Shenandoah Germanic Heritage Museum

07/29/2026

07/08/2026

We need you!
Attend our annual meeting.
Registration is closing soon.

07/08/2026

We will be having workdays before our big celebration and annual meeting. Extra hands to help clean and prepare for our event would be welcomed. We will work on July 22nd and July 29th from 9 a.m. until? Cleaning, w**d eating, etc. Let us know if you can help. Call 540-325-8853 if you plan to help. Bring your own lunch!

07/02/2026

THIS IS THE YEAR TO VISIT THE SHENANDOAH GERMANIC HERITAGE MUSEUM. WE ARE PLANNING A CELEBRATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH SHENANDOAH COUNTY’S 250TH CELEBRATION.. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL MEETING!
Friday, July 31, 10:00a.m.-3:00 p.m. – 11523 Back Road, Toms Brook, VA
The homestead will be open to the public in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. This event, along with Saturday afternoon, will be HKMI’s contribution to Shenandoah County’s public celebrations during 2026. Our event will feature 18th century crafts and artisans, demonstrations, and displays.
The bake oven will be in operation, weather permitting, with bread ready between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. and the museum will be open. There will be no picnic lunch served (feel free to bring your lunch). Come enjoy a great time of fellowship and meeting new people.
Saturday, August 1, 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. – Annual Meeting (Registration info below) St Luke Parish Hall, 923 St Luke Road, Woodstock, VA (approximately 8 miles south of HKMI at the intersection of Back Road and St Luke Ro
Afternoon – Visit the HKMI property to enjoy artisan skills and displays, interact with the public, and enjoy each other’s company.
On Saturday, grab & go lunch sandwich boxes are available at the Annual Meeting for those who plan to go straight to the homestead without stopping for lunch. Sandwich boxes must be pre-ordered on your registration form.
Saturday, August 1, 12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. – The Homestead will be open to the pub
HKMI ANNUAL MEETING REGISTRATION FORM
August 1, 2026 (Saturday)
Name(s)____________________________________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Phone _________________________Email________________________________________
Breakfast/Meeting
Registration _____ # attending x $5.00 = $______________
Breakfast _____ # attending x $20.00 = $______________
(Children under 12 FREE) Sub-total $________
Grab & Go Sandwich Box (includes choice of sandwich, chips, 2 cookies) for lunch
Veggie wrap ____ # x $13.00
Chicken salad croissant ____ # x $13.00
Club croissant ____ # x $13.00
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $__________
Make checks payable to “HKMI” and please mail ASAP to Cheryl Hottle, 1518 Polk Rd, Edinburg, VA 22824. Registration and payment must be received by July 10, 2026.
For questions, please call Cheryl Hottle at (703)203-9665 or Vicki Mongold at (540)896-2129.

05/21/2026

The workday scheduled for Saturday, May 23 has been cancelled due to the rain. It will be too wet to do the outside work that had been planned.

05/17/2026

Another workday is planned for Saturday, May 23 to continue the clean up around the George Hottel chimney, foundation, and Spring House.

04/28/2026

Thanks to the eight volunteers who cleaned the area around the spring box and removed accumulated silt from the spring box which was built in 1913. Clean water is once again flowing into the dairy trough in the Summer Kitchen.

04/18/2026

April 25, Saturday...another workday is scheduled and you are invited to participate. We hope to remove accumulated silt from the spring box near the Keller House, clean out the spring house in the Hottel meadow, and remove debris from the south end of the Mill House. Please bring waterproof boots for the "water" areas! We had great particpation at the March workday. Let's match it in April!

04/03/2026

A foundation on the mountain above the Keller House has been a source of speculation for many years. We know that their son, Henry, built the present house that we all love so much... so where did George and Anna Barbara Hottel Keller live when they first came into this area from Pennsylvania. We like to think that this is the foundation of their home. Unfortunately, we will probably never know for sure.
Six of us worked all morning clearing briars, brambles and small trees from the ruins. Sadly, many of the stones have fallen into what appears to have been the cellar in the time since some of us had visited the site a number of years ago.
The first picture is the foundation facing north. There is evidence of steps going into the foundation. The second is facing south where a large chimney may have been located.
What would we do without our wonderful tractor! We plan to return soon the continue the clean up.

03/06/2026

Reconnect with your Heritage

WORKDAY March 28, April 25 & May 23

9 AM - ?

Your ancestors’ homes are in need of grooming. Please join us for a day of fellowship and work at 11523 Back Rd, Toms Brook.

Needs at the Keller House: cleaning out flower beds, cleaning out the spring box (if warm), cleaning inside the house, removing small trees and shrubs from the ice house foundation and around the Mill House.

Needs at the Hottel chimney, foundation and Spring House: cleaning up debris that has collected.

What to bring: gloves, waterproof boots, clippers, chain saws or whatever you are good at!

RSVP to Melissa Wright (call or text 540-325-8853)