Saxon Lutheran Memorial

An outdoor history museum and log cabin village
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 The Saxons have arrived and a community is born.

                                                                It's 1839 and you have just arrived on a river steam boat
                                                                                    from St. Louis to a wooded region along the Mississippi
                                                                                                               called Perry County that you will soon be calling home. 
 
This is what the 600+ Saxon Lutheran immigrants faced as they disembarked onto the shores in Wittenberg, MO.  They traveled here by ship from Bremen, Germany through New Orleans and up the river to St. Louis.   There they stayed for a few months until land was purchased and they could finally settle and become a community again.  The early settlements were called: Wittenberg, Dresden, Seelitz, Altenburg, Frohna, Johannesberg, and Paitzdorf (later changed to Uniontown).  This was the beginning of the East Perry County community as we know it today with Altenburg, Frohna, Uniontown, and  Wittenberg being the remaining active communities rich in church history, German culture and family heritage. 
 
The Saxons suffered many difficulties and losses, yet through persistence, determination, good community neighbors from Brazeau and above all, devout faith in God, they survived.  Not only that, they thrived.  They were a hardy bunch with a mission to be able to freely worship and teach in a way that was agreeable with their conscience. 
And in this endeavor they also succeeded.
 
The Saxon Lutheran Memorial is an outdoor history museum in the setting of a log cabin village located on the homestead and farm of an early pioneer name Thomas Twyman since 1820.  In 1839 it was bought by brothers Wilhelm and Christian Bergt whose family lived here from one generation to the next for 118 years.  The SLM is an integral part of the establishment of the East Perry County community by the courageous, dedicated and devout Saxon Lutheran immigrants from Germany in 1839.  It is dedicated to their pioneering spirit, the early lifestyles of homesteading and the beginning of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod which is all displayed throughout the various exhibits in our museum and log cabins on the property.
 
You are welcome to make arragements to schedule a tour for your family, organization, church or school by
contacting the curator, Lynda Lorenz at the information listed below. 
Tour buses and large groups are welcome, please schedule in advance.
 
Saxon Lutheran Memorial
Lynda Lorenz, Curator
296 Saxon Memorial Drive
Frohna, MO 63748
 
573-824-5404
  

 
At the end of a quiet gravel road, in the heart of the country, atop rolling pasture hills and wooded land, you will surely find rest and relaxation.  When you travel to the Saxon Lutheran Memorial you will find all of that and more.  You will also find interesting rich history, possibly familiar surroundings and personal connections, family traditons and a heritage deeply rooted in 
German culture mixed with devout religious Lutheran beliefs. 
 
When making a visit, whether you are just passing through or have called ahead to schedule a tour, you can be assured of an experience you won' t soon forget no matter how long or short of time you have time to spend.  There are many picturesque opportunities,  beautiful natural surroundings and always an interesting story or two.  All of this is freely available, however, since we are a non-profit organization, you are encouraged to consider leaving a free-will offering to help continue the preservation and upkeep of this important historic site.
 
Our site offers a variety of useful opportunities.  We have space enough to accomodate medium sized groups (50-100)very comfortably under the pavillion at the Visitor's Center. 
Are you planning a family get-together, an anniversary, or a birthday party?  We have space to accomodate your group.  Do you belong to an organization that is looking for a place to meet? 
 We can put you  on our calendar once you have called ahead to schedule.
    
 


The property where the Saxon Lutheran Memorial is located was originally owned by a frontiersman named, Thomas Twyman from North Caorlina in 1820.  He built a log cabin, two slave cabins and a barn, which are all still on the property and available for viewing while on the tour. 
 
The slave cabin pictured on the right, is our newest display cabin depicting how the interior of a cabin may have appeared at the time Mr. Twyman's slaves lived there in the 1820's.  
 
In 1839, the property was purchased by two brothers, Adolph and Wilhelm Bergt.  They were members of the Saxon Lutheran immigration that arrived fromGermany and settled in Frohna, MO.  They built a second cabin in 1840-41 which is attached to the 1820's cabin.  Later they built on to the original log barn by adding a larger frame  structure around it.  The Bergt family lived here for many generations; a total of 118 continuous years.  After Miss Lina Bergt's death in 1956, the last Bergt family member to live on the property,  a local farmer bought the farmstead for the purpose of working the fields. 
 
It was nothing short of a miracle that God led Dr. Kramer, a distant relative of the Bergt's, to inquire about purchasing the property and literally save it from destruction.  So in 1961 the Concordia Historical Institute of St. Louis; the archival arm of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, had raised enough funds to make the purchase.  After many trips from St. Louis to Frohna, brown-bag lunches and days of intense labor their dream was realized by opening the buildings to the public in 1964.  The purpose and mission of CHI, along with the SLM Council, is to preserve & restore the buildings and site so that it will always be available to the public & LCMS church-at-large as an historic site and memorial to the Saxon Lutheran immigration.  
 
I invite you to come to the site for a visit, where you can learn something new by seeing something old.
 
 
Saxon Lutheran   Memorial             Hours of operation:
Lynda Lorenz, Curator                        March 1 - November 30
573-824-5404                                                Monday - closed
296 Saxon Memorial Drive                        Tuesday - Saturday  9am - 5pm
Frohna, MO 63748                                        Sunday 1pm - 4pm
slmlynda@att.net                                          Closed on most holidays
 
 COMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
FOR PERRY COUNTY, MO
(that I am aware of at time of update,
please feel free to let me know of other happenings.)
 
