by JIM LANGHAM

Between 50 and 60 membersof the Hauenstein family, whomade the well-known ciderpress available to SwissHeritage Village, met at thisyear's Swiss Heritage Festivalfor their annual family reunion.However, this year was aspecial occasion because it wasthe family's 125th reunion.

Eric Hauenstein said that hesuggested the possibility of thefamily moving the date of thereunion a couple of weeks andmeeting by their familyheritage cider press at thefestival. The response wasimmediately positive and theyended up having a catered mealserved at the South AdamsSenior Center before heading tothe festival where theymarveled at the operation of thecider press.

"We stayed and took all kindsof pictures. Everyone loved it.They loved it so much that theywant to do it next year again,"

said Hauenstein. "In fact, Iwouldn't be surprised if we endup doing it every year.”

"We can't say enough abouthow well the people at SwissHeritage Village havemaintained the cider press. Itdefinitely went to the rightplace," continued Hauenstein."We are so proud of the workthat Amos Schwartz put into it.We are sorry for his loss; hewas such a good friend to us,but we know it is still in goodhands as his family continuesto help."

Hauenstein noted that hisson, William Frederick, fourthgeneration from the originalcreator of the cider press,comes to Berne with him and islearning certain things aboutthe maintenance of the press.The press was built during theCivil War (1861-1864) by F.William Hauenstein inHuntington County, Indiana.

Mr. Hauenstein was a Swissimmigrant who settled near hisbrother in Huntington in 1856.

There he bought a farm whichcontained a large apple orchard.The huge trees on theHauenstein farm became thetimbers used for framing hiscider press. Mr. Hauensteinbuilt his press, which is still thelargest in the world, purelyfrom his recollection of thosehe had seen in Switzerland. Ina newspaper interview just 2years before his death he statedthat he had figured out how tomake the nut and screwassembly function to raise andlower the pressing beam when

it came to him in a dream.The descendants of Mr.Hauenstein are happy to see thecider press a part of SwissHeritage Village. During thesummer of 1992, the press andbarn were dismantled andmoved to Berne. The press wasthen reconstructed and the barnrebuilt around it. As much ofthe original barn timbers andframing were used as possiblein the reconstruction, so it isessentially the same barn whichhoused the press in Huntington.

Swiss Heritage Society MessengerSwiss Heritage Society, Inc. November 2013 Berne, Indiana 46711

Hauenstein Family Celebrates 125th Anniversaryat Swiss Heritage Village

West Coast Family Brings Back Roots of their Father to Museum

Mission Statement: To spark and sustain an interest in the cultural heritage of Berne, Indiana and southern Adams County by promoting learning through discovery.

By JIM LANGHAM

Darlene Nichols and Donald Moser,children of Berne native Vern Moser, visitedthe local area this past summer to donateminiature rooms made by their father to theSwiss Heritage Village and also the HeritageRoom at the Berne Library.

Vern was born in Berne in 1903, the oldestson of Charles and Bertha (Liechty) Moser.However, his family moved to Los Angelesby train in 1911. Both Moser and his sister,Francis, had been delivered by "horse andbuggy doctor," Dr. Amos Reusser."My father's home place was in the BunkerHIll area, located southeast of Berne, on what

was Christian and Emma Liechty's farm,"said Darlene (Moser) Nichols.

"Dad wrote his story about his childhooddays here," added Nichols. "Our grandparentsare buried in the MRE Cemetery. Mygrandparents lived the remainder of theirlives in California. Grandpa worked in therailroad yards. My brother and I were raisedthere."

As Vern Moser started recalling memoriesof his Indiana days, he started building roomsand furniture on a one-inch scale from hisrecollection of those days. He then placed hisroom displays in cases in glass-type boxes.

The first case that Moser built was thelargest and displays a combination living-dining room and two bedrooms. It measures

over four feet long. The other four casesmeasured 26x16 inches.

For Donald Moser, the trip to Indiana thispast summer was his first trip ever. He notedthat he had always questioned about the waythings looked where his father had lived.

