These photos are dated from March 18th, 1995. Check out what the GAHC&M looked like before the renovation! Our team of dedicated volunteers put in many hours of work to transform the abandoned building into a museum. Do you remember when the Standard Hotel was still open?

Swipe to see a photo of the "last tenant" ➡️

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Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th all over the world. It is an old tradition and it is not entirely clear where it started. Most agree that it was originally a Christian holiday, and was observed to honor one or two early Christian martyrs. There were a number of early Christian martyrs named "Valentine." There are many theories about the origins of Valentine's Day dating back to the 3rd century. Today's association with romantic love began around the 14th and 15th centuries and has spread all over the world. Some countries have moved away from the emphasis on romantic love and celebrate platonic love between friends.

European immigrants brought the Valentine’s Day tradition to the United States and after WWII, American Soldiers brought it back to Germany. Now it has become very common to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Germany.

These Valentine's postcards are part of the GAHC's collection. These were sent to Ida Kress Buck of Walcott, Iowa. Ida's mother was the daughter of Jacob Brus, an early settler of Blue Grass, Iowa. His brother, John Brus, built and managed the Germania Haus (present day German American Heritage Center) when it was a hotel for immigrants. These postcards were donated by Edwin Geest, Ida's nephew.

In the early 1900s before telephones and automobiles, many people did not live close together. Their form of communication was post cards. It was an easy way to keep in touch with loved ones and friends.

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