his family's home and then three rental properties for income for his family. He started building in the flamboyant Victorian Queen Anne style, which is characterized by asymmetrical floor plans, bay windows, gables, stained glass, and gingerbread details. Later, he built other styles such as Gothic, Greek Revival, Bungalow, and Prairie. To maximize air flow in the heat of Texas summers, he placed windows for cross ventilation. He used the materials that were available to him locally. He remodeled several homes. He transformed a historicTexas frontier town into a sophisticated modern city. In 1902 he built Christ Episcopal Church, and for his African-American friend, he built Zion Hill Baptist Church in 1914. Rulfs also made furniture. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1887. He died at his daughter's home in Shreveport, Louisiana. A life-sized bronze statue of Rulfs is located in front of the Jones House in Nacogdoches. The 2014 book “Diedrich Rulfs: Designing Modern Nacogdoches” authored by Jere Johnson with photography by Christopher Talbot tells his story with beautiful photographs.