Unlock History

FREEMAN: Heritage Hall Museum & Archives (HHM&A) is offering special programs in conjunction with the 2022 South Dakota Chislic Festival. The festival will be held at the Prairie Arboretum, which is immediately south of the museum complex on Saturday, July 30. 

A Silver Sponsor of the festival, the museum will be open extended hours that day; from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will also be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. the previous day, Friday, July 29.

Here's a quick look at the special activities planned for Saturday.

• A "sneak peek" at the restoration project of the historic 1879 Deckert House is planned from 1 to 3. It will include a visit with Ryan Mews, a summer intern student from the University of South Dakota, who is doing extensive research about the house and the Deckert family. The house, which has been closed for restoration for several years, will officially reopen later this year.

• Another "sneak peek" comes at the major renovation of the museum's Natural World Gallery from 3 to 5. It will include the mosasaur exhibit slated to open this fall as well as a visit with local artist Michelle L. Hofer and her daughter, Madeline, – also a summer intern and a student at Dordt College – who are assisting with display elements in the gallery as well as Curator Terry Quam and Terry Waterman, a museum board member who's helped with the mosasaur project.

• Lindy Graber, a local collector, will be on hand Saturday afternoon to visit with visitors about the museum's motorcycle and bicycle display, which includes a 1914 Indian Motorcycle and a circa 1880 "Penny Farthing."

• Terry Graber, a Freeman native now living in Kansas, will be sharing details about the Pine Hill Printery exhibit Saturday afternoon. Graber, who is familiar with the printing industry, is a grandson of John C. Gering, who established the printing company that operated in the Freeman community for most of the 20th century.

• Visitors will also have opportunity to see recent renovations at the historic Johannesthal Reformed Church that is part of the museum complex.

• A newly created chislic display in the Kauffman Wing of the museum.

Museum visitors are invited to take advantage of an all-day "premier parking" option the museum is offering during the Chislic Festival. With the museum complex adjacent to the festival, a portion of the grounds has been designated for parking on the 30th starting at 9 a.m. Space, which is limited, must be reserved by contacting the museum.

The 2022 South Dakota Chislic Festival which began in 2018, celebrates the unique "meat on a stick" delicacy tied to Germans from Russia who brought the dish with them when they settled in the region in the 1870s. The museum, which is an independent, non-profit organization, tells that immigration story and the perseverance that led to the establishment of the Freeman community.

The one-day Chislic Festival features food and non-food vendors, live music and a family-friendly fair-like atmosphere from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Marnette D. (Ortman) Hofer, executive director and archivist of HHM&A and Ian Tuttle, a member of the SDCF Board from Bellevue, Neb., will be presenting the history of chislic festival in presentations on the festival grounds at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 5 p.m. titled "From Russia with Love; the History of Chislic."

Although there is an admission fee to tour the museum, the mercantile, which features a wide variety of items from local artisans and authors, is open to the public at no charge. People are welcome to call 605-925-7545 or email info@heritagehallmuseum.com for more information or go online to heritagehallmuseum.com and to the Heritage Hall Museum and Archives Facebook page.

The museum is open daily from May through September. Summer hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and 1- 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from May through September. The museum is open weekday afternoons from October through April and is always also open by appointment.

In addition to welcoming people to attend the July 10 program on local nicknames, Heritage Hall Museum & Archives has announced it will also livestream the presentation.  

The program will be presented at Salem-Zion Mennonite Church east of Freeman starting at 3 p.m. Sunday. Ellen Ortman will be sharing her research and compilation of common, popular – and some more obscure – nicknames, in a program titled "A Century and a Half of East Freeman Nicknames." Ortman, a lifelong community resident, is a regular volunteer at the museum archives. 

"We wanted to offer people who are unable to attend – or choose to participate remotely – that option," says Marnette D. (Ortman) Hofer, executive director and archivist at the Freeman museum. "We're thrilled that technology is giving us this option for our programming." Anyone who wants to participate live remotely can sign up – including paying admission – at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/377400243287. 

Anyone who has questions can contact the museum; phone 605-925-7545 or email info@heritagehallmuseum.com. Admission will be charged; HHM&A members receive a discounted rate. 

The museum is open 9-4 weekdays and 1-4 weekends. On Saturday, July 9 the museum has extended hours and will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., in conjunction with the MCC Relief Sale scheduled at neighboring Freeman Academy that day. 

FREEMAN: Heritage Hall Museum & Archives is inviting all area teachers to visit as their guests this summer.

“We’re offering free admission to teachers in the larger community this summer to give them an inside look at what we have to offer,” said Marnette D. (Ortman) Hofer, executive director & archivist at the Freeman museum.

“We want to be a partner in education for our area youth,” she said. “A visit here can help ‘unlock history’ for students in the 2022-23 school year. We’ll be glad to provide a personalized tour to any teacher who wants to learn more this summer.”

