Jaunt down to New Ulm, Minn. this summer. You won’t be disappointed. There’s a ton of stuff to do. (This is the fourth and final post in a series.)
- Don't miss touring the Wanda Gag house in New Ulm when you go. The interior paint is wild and wacky.
WANDA GAG HOUSE
Ever read “Millions of Cats” as a child? I read it to my daughter because she loves cats as much as I do. So when I learned that the author, Wanda Gag, grew up in New Ulm, I marked her childhood home as a Must-See during our trip there. It is indeed a cool house.
- The Gag house is on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The House that Anton Built was out of the family's hands for seven decades.
Wanda Gag’s father was an artist, photographer and all-around wacky guy. After falling out of the family’s hands for seven decades, the Gag (pronounced “gog”) family home at 226 North Washington, was purchased in 1988 by a group intent on restoring it. Today Anton Gag’s original color schemes once again decorate the interior and exterior walls of the Queen Anne home. In one section of the house, the restorers had to peel away 20 layers of paint to showcase Anton’s work. Anton was ahead of his time in many ways. He built the house in 1894 and included two skylights, an attic artist’s studio and wire for electricity before it reached his part of town.
Seven is the theme of the house. Anton had seven children, and there are seven rooms in the house. There are also seven paint colors used on the outside (and one more that my husband pointed out... guess the restorers accidently added another on the front porch floor).
We opted to take a guided tour, which I recommend. Our guide passed along interesting stories and features we wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. The tour took about 1/2 hour, and she thanked us for coming at the end. I got the impression they don’t get a lot of visitors, but I don’t know why. It’s such an interesting home and the family is fascinating!
Culture, peace and religious tolerance were virtues Anton considered necessary for happy living, according to a handout at the museum. Along with two other artists, Chris Heller and Alexander Schwendinger, Anton did painting, paperhanging, frescoes and signs. The trio became well-known throughout Minnesota for their fine work. The partners created the beautiful art on the walls and ceiling of Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Ulm. Anton was also interested in the Dakota Conflict of 1862 and he interviewed mamy of the survivors to recreate events in oil paintings. One of these is displayed at the Minnesota State Capitol. Others have been reproduced in history books. “The First Battle of New Ulm” was exhibited at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Anton died in 1908 at 49 of occupational tuberculosis.
In addition to featuring Anton’s unique interior decorating, the house museum also showcases Wanda Gag’s lithographs and her sister Flavia’s watercolors.
- The evolution of the home.
- Family photos
- The house still has the original electric switches.
- Scribbles on the wall
Wanda Gag left New Ulm after graduating from high school to study art in the Twin Cities. She tried to keep her family together after her mother’s death (due to alcholism). From there, she moved to New York City where she became a commercial artist. Lithographs were her medium of choice, and she was one of the first to make sure that the pictures on facing pages worked together. In many cases, her illustrations span both pages. She moved to rural Milford, New Jersey and in that setting created much of her notable art work and children’s books. Other popular books include “A B C Bunny,” “Gone Is Gone,” and “Tales From Grimm,” which she translated from German and illustrated. Her books are for sale in the museum gift shop.
Flavia Gag wrote and illustrated eight children’s books, including “A Wish for Mimi,” “Melon Patch Mystery,” “Tweeter of Prairie Dog Town,” and “Fourth Floor Menagerie.” She followed Wanda to New York along with three other siblings, and was heavily influenced by the creative atmosphere at Wanda’s New Jersey home, “All Creation.”
However, neither Flavia nor Wanda had any children of their own, and there are few descendents left to share stories of these amazing women.
Of course, I left the Wanda Gag house with one new book for me and one for my daughter.
WHAT I DIDN’T GET TO SEE IN NEW ULM
We saw only a fraction of the cool stuff to see in New Ulm during our short two-day, one-night trip. Here are eight things I want to return for:
1) I’d love to go back to taste the appetizers and share a bottle of wine at Morgan Creek Winery — some evening when my child isn’t so impatient. www.MorganCreekVineyard.com
2) The 45-foot-tall Glockenspiel in downtown New Ulm chimes throughout the day and plays programmed pieces at noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. I’d love to hear those bells. There are 37 in the clocktower and they weigh more than two tons. Twelve figurines rotate on a circulating stage during the bell performances. 327 North Minnesota Street
3) I’d like walk relectively through the The Way of the Cross, completed in 1904 and rennovated in 2004. It has 14 stations showcasing statutes brought in from Bavaria. 1500 Fifth North, behind the medical center
4) The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame honors legends like Bob Dylan, Whopee John, Judy Garland and Prince. An induction ceremony is held the first Friday of November with a free Showcase of the Bands the next day. 27 North Broadway, open Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
5) I am thrilled by great architecture and I’d love to tour the Gov. Lind House. John Lind was the 14th Governor of Minnesota and the first Swedish-born American to serve in the U.S. Congress. His stately Queen Anne-style home was built in 1887. 622 Center Street, www.thelindhouse.com
6) Nothing beats the fun of visiting an old general store and chatting it up with the costumed guides. The Harkin store is just nine miles outside New Ulm, and is owned by the Minnesota Historical Society. I want to sit awhile on the front porch and watch the rolling river. 66250 County Road 21, www.mnhs.org/places/sites/hs
7) A meal and beer (Schell’s, of course) at Turner Halle. The hall is decorated with over 70 feet of stunning murals of Switzerland, Italy and Germany. An Italian artist painted the scenes in 1873, but there were painted over during World War I to prove loyalty to America. They were restored in 1999. 102 South State, www.newulmturnerhall.com
8) Swim in the sand-bottomed pool at Flandrau State Park, and hike along the many trails.
Learn more about the great things New Ulm has to offer at www.newulm.com.
OTHERS IN THIS SERIES
#1 - Visit New Ulm (Holiday, Otto's Restaurant)
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