We are open for the 2009 season!
Load up the car and come on over to give the site a breath of new life  to the SLM for it's 2009 season.  Weather-permitting, bring a picnic, pack your camera, invite some friends and come on over because  we are ready to welcome our visitors once again.  
Visitor's hours are:
Tuesday - Saturday; 9am - 5pm
Sunday; 1pm - 4pm
Monday - closed
 
Please call ahead if you are coming with a big group or bus tour so we can be better prepared to arrange a  tour for your group.  We are able to accomodate charter buses and welcome the tour companies.
 
 Saturday, July 4th - Community Baking Day
YES! We will be open for baking that day.
No need to turn on your oven when ours will be hot.  Get your cooking done early so you can enjoy the rest of the day with your friends and family.  Your food will be ready to go when the get-togethers begin. You can cook your meat, bake your bread and desserts.
 
Wednesday, July 15th - EPCCA Annual Meeting
5:30 - 6:30pm Social hour; 6:30 - 8pm speaker & meeting
Bring your lawn chairs if you like.
There will be food and wine vendors in attendance sharing their special treats for your tasting pleasure.  Attendance prizes will be awarded compliments of our busineses who are members.  Come learn more about local tourism and how you can be part of making our communities the favorite place to visit .
The special guest speaker will be announced soon.
 
 
SLM Work Days
The council sets a couple of days a month to work on projects, repairs, and ongoing
enhancements to the site.  You are invited to join us each time or as time allows. 
 The day usually begins around 8am and goes until about 2pm -  lunch is always provided. 
Here are the upcoming scheduled days: 
 
Saturday, June 20th       8am - 3pm 
projects to be worked on:
haul logs from Norman Hellweges farm
new bannister on Fenwick cabin porch
shelf installed for microwave oven
work closet cleaned out and small upstairs room made into storage
wooden wagon made more sturdy
Broom/leather shop swept and vacuumed

An East Perry County Pictorial

Summer is a time for gardening. Gardens Galore!

 

 

A cheerful mix of lavendar, day lilies and primrose in the flower garden makes this cabin smile.

 

The wildflower garden is beginning to fill with lovely bursts of color all over the hill. 

 

The new herb garden is finally ready to grow savory flavors for your culinary creations. 

 

The vegetable garden is growing fast - it won't be long and it will be bursting with flavor.

 

 Let the pictures speak for themselves.  Anytime

you want  to take a peek through the eye of your camera,

please come by, the beauty is there to behold and to be taken. 

God is an awesome artist.

 

 

WE  LOVE  OUR  VOLUNTEERS 

 

Do you love cultural history?

Do you enjoy being around people?

Are you an outdoors kind of person?

Would you like to learn a new skill or craft?

Do you have a skill or hobby you'd like to share? 

 

If you have answered yes to any or all of the questions above,

then you have found the right  place.  The Saxon Memorial operates on

volunteer services that come from the heart.  This 30-acre

site is a labor of love.   Whatever area(s) of special interest or expertise

you have, we ask if you would be willing to share them with us.  All the maintenance,repairs and new additions are made possible by people,

like you, that want to make a productive contribution

to keeping history alive, interesting and available for visitors to our area.

 

This year we are establishing specialized committees. The concept is not new,

but here is how it works.  Commiting to a specialized committee allows

you to be involved as much or as little as you would like without making a lengthy commitment.  Most committees will only need to meet a few times a year in order to accomplish their tasks.  Others may need to meet more often as the duties require.  Either way, you can choose what suits your schedule and availablity best.   

 

What committe looks like a good fit for you?      

 

Tour Guides & Publicity committee

The persons serving here would be updated with the tour schedule in

      order to be avaiable to help with large groups.  Such details might

      include greeting guests, being a tour guide, leading an activity or

      tending the gift shop.  Others may help with assembling  mailings.

 

Building/Site Maintenance Committee

 The persons serving here would help with maintenance of the cabins

      and other buildings.  You would help with the buildings, any construction

      that might be necessary and  possibly the moving of buildings.

 

Hospitality Committee

The persons serving here would help with the preparations of serving

      meals to those groups who eat at our site.  This might include setting up

       the pavillion or visitor's center, serving the food, and cleaning the

       kitchen when the group is finished.

 

Cleaning Committee

Though this may sound obvious, the persons serving here would be

      part of our spring/fall cleaning days of the cabins and buildings to

      prepare for the start of the season and the fall festival.

       

If any of these areas seem like a project that you or a group you belong to

would like to adopt, please contact the curator.  

 

 Any of the tasks would be a great way to earn volunteer

hours for youth groups or school requirements or it might

just be the outlet you are looking for to unwind.

Call  573-824-5404 or  email,  slmlynda@att.net

 

 

God loves a cheerful doer.....and so do we!

Thank you to our volunteers for adopting projects.

 

One of our flower beds and the Herb garden have been adopted and will be in the good and kind care of individuals who have made a commitment to take care of these areas.

 

Bobby & Lucy Heezel of  St. Louis contacted me via email through this web site and asked if they could adopt the flower garden under the wooden sign along Saxon Memorial Drive.  It looks beautiful.

 

Several members of the Frohna Friendship Circle have offered to completely redo and maintain the herb garden each month this year.  They are starting with a culinary bed.

 

Jim & Gail Lictenegger of New Wells have donated wildflower seeds for the wildflower patch and scattered them over the ground.  We'll be anxious to see what all is in the mix.  Thanks so much!

 

Pictures will be taken of the gardens  so everyone can enjoy their beauty and progress.