The museum has 25,000 square feet of galleries containing a wide array of interesting artifacts and exhibits. The exhibits tell the immigration story of Germans-from-Russia settlers, and others, who arrived in southeastern Dakota Territory in the 1870s, persevered and helped build the Freeman community.

“With more than 20,000 artifacts, our exhibits are an excellent resource for studies on South Dakota and Native American history,” Hofer noted. Galleries include a Native American Winter Count, Steven R. Riggs collection and Standing Bear exhibit.

Other exhibits include a 1927 bi-plane, a horse-drawn hearse, general store, town jail, summer kitchen, print shop, service station, vintage cars and motorcycles and agricultural equipment. 

“Our updated natural world exhibit, featuring flora and fauna and geology and a mosasaur fossil, is slated to open by the start of the school year,” she said.

“We also have four historical buildings that bring history to life, including a one-room country school that can offer a unique ‘historical’ classroom experience for up to 25 students. We also have two churches and a recently restored 1887 pioneer home.

“Although the museum is designed as a self-touring experience, we can arrange for guided tours,” Hofer said. “We also have staff that is available to work with you on developing a specifically tailored experience for your class. We have created activities for our younger guests year-round that can be adapted for specific groups.”

The museum offers group rates and will work to accommodate your schedule,” Hofer said. “Although our public October-April hours are noon-4, we will gladly open our doors to accommodate school schedules.”

“The history of this part of South Dakota is rich and diverse. We believe that students and educators alike will be fascinated by what they can discover at our museum. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Call 605-925-7545 or email info@heritagehallmuseum.com. You can also learn more online at https://heritagehallmuseum.com. 

“We look forward to welcoming teachers for a complimentary tour,” Hofer said. The museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment.

FREEMAN: Heritage Hall Museum & Archives will resume its summer Family-Friendly Final Fridays May 27.  The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, and will continue those extended evening hours the last Friday of every month through September.

“We’re offering Family-Friendly Final Fridays to encourage families to visit the museum,” says Marnette (Ortman) Hofer, executive director and archivist at HHM&A.. “We’re admitting all children 12 and under free those evenings when accompanied by a paying adult.” “We’ve got lots of interesting things for people of all ages to see,” she said. “That includes the model train exhibit that we’ll have running those Friday evenings as well as our popular ‘20 Questions’ activity for kids and families.” 

She added that the mercantile will be offering specials those Fridays. 

The museum’s regular summer hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Those hours continue through September. For more information, feel free to call 605-925-7545.  

FREEMAN: Heritage Hall Museum & Archives started its summer hours on May 1. The museum is open daily through September – from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Winter hours are weekday afternoons only with other times by appointment.

Located south of the Freeman Academy campus and sitting on the northern edge of the 40-acre Prairie Arboretum, the Freeman museum tells the story of Germans-from-Russia immigrants and others who settled in southeastern Dakota Territory in the 1870s. The museum has 25,000 square feet of displays featuring everything from old cars and buggies to Native American artifacts to agricultural equipment to local business history to household items and musical instruments. The complex also includes four historic buildings: a one-room schoolhouse, two early rural churches and an 1879 pioneer home. 

"We're excited for what looks like a busy summer," says Marnette D. (Ortman) Hofer, executive director and archivist of HHM&A. "We have a number of groups planning to visit in the upcoming months and a number of major events that will bring other guests to our community. We'll be expanding our hours to accommodate them.

"Of course," she added, "we are always happy to welcome individuals and families who make spontaneous visits," 

In fact, the museum is once again offering a special incentive to families to visit.

"Starting April 30, we will be open until 7 p.m., the last Friday of every month," Hofer said. "We initiated our "Family-Friendly Final Fridays" last year to encourage families to visit the museum and we're continuing that this year. We're admitting all children 12 and under free those evenings when accompanied by a paying adult."

In addition, she said, "that includes a fun 'discover more about your museum' activity for kids – with a chance to win a prize." The "final Friday" promotions will continue through September.

"Visitors who have not been to the museum since last fall will discover some major renovations," Hofer said. "While the exterior 'facelift' was completed last summer, we've also made some significant changes inside over the past six months." 

That includes a significant expansion of the mercantile that features the work of local artisans. 

"We've added the creations of more than a dozen new artisans to our inventory," Hofer said. "We are very pleased with the way our gift shop continues to grow and we've been able to open up the space to display these unique creations.

The renovations at the museum also include several exhibit areas. 

"We've reallocated the exhibit space nearest to the lobby that was home to our Fine Arts Gallery to our Faith Traditions Gallery, Hofer said. "We've moved a number of large faith-related artifacts that were scattered elsewhere in the museum to this space. The exhibit is now open and we are adding additional elements to help tell the story of the various denominations reflected in the immigrants who settled here in the 1870s." 

The fine arts exhibit will be incorporated in restructured exhibits in the Kauffman Wing, she said.

