German American Heritage Center

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The German American Heritage Center is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of German-Americans and their contributions in the Midwest. It was established in 1994 and is located in the historic Germania-Miller/Standard Hotel building, which was constructed in 1871 by businessman John Brus. It is an excellent example of Late Victorian commercial architecture and features an elaborate metal cornice (decorative molding at the top of a building's exterior) and arched windows. The museum features a permanent exhibit and two rotating exhibits. There is also a theater and two restored hotel rooms. Visitors can even try on period clothing German immigrants would have worn. The museum also offers a variety of classes, workshops, and programs related to the German-American experience and culture.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It served as a hotel where German immigrants stayed and it also became a social gathering place for them as well. In 1876, the new owner and local manufacturer, John Frederich Miller, changed the name to the Miller Hotel. He ran the hotel until 1889. It continued to operate as a hotel for the next several decades under different names. When this trend ended is unclear but the German American Heritage Center bought it in 1995 and partially restored four years later. Finally, in May 2000 the museum opened. The building is the last of the many German hotels that once operated in Davenport.

Sources

Bowers, Martha. "Germania-Miller/-Standard Hotel." Davenport Register of Historic Properties. 1981. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/2d3a9e44-034b-44c0-be40-4a9e2f949c0b.

"Our Mission and History." German American Heritage Center. Accessed March 19, 2019. http://gahc.org/about/our-mission-history.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American_Heritage_Center#/media/File:German_American_Heritage_Center_(Davenport,_Iowa).jpg

Additional Information