Edward Henkel immigrated to this area from Germany in 1846 with his first wife Louise. He originally owned 25 acres of this property where he built the Henkel House in 1852 and later built a general store not far from his house. That store burned down in 1924. Mr. Henkel was a key factor in building the town of Round Top. He established the first Lutheran Church, a private school, and Mr. Henkel was also the first Justice of the Peace in Round Top listed in the 1880 census.

The house was built with cedar and pine materials. The pine floors in the house are the originals. There are three bedrooms and a main room used as a sitting and dining room. The exterior stairs on the side lead to the two upstairs bedrooms. The family had a separate kitchen behind the house. The little building to the left of the Henkel House is the smoke house where they cured their meat.

The upstairs of this structure will not be available and there is no useable heat or cooking source in the house.