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German-Russian Architecture featured at NDSU Library
Lower Level Gallery
March 1, 2000
Fargo, ND -- The "German-Russian Architecture" exhibit
is featured at the Lower Level Gallery of the NDSU Library from
March 12 to June 18, 2000. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Beginning in the 1870s, Germans from Russia immigrated first into
South Dakota and, by the late 1880s, North Dakota witnessed the
arrival of the large population of Black Sea Germans in the United
States. In addition to language, religion, social, and economic
traditions, they brought with a distinctive type of house form.
The traditional house was single story, gable-roofed, rectangular,
and compartmentalized into two or three rooms.
Photographs featured include: Johannes Goldade house near Linton,
Eureka, SD, house-barn near Wishek, Jacob Barth farm near Mott,
Franz Ressler home near St. Anthony, a street in Zeeland, August
Mantz home near Center, Welk homestead and Anton Baumgartner home
near Strasburg, Pierce County wedding, George Roth home near Ashley,
Valentine Hutmacher farmstead near Killdeer, and the Mueller homestead
near Kulm.
"German-Russian Architecture" was produced by the State Historical
Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, and was funded in part with a
grant from the North Dakota Humanities Council.
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A traditional house-barn near Wishek, McIntosh
County, ca. 1885. Many of the earlier houses were built with
the family living quarters and the barn as one structure. |
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Franz Ressler home near St. Anthony, Morton County.
The earlier construction, on the left, is of earth construction
and plaster covering; attached is a house-barn of mud brick
and clapboard siding. The later addition on the right continues
to maintain all the typical German-Russian architectural elements. |
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Numerous examples remain in North Dakota of traditional
German-Russian houses. Although modernized, distinct characteristics
of German-Russian architecture are easily identified. |
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The overall simplicity of design and modesty
of size reflects the lack of importance of the house as a status
symbol for the German-Russian. This organic extension of the
treeless prairie required little imported material or outside
labor to build. It was utilitarian in both space and design.
Nearly every aspect of this house was energy efficient, for
winter weather as well as summer weather. The total house form,
in terms of material, technology, and floorplan, illustrates
the theory that the fewer the options man has within his environment,
the better use he makes of them. Built ca. 1894, the David and
Elizabeth Mueller homestead near Kulm, Lamoure County exhibits
many German-Russian architectural traditions. |
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Part of the exhibit. |
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Part of the exhibit. |
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Part of the exhibit. |
For further information, contact:
Michael M. Miller
NDSU Libraries
PO Box 5599
Fargo ND 58105-5599
Phone 701-231-8416
Fax 701-231-7138
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Permission
to use any images from the GRHC website may be requested
by contacting Michael
M. Miller |
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