Author name: Garnavillo Historical Society

This building pictured, known as the “J.H. Tangeman” building, was built on the NE corner of Main and Centre streets in Garnavillo in 1880-1881. Julius Henry Tangeman built the brick building on the corner south of his existing business (across from the park) where he’d been dealing in dry goods, groceries, clothing, boots, shoes, etc. […]

During Garnavillo Museum’s “off” season (October-May), much work is done to sort and catalog (accession) donations, and to update or change exhibits. UNI History student, Aeron Stanley of Marshalltown, and Clayton Ridge senior, Devin Reimer of Garnavillo, recently volunteered hours on site at the Garnavillo Museum to help sort and catalog some of these donated

The Garnavillo Historical Society held its annual meeting and volunteer appreciation supper Thursday, November 10 at the Garnavillo Community Center.  Twenty-six members and two guests enjoyed the meal and the program that followed.  Board member, David Beck gave an enlightening presentation on the history of Motor Mill including excerpts from historical letters, slides,  land owners after

The Garnavillo Historical Society received $4,500 in grant funds from the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation (UMGC) at their Annual Grant Awards Ceremony held Tuesday, October 25 at the Casino Queen, Marquette.  The money received will go towards the replacement of the Garnavillo Museum’s front entry steel door and wooden threshold.  Historical Society volunteers and members,

The exterior of the Historical Society’s log cabin in the Garnavillo Park was recently “re-chinked.” A 3-man crew from “888-Log-Guys” out of Ozark, Missouri, completed the work over a 3 day period. “Chinking” (sometimes called “daubing”), is the process of filling the gaps between the individual logs. The old, failed chinking had to be removed

Additional information on the historical fraternal societies and lodge organizations of Garnavillo came to light when UNI student Maggie Glenn, of Iowa City chose to research these groups for her Public History Field Experience project.  The class requires students to spend 15 hours volunteering on a project in the public sector. Glenn spent 25 hours in

A family heirloom which was donated to the Garnavillo Historical Society Museum in 1966 has found new life thanks to the determination of David Beck and Jack Niewoehner of Elkader. The 1892 Concert Roller Organ became a source of musical entertainment in the Herman and Wilhelmina Schaefermeier home south of Garnavillo in the 1890’s. It

Did you know there were multiple fires on Main Street Garnavillo destroying historic businesses? What buildings are standing that date back to 1860 or further? Where was the Stetter and Tangeman Photograph Gallery located? Where was Garnavillo’s ballroom? Find the answers to these questions and learn more about the town of Garnavillo, Iowa in the

The late start to winter benefited the Garnavillo Historical Society’s tuckpointing project at the Clefisch Law Office, 108 S. Main Street, Garnavillo.  Kuempel Masonry, Guttenberg was contracted for the project and was nearly done before cold temperatures set in necessitating a plastic enclosure for working. J.O. Crosby and Alonzo Brown started building their ground level