German American Museum, Library and Family History Center 

“The German American Museum, Library and Family History Center provides a unique learning experience about the 165-year ethnic heritage of this community and surrounding areas.

The Museum is focused on several key themes:

• Why immigrants left Germanic countries and came to the Old Mission area of North East Iowa.
• The strong role of the religious and lay organizations in shaping the values of the community.
• The role of the clergy, school teachers and families in fostering the importance of education for enriching life.
• The steady growth and rapid change in agricultural practices and industrial arts in the community.
• The family and social life of the community.
• The role of sports in relating to nearby communities.
• The role of service in the military acquainting veterans with a broader sense of America and discovering the world. The exhibits and artifacts in the Museum focus on these themes.

The library books, materials and photographs are integrated with the exhibits to provide a better understanding of these themes. Currently the Museum and Library collections include several thousand artifacts, photos, documents, and books. These collections continue to grow because of the thoughtful donations made by many local families. Our challenge is to catalog and archive this rapidly growing collection. Currently the archive room is used to store and preserve these historic materials.

The Family History Center (FHC) is a repository of family genealogies and histories. Many local families have donated copies of their family histories, genealogies, photos, documents, or other related information to the FHC. The collection continues to grow as families begin to realize the importance of having a place to preserve and share their family story for present and future descendants.”