"I always wanted to go and see the originalfarm," Moser said. "The buildings no longerexist but a lot of foundations were there. Itgives me a feeling of being connected. All ofmy life I was told that I am Swiss and myfamily came from Berne. I was told that, butI had no idea where Berne was or what itlooked like." Both Swiss Heritage Village andthe Heritage Room appreciate the generosityof the Mosers in presenting their displays.

By JIM LANGHAM

It was 1993 whenMadelyn Wurster askedMerle Inniger to serve assummer director at SwissHeritage Village andMuseum.

“We were there for fiveyears,” said Gloria Inniger.

“It was in the beginning stages at that time and only the second year thatthey gave tours. I volunteered there to help alleviate all his responsibilitieswith tours. “It’s been great to see the village grow,” continued Inniger.“It’s been amazing the way people have contributed things. People say thatit’s the best outdoor museum in Indiana. That’s because of the way thecommunity supports it.”

Merle passed away in April of 2006, but Gloria has sustained hervolunteerism to the village and museum for 20 years. Currently, she worksin the museum shop on Friday afternoons, and also helps at special eventslike the festival.

In addition, she also volunteers at Compassionate Ministries. “I like tobe with people,” said Inniger, “and I enjoy doing things for people. If youwant to be friends, you have to be a friend.” Gloria was raised in Chicagoand Merle was raised in Berne. The two met at Moody Bible Institute.

Ironically, the only time Gloria had ever heard of Berne was when sheread an article in Christian Life Magazine about Berne having a five-weekDaily Vacation Bible School that bussed kids to school through the publicschool transportation system. When she mentioned it to Merle, he told herthat he had attended that Bible School for eight years and had a report cardto show for it. Prior to retiring in the Berne area, the Innigers served for40 years in Pakistan and London.

“There is a special blessing for volunteers,” said Inniger, “and it is agreat opportunity to get to know people you might not otherwise meet inother settings.”

Page 2 Swiss Heritage Society Messenger November 2013

Greetings.......... from the Executive Director

Inniger Enjoys Meeting Peopleas a Volunteer at Swiss Heritage

On a weekend not so long ago I had the opportunity tocelebrate the remarkable 100th birthday of mygrandmother, Mildred Keller. As I enjoyed the picturesthat had been laid out for the occasion, I thought abouthow much the times have changed since her birth in 1913.I also pondered the heritage she has passed on to herfamily. Values are a major part of ones heritage.

Hard work, the value of a dollar, and faith in God areamong the values I have learned from my grandma. Also,if there was ever a person on this planet who demonstratedunconditional love to me, it was her. With each passingyear Mildred has wondered why the good Lord has left heron this earth. Grandpa has been with Jesus almost 11 yearsnow – she misses him dearly. At age 99 she fell and brokeher hip which necessitated nursing care and leaving herbeloved home. Change is never easy and the older we getthe harder it is, so adjusting to this new season of life hasbeen a challenge.

On this particular day, grandma was enjoying herself.She grinned as she greeted her friends and family,welcoming them to the celebration. I watched as shereached out her beautifully aged hands to grasp the onesof those before her, and the way she looked at each of uswith love, no matter who it was or how long they hadknown her. What a blessing! I couldn’t help but think thisday’s celebration was just a taste of what grandma will oneday experience in heaven, where there are numerous lovedones waiting to welcome her to that eternal celebration.

May each of you reading this have a blessed holidayseason! As you gather with family & friends to creatememories for the future while celebrating the heritage thatis yours, don’t neglect to enjoy the present day. The SwissHeritage Society says “Thank You” for all of your supportas we continue to preserve the heritage of Berne, Indianaand southern Adams County.

Barn Painting Planned for Spring 2014Last December, we received two separate $1000 donations earmarked

specifically for the painting of the barn. Since then, the Swiss HeritageSociety has been trying to raise the remaining funds to be able to completethe project. In its entirety, the cost of the project is a little over $12,000. Todate, we have been able to set aside ¾ of the money and the barn paintinghas been scheduled for the spring of next year.

