Building German Success in America
Architecture of Franklin County, Missouri
One of the clearest ways that German influences can be observed in Franklin County is through its architecture. Upon their immigration in the early 1800’s German people have left a lasting impression of many different types of buildings and architectural styles. In this synthetic blog post I will be analyzing several of these different forms of architecture and the impact that they have had on German culture in America.
Pelster Housebarn
The Pelster housebarn is one of the most notable historic buildings in Franklin County, built by German immigrant Friederich Wilhelm Pelster. While no records confirm the exact date the barn was built, it is widely agreed that it was completed post Civil War. It was designed to house both livestock and owners under the same roof, and it sits on 38 acres of farmland. The construction of the barn is in Fachwerk form, and its style represents medieval Northern European building traditions that were very popular in the 1860’s. While housebarns were custom to Germany, they are extremely rare in U.S.. The construction of the Pelster barn represents the German-American experience as the barn itself was adapted to the Missouri way of life and climate, seen in the use of weatherboarding and sheathing practices which are typical in Missouri. This once very successful farm facility is no longer functional, yet it remains to represent the early German-American farming experience in Missouri.
St. Francis Borgia Parish
A group of twelve Catholic Germans families immigrated from Osnabrueck to Washington, Missouri in the 1830’s, leading to the creation of the highly regarded St. Francis Borgia Parish. In 1838 the first church building was created, but it was not until 1866 that the current building was constructed. While the exact architecural style is debated, between Neoclassical and Romanesque and revivial, it is clear that there was a significant German influence in its design. This congregation is a vital piece of Washington’s history as it is referred to as the “birthplace of Catholicism in Washington.” It continued to expand, and a school was constructed just next door in 1917. This large brick church on the Washington riverfront serves as a German immigrant success story and the roots of Catholicism and education in the area.
The Washington Turnverein (Turner Hall)
Turner Hall was designed by Otto Brix in 1866. The single-story brick building served as a meeting space for many social activities. Otto Brix was a forty-eighter and engineer/architect praised for designing Washington’s most impressive buildings. In 1868 he played a crucial part in establishing a popular drama club and the Turner Society, or Turnverein which took place in Turner Hall. The Turner club was a German gymnastics society that fostered German culture of gymnastics, dance, sociability, health, and lager. Turner Hall itself hosted many other events and German activites as well. This traditional German style architecture itself and the performances and activities within it play a role in the preservation of German identity.
John B. Busch Brewery
The successful John B. Busch brewery is another exemplary German structure standing today. Established by German immigrant John B. Busch in 1854, the brewery was built in the brick style traditional to Missouri-German architecture. The windows are arched with brick cornices and corbel tables. John B. Busch ran the brewery in a traditional German manner, caring for the community and putting the people above the profit. German lager drinking was shared with the people of Franklin county through the development of this brewery. The exterior and interior works of the building demonstrated German heritage and provided the opportunities for Germans and Americans to come together.
Access my more in depth blog post on The John B. Busch brewery here.
Brickwork
As you may have observed in the previous descriptions and photos, brickwork was an essential form of German architecture. In the 1850’s brickwork overtook the traditional log and frame techniques commonly used amongst German architects. It gained so much popularity within Washington, that an 1866 census states that of 300 active residencies in Washington, ⅔ were brick. These bricks used to construct homes and other buildings were also locally produced, and this brickmaking industry actually boosted the economic growth during this time period. A strong majority of the brickmakers were German. Interestingly, the German architectural style brought Franklin, provided employment opportunities for German people as well as bettered the economy as whole.
