Germans in Saunders County, Nebraska
Traveling through Nebraska, one of the states with the most diverse cultural heritage in the United States, it is hard to ignore the impact of German immigration on the development of the state. Saunders County, located in the eastern part of Nebraska, is one such place that showcases a significant German influence. The county, situated along the Wabash trace and the Platte River, was attractive to German immigrants due to its fertile soil and abundance of land available for farming.
Germans began to arrive in Saunders County as early as the 1860s and 1870s, primarily from the regions of Bavaria, Hesse, and Westphalia. These early immigrants, who mostly arrived via the Missouri River, were largely encouraged by the Homestead Act of 1862, which granted them land in exchange for cultivating it. Many settled in areas around Ashland, Malmo, and Swedeburg, all of which are still in Saunders County today. For example, the Strehle family, who arrived in the late 1800s, built a homestead near Mead that is now the Strehle Homestead Historic Site. The site has been preserved to showcase the traditional German-American way of life in rural Nebraska.
German farmers in Saunders County found success by establishing irrigation systems and using modern farming techniques to convert their land into productive agricultural farms. Their contributions to the county's economic growth were significant. The popularity of German labor, meanwhile, drew in other European immigrants, such as the Czechs, Scandinavians, and Poles, who settled in nearby areas and continued to contribute to the agricultural boom in the area.
As with many Nebraska towns established by immigrant communities, Saunders County's towns and villages retained strong German roots through cultural customs, architecture, and organizations. The German Catholic community established churches and parishes such as the Guardian Angels Catholic Church in West Point, where some churchgoers still attend masses celebrated in German. Meanwhile, civic organizations like the Ashland Chamber of Commerce hosted cultural events such as the annual German American Celebration and Omaha's Kaffeeklatsch, serving up music, dancing, and German food like bratwurst, polka bands, and black breads.
A visit to the historic town of Fremont, just outside Saunders County, highlights the cultural diversity fostered by the German settlers and their descendants. At the Fremont Historic Village, visitors can see authentic buildings that are important to the city's history, many of which were constructed by German and other European immigrants. The impact of their architectural techniques can still be seen today in the county's agricultural neighborhoods.
There are many small but significant monuments and artifacts in Saunders County that illustrate the influence of the German settlers. Visitors can observe community roadside bridges such as Dahlenburg Road South, a one-lane, German-arch bridge, along with German historical markers all through the county. For a more personal insight into the history of the German population in the area, visiting veterans' memorials such as the Ithaca Cemetery Veterans' Monument can honor the German settlers who fought alongside other Nebraskans in both domestic and international conflicts.
The presence of German communities significantly shaped Saunders County's landscape and also had lasting cultural, social, and economic effects on the county and the surrounding areas. This holds true for many communities throughout the country. Those who are fascinated by American cultural evolution would do well to visit this historical German outpost in Saunders County to delve deeper into the tales and history of German Nebraska, a story well worth exploring in person.
Those interested in exploring more of Saunders County may want to pay a visit to the Fontenelle Bank building in Ashland, the oldest known bank in Nebraska. This wonderful 1870 building, patterned after German, and German-American styles of buildings around this time period and today represents bank institutions all over Germany.
Travel Guides recommend that travel periods are during October or November. Which can determine how harsh on your view these places will show after.
Germans began to arrive in Saunders County as early as the 1860s and 1870s, primarily from the regions of Bavaria, Hesse, and Westphalia. These early immigrants, who mostly arrived via the Missouri River, were largely encouraged by the Homestead Act of 1862, which granted them land in exchange for cultivating it. Many settled in areas around Ashland, Malmo, and Swedeburg, all of which are still in Saunders County today. For example, the Strehle family, who arrived in the late 1800s, built a homestead near Mead that is now the Strehle Homestead Historic Site. The site has been preserved to showcase the traditional German-American way of life in rural Nebraska.
German farmers in Saunders County found success by establishing irrigation systems and using modern farming techniques to convert their land into productive agricultural farms. Their contributions to the county's economic growth were significant. The popularity of German labor, meanwhile, drew in other European immigrants, such as the Czechs, Scandinavians, and Poles, who settled in nearby areas and continued to contribute to the agricultural boom in the area.
As with many Nebraska towns established by immigrant communities, Saunders County's towns and villages retained strong German roots through cultural customs, architecture, and organizations. The German Catholic community established churches and parishes such as the Guardian Angels Catholic Church in West Point, where some churchgoers still attend masses celebrated in German. Meanwhile, civic organizations like the Ashland Chamber of Commerce hosted cultural events such as the annual German American Celebration and Omaha's Kaffeeklatsch, serving up music, dancing, and German food like bratwurst, polka bands, and black breads.
A visit to the historic town of Fremont, just outside Saunders County, highlights the cultural diversity fostered by the German settlers and their descendants. At the Fremont Historic Village, visitors can see authentic buildings that are important to the city's history, many of which were constructed by German and other European immigrants. The impact of their architectural techniques can still be seen today in the county's agricultural neighborhoods.
There are many small but significant monuments and artifacts in Saunders County that illustrate the influence of the German settlers. Visitors can observe community roadside bridges such as Dahlenburg Road South, a one-lane, German-arch bridge, along with German historical markers all through the county. For a more personal insight into the history of the German population in the area, visiting veterans' memorials such as the Ithaca Cemetery Veterans' Monument can honor the German settlers who fought alongside other Nebraskans in both domestic and international conflicts.
The presence of German communities significantly shaped Saunders County's landscape and also had lasting cultural, social, and economic effects on the county and the surrounding areas. This holds true for many communities throughout the country. Those who are fascinated by American cultural evolution would do well to visit this historical German outpost in Saunders County to delve deeper into the tales and history of German Nebraska, a story well worth exploring in person.
Those interested in exploring more of Saunders County may want to pay a visit to the Fontenelle Bank building in Ashland, the oldest known bank in Nebraska. This wonderful 1870 building, patterned after German, and German-American styles of buildings around this time period and today represents bank institutions all over Germany.
Travel Guides recommend that travel periods are during October or November. Which can determine how harsh on your view these places will show after.