“We are grateful to the First Bank of Berne for their contribution thisyear, as well as the Adams County Community Foundation for the grant theyawarded us,” stated Debby Neuenschwander. In addition, a number of otherdonations have trickled in from Swiss Heritage members and individualsover the course of the year. “It’s exciting to see the funds grow,” saidNeuenschwander. “We had planned to use money from the auction to coverthe remaining $4000, but five days before the benefit auction our 28 yearold air conditioner unit died, and the furnace is close behind.” As a result,the majority of auction funds will have go towards replacing the heating &cooling system for the gift shop and offices before the end of the year.

Anyone who would like to still donate to the “Paint the Barn” projectthis year can send their check to the Swiss Heritage Society at P.O. Box 88,Berne, IN, 46711.

The Sweitzer Barn provided the backdrop for the1st Annual Kinderlauf, held on October 4, 2013.

Fourth Grade Education Day was on Friday, September 6th. The iconic yellow school busses began to line Swiss Way at 8:30 AM,delivering nearly 1,400 students from five counties for a day filled with lots of learning and fun. Many hours were spent preparing forthis day, which has evolved over the years to take its present form. Artisans, demonstrators, historical rein-actors, as well as numerousvolunteers look forward to the excitement, awe and wonder of so many children enjoying hands on experiences like none other! Alongwith the students and teachers, we say “THANK YOU” to each and every person and business who helped make this day possible.

November 2013 Swiss Heritage Society Messenger Page 3

Scenes From Swiss Heritage Education Day

The Swiss Heritage Festivaltook place on Saturday,September 7th, drawing acrowd that began to arriveimmediately at 10 A.M. andcontinued throughout the lateafternoon hours. An estimated2300 people attended thefestival. Excellent musicalentertainment was providedthroughout the day and could beheard all around the village,adding to the ambiance that wascreated by costumes, activities,stories and the authentic

buildings on the grounds. Folksfound plenty of delicious foodto satisfy their appetites, too.Apples were pressed in the 150year old Hauenstein Cider Pressas onlookers caught a glimpseof the 19th century process andthen could taste the resultingproduct. From the school houseto the black smith to the kettlecorn and baby chicks, and all ofthe activities & games inbetween, there was somethingfor everyone; a day full ofmemories and family fun!

Swiss Heritage Festival A HUGE Success

By JIM LANGHAM

Even though his responsibil-ities have sometimes demandedthat he appear in the forefront,he is most comfortable when heis the energy keeping thingsrolling behind the scenes.

It was 20 years ago whenMadelyn Wurster approachedFred Lehman about workingwith the (then) newly-initiatedSwiss Heritage Village.Although Lehman ended upserving for many years on theorganization's board ofdirectors, his first promotedevent was bringing a NativeAmerican Powwow to theBerne area.

"Many felt that it was thewave sweeping the country atthe time," said Lehman. "Wethought it would be of particularinterest for people who hadn’thad much contact with NativeAmericans."

The first Powwow was atremendous success; there wereover 3,000 in attendance andcars were backed up on ParrRoad looking for places to park.There was only one glitch.

Lehman had scheduled the firstdance at 11 a.m., not knowingthat was not a traditional hourfor NativeA m e r i c a ndances."At 11 a.m.we had all ofthese peoplelined up andthere weren'tany NativeAmer icanshere," saidL e h m a n ,who admit-ted that thes i t u a t i o nbriefly threwhim into apanic.

"Suddenly,the peoples t a r t e dshouting, 'the Indians are here,the Indians are here,'" continuedLehman. "I breathed a sigh ofrelief. I tried to learn their waysa little better for the next year."Lehman said that three yearslater Powwow success hadgrown to over 6,000 people. Butthere were many stressful things

that developed with thesituation so officials decided tocombine things and make the

event more of a" p i o n e e rfestival," similarto what ismarketed now.

One ofL e h m a n ' sbiggest joys isthe naturecontributions hehas made to thevillage. Henoted that of the40-some newtrees planted oncampus, he haseither planted ordirected theplanting ofevery tree. Healso enjoys

maintaining the trail in thewoods and assisted with thedevelopment of the garden atthe beginning.

Another contributionLehman has enjoyed is what hereferred to as the, "funactivities," pioneer gameswhich he either learned of from

other festivals or purelydeveloped on his own. Asuggestion from a SmithBrothers employee broughtabout the introduction of thevery popular Saturday morning"wiener dog" races.

