“Even though we don’t hear much German spoken in the
village, we walk the same streets and live in the same houses as those early
German settlers, and we respect their history and contributions to the present.
And we absolutely appreciate the German in German Village” (33).
The Book
Remembering German Village: Columbus, Ohio’s
Historic Treasure is a
collection of columns originally published in This Week (a community newspaper) and written by Jody H. Graichen
(former director of the German Village Society). The book is broken into three
sections: Historic Preservation, Residents, and Structures.
The first
section introduces the reader to the history of German Village and the unique
architecture, which reflects the area’s humble beginnings and eventual growth.
In the mid-1800s early German immigrants built two unique styles of homes: a
story and a half home and a Dutch Double (allowing for two families to co-own).
The early settlers took more care with the side of the house facing the street
in order to impress others. This could be considered an early version of curb
appeal.
The second
section builds upon the history by looking closer at the residents of German
Village. They chose to leave Germany due to war and famine. They chose Columbus
because of the ease of access through the National Road and canal system; in
addition, the immigrants wanted to leave their mark. Graichen provides specific
stories about early residents, showing the audience the mix of residential and
commercial in German Village. The third section focuses more on the concept of
reusing buildings. As a member of the National Register of Historic Places,
German Villages is protected from the teardown mentality. Instead, residents
renovate and develop new ways to use the historic buildings.
Remembering German Village is a quick and easy read. The columns are brief and provide snapshots of
history. The original audience was probably more familiar with the subject, but
the book is still interesting. In fact, the reader can imagine German Village
in the past and present-almost like their own walking tour.
The Place
A visit to German Village is a bit like stepping back in time. The
streets are brick paved and the buildings appear to be plucked from Germany.
Visitors can stroll down main and residential streets: admiring the
architecture, exploring Schiller Park, or stopping in locally owned businesses.
The residents of German Village have done a great job preserving their
community and welcoming visitors.
Of course, if you are visiting German Village,
the one place you cannot miss is Schmidt’s, which serves
authentic (and delicious) German food. This family-owned restaurant began as a packing
house in 1886. Today, they are not just known for bratwurst but also for their
giant cream puffs. Eating here is definitely worth the wait.
