Germans from Russia Heritage Collection

A summer kitchen is a separate cooking space often located away from the main house, used primarily during warm weather. It helps keep the house cooler by allowing cooking outside the primary living area. Such kitchens typically featured their own cooking facilities, sometimes including brick ovens for baking and preparing meals and preserves for the winter.

John George Riedel Family in front of a house with summer kitchen. Anna, Lydia, Anna, Marie, Jacob, George, John and a cousin Alex.

Online Collections Database https://ahsgr.org/research/archives-and-special-collections/

Interviews growing up in the 1950s include colleagues Allyn Brosz, Washington DC, cousin Pete Silbernagel, Bismarck, Denise Nagel Wieser, Moorhead, MN, Allan Burke, Linton, ND, and Michael Miller, NDSU, Fargo.

North Dakota sisters host podcast about growing up in the 50s Janine Pfeiffer Knop and Jackie Pfeiffer McGregor interview guests each week about life in the 1950s and 1960s, preserving stories for future generations.

In Touch with Prairie Living, June 2026
By Michael M. Miller

Alma Baumann authored an impressive article, “The Inheritance: The Epic Journey of the German-Russian Pioneers,” published in Prairies Magazine. Parts I-II were published in November 1983, December 1983 and February 1984. Prairies is available online at the South Dakota Germans from Russia Center, Northern State University Library, Aberdeen, S.D. Original copies of Prairies (1975-1986) are available at the GRHC Archives.

Alma Baumann tells the story of the Meidinger family, their dreams, their bravery and their faith. It calls out from the past the names of the men, women and children who boldly sought a new and better world, twice.

Continue reading here: https://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/outreach/news/touch-prairie-living-june-2026

📚🌾 Learn About Homesteading History 🌾📚

Join Dr. Tom Isern at 1 p.m. during Life on the Homestead for a special presentation on homesteading and prairie history.

Dr. Isern is known for bringing North Dakota history to life through engaging stories and fascinating insight into prairie culture and agriculture.

It’s the perfect complement to a day filled with demonstrations, tractors, music and heritage.

📍 Welk Homestead State Historic Site
🗓 Sunday, June 7

Highlights at the Welk Homestead State Historic Site on Sunday, June 7 - 1pm Dr. Tom Isern, NDSU Distinguished Professor of History, speaking about Homesteading, 2pm - the popular Joyful choir Lawrence Welk Show performance. Welk Homestead poster courtesy of Emmons County Record.

www.german-russiancountry.org

Travel back in time at a free family event celebrating North Dakota's German-Russian roots. From tractor treks to live music, discover the humble beginnings of Lawrence Welk.

Read more about the event here: https://www.bek.coop/beacon/posts/2026-05/welk-homestead/

In 1909 Wendelin and Francisca (Fettig) Senger immigrated from Strassburg, Russia, to North Dakota with their seven children: Anton, 19; Michael, 18; Catherine, 15; Thomas, 14; Julia, 13; Joseph, 11; and Magdalena, 8.

The Sengers are this year’s featured family in the Heart of America Germans from Russia building, located on the grounds of the Prairie Village Museum in Rugby. The museum opens for the 2026 summer season on May 25.