Another area that is undergoing major renovation is the Natural World Gallery. New walls have been constructed and a major redesign of that area of the museum includes introducing the mosasaur exhibit that is currently being developed.

"We're looking forward to opening some of the elements in this gallery this summer," Hofer said. "We have some exciting developments that we're hoping to share in the upcoming weeks."

Another new element, Hofer said, is the addition of two summer interns to the museum staff.

Madeline Hofer, a local first-year student at Dordt University, will be helping with developing our digital media program. Ryan Mews, whose family lives in the Clayton area, is in the masters program at the University of South Dakota. His focus will be to research and help complete the Deckert House renovation project, slated to open by end of the summer.

Heritage Hall Museum & Archives traces its roots back to the winter term of Freeman College in 1911, but today operates as an independent, non-profit organization. 

Although there is an admission fee to tour the museum, both the archives and the mercantile are open to the public at no charge. People are welcome to call 605-925-7545 or email info@heritagehallmuseum.com for more information or go online to heritagehallmuseum.com and to the Heritage Hall Museum and Archives Facebook page.

FREEMAN: Last week Heritage Hall Museum & Archives (HHM&A) received notice that the organization has been granted official status as a 501(c)(3) public charity. 

Marnette D. (Ortman) Hofer, executive director of HHM&A, said "this means we are now exempt from federal income tax, and donors can deduct contributions made to us under IRC Section 170. 

"It also means there are grant and funding opportunities open to us now that we did not have access to before," Hofer said.

She noted the status is retroactive to July 20, 2021, so all contributions made after that date are tax-deductible.

This is the final step in the museum's efforts to become an independent organization, Hofer said. 

"Prior to our divestment from the Freeman Junior College/Freeman Academy Corporation, which was finalized this past summer, gifts to the museum were tax-deductible through Freeman Academy as our umbrella organization. While we appreciate and deeply value our shared history with FJC/FA, we are excited about our new beginning and the possibilities before us."

The divestment process began with discussions in 2017 with both the museum and Freeman Academy leadership agreeing to explore the future relationship of the two organizations. 

The museum board and staff supported a move to independence. Discussions between the two boards led to a vote by the Freeman Junior College/Freeman Academy Corporation in the fall of 2019 that gave strong approval for divestment. That initiated a lengthy transition process including drawing up articles of incorporation for the museum as an independent organization. It included the transfer of ownership of all the artifacts, materials in the archives and historic buildings to the new organization. It also includes a lease agreement in which Freeman Academy retains ownership of the property and the building that is home to the museum. Although the museum has been officially registered as a not-for-profit organization in South Dakota for some time, the official federal designation completes the process.

"We have been humbled by the overwhelming support people have shown us and we look forward to continuing our mission to preserve and celebrate the history of the greater Freeman area," Hofer said. "We value all contributions to our efforts, whether they are monetary gifts or gifts of your time as volunteers or through the research and stories you share."

The museum, archives and mercantile are open from noon to 4 p.m., weekdays through April. Summer hours begin in May; the museum is open daily from May through September.

The museum is closed holidays during the winter months. That includes being closed Dec. 24-27 and Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Regular winter hours resume Jan. 3.

More information is available at https://heritagehallmuseum.com or by calling 605-925-7545.

FREEMAN: Dr. Nathan Bates, a University of South Dakota professor, told a group of about two-dozen people at the Bethel Church Saturday evening, Oct. 30, that he’s thrilled with what he’s discovered at Heritage Hall Museum & Archives (HHM&A). 

Bates, who spent time poring through the archives this summer, told the crowd he’s planning to incorporate the resources here into his German language curriculum at USD in Vermillion. The program was sponsored by HHM&A, which operates as an independent not-for-profit organization. Bates received a grant from the South Dakota Humanities Council for this project.

The archives are providing Bates with stories, personal histories and journals, documents, books and audio recordings that will help expand students’ perspectives on the impact use of German has had in shaping community life and development.

Bates singled out three examples that have caught his attention thus far.

• Daniel Unruh’s Arithmetic Book, dated 1833 and which he used in Russia, which includes bright graphic designs and notes about family history.

• A pamphlet written in 1926 by J. John Friesen, a professor at Freeman College, advocating for the use of German in the Freeman community because, in part, it represents “the higher moral ground of German culture.

• Correspondence between F.C. Ortman of Freeman and John R. Thierstein of Bluffton, Ohio in which they discuss their views about German in the World War I era.

Each, in its own way, offers insights into the attitudes and practices that were an important part of community life in the decades following the arrival of the Germans from Russia in the 1870s, Bates said.

Bates says he plans to return to continue and expand his research and have his students use the archives as a resource for their studies. That, he said, will allow them to make connections between South Dakota and the global community.

“It’s not just language,” he said. “It’s a passport to the larger world.”

The wealth of what is available in the archives and their proximity to Vermillion makes Freeman an ideal partner for his program and he’s eager to see what that will provide.

“I’m enthusiastically diving into the deep end of the pool,” he said.