Boesch, Hummel, and Maltzahn Block
Encyclopedia
The Boesch, Hummel, and Maltzahn Block, also referred to as the Boesch-Hummel-Maltzahn Block, is a historic building in New Ulm, Minnesota
. The private, commercial structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP) on December 31, 1979. The building is significant for the extensive features of the front facade as compared to the other "Main Street
" buildings in New Ulm and surrounding communities.
-roofed bay window
s. Cut stone is also used as decoration on the second level as well as for a railed balcony over the stairway entrance on the northern section of the facade. Panels carrying the names of the persons first associated with the structure, as well as its completion year, are incorporated into an elaborate metal cornice
. The rear of the building still keeps the wooden stairways and two levels of covered walkways.
, Württemberg
, then a part of the German Confederation
. He was reared by his paternal grandparents; his grandfather was a tanner by trade. From age seven to twelve he attended school, and in 1844 his parents emigrated to the United States
, taking him along. The voyage was difficult, with various problems leading to spending 138 days on a ship. Of the more than 300 German immigrants in their group, 28 died on the trip and seven babies were born. They arrived in New Orleans in early March 1845, and soon his family moved to Cincinnati where they began work at an uncle's vineyard
. After the harvest, the family returned to New Orleans where they began trade in food stuffs. After a year of success, Hummel's father died of yellow fever
. This caused serious financial hardship for his mother and four siblings. As the oldest, William Hummel began working at a drug store, receiving at the time $8.00 per month and board. After a time he was sent back to Cincinnati to learn a trade; his uncle taught him to be a harness maker. Soon after there was a cholera
outbreak, shutting down businesses and causing Hummel to look for new work. Finding employment as an apprentice trunk-maker, he was able to earn a stable living. In 1850 he joined the Cincinnati Turner Society
, reemerging himself in German customs and language. The Turner Society appealed to Hummel, particularly the advocacy of intellectual freedom. He began working on the steamers
on the Ohio
and Mississippi River
s, earning more money and seeing more parts of the country. In 1852, he arrived in St. Louis, Missouri
, where he found maternal relatives who convinced him to stay and find work. Six months later, he moved to Chicago
and continued his involvement in the local Turner Society.
Hummel moved to New Ulm in 1856, soon after its founding, and helped form its own Turner Society and taught gymnastics in the new hall. He tried making a living in several areas including farming, operating a drug store and running a saloon, before co-founding the New Ulm Creamery
Company in 1880 and finding success. With the profits he opened a general store
on Minnesota Street in downtown New Ulm. By 1890 he was one of the most successful businessmen in the city, he joined Werner Boesch and Edward Maltzahn to open a new business block. They hired architect Carl Struck of Minneapolis, who had previously designed the Brown County
Courthouse. When the structure was built in 1890, the structure was part of the second generation of masonry blocks built to house retail establishments in New Ulm and the surrounding area; it is considered to be the most visually striking of that generation. Hummel continued running the store until 1903.
New Ulm, Minnesota
New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County....
. The private, commercial structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP) on December 31, 1979. The building is significant for the extensive features of the front facade as compared to the other "Main Street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
" buildings in New Ulm and surrounding communities.
Structure
The Boesch, Hummel, and Maltzahn Block is a two-story structure located on the north side of New Ulm's main commercial thoroughfare, consisting of 6, 8, 10 and 12 Minnesota Street North. The street level facade has been remodeled several times over the years, but still maintains the cut stone dividing members. The second story facade features relief-laid brick and four, large copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
-roofed bay window
Bay window
A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room, either square or polygonal in plan. The angles most commonly used on the inside corners of the bay are 90, 135 and 150 degrees. Bay windows are often associated with Victorian architecture...
s. Cut stone is also used as decoration on the second level as well as for a railed balcony over the stairway entrance on the northern section of the facade. Panels carrying the names of the persons first associated with the structure, as well as its completion year, are incorporated into an elaborate metal cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. The rear of the building still keeps the wooden stairways and two levels of covered walkways.
History
William Hummel was born on October 22, 1832 in NeuffenNeuffen
Neuffen is a town in the district of Esslingen, in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.-Geography:It is located 14 km northeast of Reutlingen, and 28 km southeast of Stuttgart....
, Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, then a part of the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
. He was reared by his paternal grandparents; his grandfather was a tanner by trade. From age seven to twelve he attended school, and in 1844 his parents emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, taking him along. The voyage was difficult, with various problems leading to spending 138 days on a ship. Of the more than 300 German immigrants in their group, 28 died on the trip and seven babies were born. They arrived in New Orleans in early March 1845, and soon his family moved to Cincinnati where they began work at an uncle's vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
. After the harvest, the family returned to New Orleans where they began trade in food stuffs. After a year of success, Hummel's father died of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
. This caused serious financial hardship for his mother and four siblings. As the oldest, William Hummel began working at a drug store, receiving at the time $8.00 per month and board. After a time he was sent back to Cincinnati to learn a trade; his uncle taught him to be a harness maker. Soon after there was a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
outbreak, shutting down businesses and causing Hummel to look for new work. Finding employment as an apprentice trunk-maker, he was able to earn a stable living. In 1850 he joined the Cincinnati Turner Society
Turners
Turners are members of German-American gymnastic clubs. A German gymnastic movement was started by Turnvater Friedrich Ludwig Jahn in the early 19th century when Germany was occupied by Napoleon...
, reemerging himself in German customs and language. The Turner Society appealed to Hummel, particularly the advocacy of intellectual freedom. He began working on the steamers
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
on the Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
s, earning more money and seeing more parts of the country. In 1852, he arrived in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, where he found maternal relatives who convinced him to stay and find work. Six months later, he moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and continued his involvement in the local Turner Society.
Hummel moved to New Ulm in 1856, soon after its founding, and helped form its own Turner Society and taught gymnastics in the new hall. He tried making a living in several areas including farming, operating a drug store and running a saloon, before co-founding the New Ulm Creamery
Creamery
In a dairy, the creamery is the location of cream processing. Cream is separated from whole milk; pasteurization is done to the skimmed milk and cream separately. Whole milk for sale has had some cream returned to the skimmed milk....
Company in 1880 and finding success. With the profits he opened a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
on Minnesota Street in downtown New Ulm. By 1890 he was one of the most successful businessmen in the city, he joined Werner Boesch and Edward Maltzahn to open a new business block. They hired architect Carl Struck of Minneapolis, who had previously designed the Brown County
Brown County, Minnesota
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat is New Ulm.-Geography:...
Courthouse. When the structure was built in 1890, the structure was part of the second generation of masonry blocks built to house retail establishments in New Ulm and the surrounding area; it is considered to be the most visually striking of that generation. Hummel continued running the store until 1903.