Two books are available for sale commemorating the historical Holstein Quasquicentennial Celebration: the Holstein Quasquicentennial Book featuring historical facts and photographs; and the Memory Book of photographs, created by Section 23 Media, which highlights the events of Quasquicentennial Week. Purchase your books by sending an e-mail to the address above, or by contacting Stubbs Memorial Library, or Vollmar Motors. Click on the photo links at left to view a sample of the 500 photographs that appear in the Memory Book.

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COMMUNITIES COULD LEARN FROM HOLSTEIN

The Holstein Quasquicentennial Celebration was such a huge success that the Sioux City Journal suggested other Midwestern towns might want to use Holstein as a template when planning their community celebrations. According to the Journal: "Maybe a few communities could learn something from this proud and largely German community of 1,470 residents. They value their history and their art. And, it appears, they know how to throw a party at least every quarter-century."

PURCHASE YOUR BOOKS TODAY

Purchase your Quasquicentennial books today at Stubbs Memorial Library or Vollmar Motors. The "big book" contains 500 pages of Holstein history, facts, homes and family bios. It was created to coincide with the 125th anniversary, but it does not cover any of the Quasquicentennial Celebration itself. The "picture book," with photography by Section 23 Media, is 88 pages of color photographs of Holstein sights and citizens during Quasquicentennial season. Each book complements the other and together will give you and your descendants a detailed picture of what life was like in Holstein, Iowa, during the early years of the new millennium.

YOUR HOMETOWN

Here in the Midwest we love to celebrate Hometown Heritage and Homespun Fun! If your Midwestern hometown is celebrating any of the "centennials" in 2008 or 2009 - quasquicentennial, sesquicentennial, demisemiseptcentennial or quartoseptcentennial - write to us and we'll include your event date and details.

QUASQUICENTENNIAL SUCCESS

The Holstein Quasquicentennial Celebration was a huge success! Thousands of people turned out to celebrate and take part in the many events planned by the Quasquicentennial Commission and numerous volunteers. Please e-mail lori@section23media.com to order your commemorative books or for more information on Holstein's event and ideas on how to make your upcoming community celebration a success. The memorable event received media attention locally, regionally and in Germany. Please come back soon to Holstein, where you are always, "Willkommen Freunde!"

THE COUNTRY STORE

The Country Store, located on the west side of Main Street between the stop lights, was open for business and served as Quasquicentennial headquarters for more than six months in 2007.

QUASQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION

New officers have been elected to the Holstein Quasquicentennial Commission. The outgoing and incoming officers, as well as the rest of the Commission, are listed below:

Kathy Vollmar, incoming president

Terri Nobles, incoming treasurer

Mayor Mary Gross, incoming secretary

Mike Clausen, Commission member

Lorna Vollmar, Commission member

Justin Georg, Commission member

Lana Conover, Commission member

Gloria Leonard, outgoing president

Dolores Meyer, outgoing treasurer

Shirley Ewoldt, outgoing secretary

 

HOLSTEIN HISTORY

The initial lots in Holstein were sold and the town was platted on Nov. 10, 1882. But the first location was sited three years earlier, 1 mile north and 1 mile east of the present-day Holstein, and was then known as the “German Settlement.” The location featured a blacksmith shop, dance hall and saloon, and became a favorite stopping place for travelers between Ida Grove and Cherokee. When the railroad was completed in 1882, the depot was built south and west of the German Settlement, which effectively moved the town to its present location on Highway 59, just north of Highway 20. Many of the early settlers came from the province of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and they decided to honor their homeland by naming their new home after their old one. By the 1890s, Holstein, Iowa, was a proud, vibrant, growing community. The descendants of many of the early settlers still live here today and the town is populated with those family names of: Bagenstos, Bauer, Clausen, Ewoldt, Friedrichsen, Fritz, Goettsch, Grell, Hansen, Kolb, Kuchel, Lamp, Leonard, Meyer, Schmidt, Schroeder, Volkert, Vollmar, Werner, Wienert, Wiese and Wulf.

FAVORITE SPOT IN THE MIDWEST

The town of Holstein is not named after the dairy cow, but we're proud of our spots nonetheless! You'll notice the black-and-white motif throughout the town, even though the community is named for a German province, not a Friesian bovine. Enjoy our town, our heritage and our friendly citizens. Willkommen Freunde means Welcome Friend! Come and visit us and you'll see why generations descending from the original settlers still call Holstein home, and why we believe this is one of the best SPOTS in the Midwest!

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Images of Holstein residents at the turn of the 20th century are superimposed on a photograph from the 1897 German Day Parade as it travels down Main Street Holstein. From left: Mr. and Mrs. Hiram J. Leonard; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schneckloth and sons John and Harry in one of the town's first autos; Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Claussen, better known as Coonie and Ma.