Lehman said that he hasbegun a personal programwithin himself where he hopesto fade some and allow youngerpeople to take over some of theactivities that he has beeninvolved with. Still, he alsoplans to remain involved withthe festival and the HolidayBazaar at South Adams HighSchool, a major fund-raiser forthe village each year.

"Working at the village hasgiven me a tremendous sense ofsatisfaction," said Lehman. "Iwas raised in the country andI've always loved working inthe country. In some ways,mowing the yard, planting treesand doing the outdoor thingshas been like going home. "I've wanted to extend my loveof the land to the communitythat I love. I hope that I've beenable to accomplish a little ofthat," said Lehman."

Page 4 Swiss Heritage Society Messenger November 2013

35th Annual The 35th Annual Holiday Bazaar was held on Nov. 2nd at theSouth Adams Schools. Nearly 100 vendors lined the hallwaysand filled the building from one end to the other. Each year theSwiss Heritage Society sponsors the bazaar and asks patrons togive $1 at the door. This money goes 100% towards the SouthAdams Scholarship Fund. Traditionally, this has totaled rightaround $1000 for the students.

“We are pleased to be able to contribute annually to the fundand feel this is one way we can give back to our community,”commented Holiday Bazaar organizer Gretchen Lehman, “and itis always encouraging to see our young people willing to helpwith our events.”

Lehman Enjoys Being the Energy Behind the Scene

The traditional Christmas Eve Service at theBaumgartner Church will once again be held at6 PM and 9 PM. Please be reminded thatseating is limited. Parking will be availablenear the church with access from Swiss WayRoad.

South Adams HighSchool Seniors alongwith their teacher,Mr. Moser, recentlyworked at SwissHeritage in conjunctionwith Senior ServantDay. They providedexcellent assistancewith a number of tasks!

Holiday Bazaar

November 2013 Swiss Heritage Society Messenger Page 5

by JIM LANGHAM

One of the special enjoyments that hasbecome engrained in my soul in recentmonths has been times spent walkingthrough nature on the trails of the LoblollyMarsh Reserve, located a few milessouthwest of Geneva in the land whichonce housed the Limberlost Swamp.

At first I started walking for the exercise,then I became addicted to the beauty of thewild flowers that created a color quilteffect that overspread in different colorsand shapes. Finally, I realized that bywalking in nature, I was in the quietnessof the spirit of God, a natural prayershawl, as it were, a place for me to growin my closeness to our Lord throughprayer.

One of the most special experiencesoccurred a few weeks ago. A close friendembraces the presence of Monarchbutterflies as an indication of God'spresence and promise in her life. At thetime, she was going through a difficulttime and there was nothing I wanted morethan to be able to take a picture of aMonarch and convert it into a meaningfulframed picture.

The difficult thing is that Monarchs arefidgety; they dart hither and thither andseldom land on anything long enough tophotograph. I literally prayed as I walked

on to the trail, "Lord, if it's your will, helpa Monarch to land long enough for me tophotograph."

Astonishingly, minutes later, a beautifulMonarch drifted in front of me, sat on abush and seemingly was waiting to bephotographed. Nervously, I opened mycamera while the butterfly patientlywaited to seemingly fill out its part in thismission. Over the next minute, I snappedsix pictures of the butterfly while itpatiently waited through its session.

In this quick snippet of God's natureprovision, I learned several things.Nothing is too small to pray for; Godloves it when contacts with things Hecreated empower our Christian walk andnormal settings can quickly becomespiritually significant once they are visitedby the Holy Spirit.

I thought of special places in the OldTestament that were named because Godhad met people there in a special way,Bethel, Gilgal, Gilead and others. As Irealized I was in such a place, I stayed aminute later to pour out my heart to Godin my new "place of prayer."

Places of prayer don't have to be in frontof stained glass windows or other religioussymbols. It is simply a spot where Godmeets us in a special way, and it canbecome sacred to us forever.

by JIM LANGHAM

The story of Richard Yoder and the split railfence at Swiss Heritage Village actually began25 years ago. Trees in his forest had died andhe began cutting them up and converting theminto rails. When Yoder heard at the time thatSwiss Heritage Village was looking for a railfence, he decided to donate to the youngvillage’s undertaking. Over the course of thepast 25 years, the bottom rails in particular,started to rot, so Heritage Society official DonKuhn phoned Yoder and asked him if he couldhelp repair the breaches.

