A major renovation project is complete in the lobby/mercantile/Faith Traditions Galley at Heritage Hall Museum & Archives. While it’s taken longer than anticipated – it began in late January and has extended into mid-March – the improvement is notable and welcome. It includes a new ceiling, lighting and floor. The original drop ceiling, fluorescent lights and flooring have been replaced with drywall, LED lighting and woodgrain vinyl floor. The original linoleum in the mercantile/lobby and carpet in the gallery were worn, difficult to keep clean and the carpet had become a safety hazard.
The bulk of the project was done by Lindy Graber and Dan Haggerty with assistance from volunteers Donovan Friesen and Kevin Waltner who helped in preparation and the demolition. Teresa Dick and Chris Schwendeman helped with painting the new walls.
The project included moving most of the artifacts of the Faith Traditions Gallery into temporary storage in the Arrival on the Prairie Gallery. And the entire inventory and display units in the mercantile were stored in the Kauffman Wing and archives.
Museum staff, with assistance from Monica Hofer, have redesigned the mercantile displays. The museum is also using the remodeling project to assess and update the inventory in the mercantile, which continues to expand. Volunteers Janice Graber and Jill Whittington have helped the staff in that laborious task.
Although the mercantile has officially been closed during the process, there have been some sales – particularly Berrybrook ice cream – and the museum has been open for guests to tour the exhibit halls.
And while the project has been a distraction and an inconvenience, the result is a much more welcoming space for museum guests and mercantile customers.
Heritage Hall Museum & Archives is a cultural hub that celebrates and shares the history of the larger Freeman community. Our collection tells the story of the Germans-from-Russia immigrants who arrived in southeastern Dakota Territory starting in the 1870s. Our two exhibit halls and four historical buildings include thousands of artifacts that tell the story of the settlers who came from Amish, Hutterite, Lutheran, Reformed and Mennonite faith traditions. Our archives are filled with thousands of photos, documents and books available for research. We are open year-round.
As a member of the Heritage Hall Museum & Archives, you enjoy free admission, discounted admission to programs, and discounts at our gift shop . Your membership supports our mission to preserve and share the history of our community.
Lured by the Homestead Act of 1862, and in search of freedom and opportunity, Germans-from-Russia immigrants from Amish, Hutterite, Lutheran, Mennonite and Reformed backgrounds – and others – began arriving in southeastern Dakota Territory starting in the 1870s. They brought with them their religious traditions, strong work ethic and determination. They persevered, not only surviving the hardships of life on the prairie, but working together to establish the larger Freeman community. Our exhibits and archives tell their stories.
With over 25,000 square feet of displays featuring everything from old cars & buggies to household items to agricultural equipment to artwork & musical instruments, Heritage Hall Museum has a vast variety of artifacts that span everyone's interest areas.
The Archives Library preserves more than 10,000 books, maps, periodicals, documents, and photos pertaining to the local history of the Freeman community and beyond.
Sit at a desk in the one-room school house, peer into the Russian oven of an early 1880s pioneer home, or admire the simple elegance of two early rural churches in one of the buildings preserved on site.
Learn about how Heritage Hall Museum evolved from a simple idea of community stewardship to the multi-faceted facility it is today. There is something for everyone in the family to enjoy.