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Catharine Model Buildings Display
Ellis County Historical Museum is home to the Catharine Model Buildings Display, which consists of twenty-five buildings, plus some outbuildings such as a barn, a storm cellar and silos. The buildings range in size from 22½" wide, 60" long and 42" tall (the church) to 11½" wide, 15½" long and 9½" tall (the sod house). A description and short history for each building is available for viewing.
The display includes the St. Catherine Catholic Church and Rectory, the Leseverein Library-Casino Hall, the Sisters Convent, the Schmidt General Store/Post Office, the St. Catherine's Parochial School, the 1st public school, a dugout, a sod house, a log cabin, a Volga-German house, a garage and granary, a wash house, the Alois Dorzweiler store and Joseph A. Giebler's woodworking shop. A number of houses are also included in the display. The homes of John and Catherine Schmidt, Frank Walters, Frank E. and Anna Karlin, Albert Staab and the Schulmeister, Jacob Schmidt's home. There is also both the town home and the farm home of Paul and Catherine Schmidt on display, as well as the boyhood home of Leo Dorzweiler; and the Dorzweiler home in Katharinenstadt, Russia. A model building of St. Andrew Episcopal Church, located north of Hays, can also be seen in the display.
The models were built by Jerome Schmidt beginning in 2001 up until 2008 when he donated them to the Ellis County Historical Society.
The display includes the St. Catherine Catholic Church and Rectory, the Leseverein Library-Casino Hall, the Sisters Convent, the Schmidt General Store/Post Office, the St. Catherine's Parochial School, the 1st public school, a dugout, a sod house, a log cabin, a Volga-German house, a garage and granary, a wash house, the Alois Dorzweiler store and Joseph A. Giebler's woodworking shop. A number of houses are also included in the display. The homes of John and Catherine Schmidt, Frank Walters, Frank E. and Anna Karlin, Albert Staab and the Schulmeister, Jacob Schmidt's home. There is also both the town home and the farm home of Paul and Catherine Schmidt on display, as well as the boyhood home of Leo Dorzweiler; and the Dorzweiler home in Katharinenstadt, Russia. A model building of St. Andrew Episcopal Church, located north of Hays, can also be seen in the display.
The models were built by Jerome Schmidt beginning in 2001 up until 2008 when he donated them to the Ellis County Historical Society.