"I had ash trees that were dying so I usedsome steel wedges to try to shape the rails.However, I found that was much more difficultto work with, so I pulled out a chain sawwhere I could guide the line in splitting thelogs," observed Yoder.

"The exercise was good for my physicalbody so I felt good," continued Yoder. "I putone around my woods on 200 West. At SwissHeritage Village, the Boy Scouts, as well asanother group of students, each helped with asection of fence and I finished the rest."

Yoder said that completing the fence onceagain at Swiss Heritage Village gave him asense of accomplishment and a feeling that hehad used his talents to do something for thecommunity.

"I was glad to help; I knew how to do it andhad done it before. God supplied the woodand gave me the strength to tackle the projectagain," continued Yoder. "I am still makingrails. I have a lot of wood; I've got over 1,500rails made.”

"One of my friends built a log cabin inJefferson Township. I told him that if he isgoing to have a log cabin, he has to have a railfence around it. I really enjoy what I am doing.I'm glad to help all that I can," added Yoder.

Yoder Recycles Treesfor Split Rail Fences

Create a Legacy The opportunity continues to purchase bricks and

make ongoing donations toward the, "Create a LegacyProject" at Swiss Heritage Village. Donations forbricks range from $125 to $300 depending on size ofbrick. Additional bricks cost less. Please contactSwiss Heritage for more information.

Fifth Commemorative Silver Coins Available

Marsh Offers a New Journey Through Prayer

SilverTowne, L.P. of Winchester, IN, has beencommissioned, once again, by Swiss Heritage Societyto mint the fifth 1 oz. commemorative silver coin. Thehistoric doctor’s office of Dr. Peter A. Sprunger (“Hami Pete”) is the featured buildingfor this year’s coin.

The coin will be available beginning in December for $55, and members who wishto purchase five or more coins will receive a $5 discount on each one, making them$50 each.

There are also some unnumbered coins that feature the Baumgartner church andsome remaining numbered coins featuring the Yager school that are available at $47each, while supplies last. If you would like your coins mailed, please add an additional$5 per coin for postage and insurance. To order, you may mail a check to SwissHeritage Society, Inc., P.O. Box 88, Berne, IN, 46711, or call 260-589-8007.

Become a Member!

We want you to join us in educating others and preservingthe heritage of southern Adams County, Indiana, through theSwiss Heritage Village, Museum and Nature Center and itsmany events. Members of the Swiss Heritage Society receivethe newsletter, invitations to all programs, workshops andconferences plus free admission to the museum village andspecial events. All gifts over $25 are deductible. Please complete this form and remit with your check to:

Swiss Heritage Society, Inc.P.O. Box 88Berne, IN 46711

Learn more online at:www.swissheritage.org or call 260-589-8007.

1200 Swiss Way • P.O. Box 88Berne, IN 46711

Visit us at: www.swissheritage.org email: debbyn@swissheritage.org

Find us on Facebook at: Swiss Heritage Village and Museum

To:

Our Mission Statement:To spark and sustain interest in the cultural heritage

of Berne, Indiana and Southern Adams County bypromoting learning through discovery.

Dated Material--Do Not Delay!

Village Patriarch

Preservationist

Village Builder

Friend of the Village

Pioneer Family

Individual Pioneer

$1,000

$ 500

$ 250

$ 100

$ 50

$ 25

1-25 employees

26-50 employees

51-75 employees

75+ employees

$100-250

$250-400

$400-550

$550-1,000

Annual Membership Levels Annual Business Memberships

New Membership

Renewal

Contributions to Swiss Heritage Society are tax deductible in accordance withIRS code regulations. Swiss Heritage Society is a tax-exempt, non-profit, ed-ucational, charitable institution under state and federal laws. All gifts over$25 are deductible to the fullest extent of these regulations.

Name(Please Print)Address

City State Zip

Phone ( ) Cell ( )

Email

Signature Date

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S.Postage

PAIDPermit #59

Berne, IN 46711