14839 Jonathan Carver Parkway
Carver, MN, USA

  • Architectural Style: N/A
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  • Year Built: 1888
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  • Architectural Style: N/A
  • Year Built: 1888
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Nov 15, 2023

  • Amanda Zielike

Full backstory of the Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse, provided by Carver County Historical Society

Photo credit: Carver County Historical Society photo descriptions: "Subject Files, Drawer G1: Gehl Farm and Gehl Farm Notes. “Gehl-Mittelsted Farmstead” [Description]: Front and side views of the Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse as it is in the twenty-first century. Rights held by the CCHS....Subject Files, Drawer G1: Gehl Farm and Gehl Farm Notes.“MN Valley Fllodway” [Description]: an aerial shot of the MN Valley Refuge site, showing a floodplain view. Rights held by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." Historical significance summary: "The Gehl-Mittelsted Farmstead is located in the far southern part of Carver County, in San Francisco Township. One of Carver County’s many historic properties, the farmstead was placed on Minnesota’s 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites list in 2006. The farm was founded by Henry Gehl. Gehl was a German immigrant, born in Schwerin, Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany on February 13, 1825. At age twenty-five, he joined the thousands of others immigrating to America during the 1850s. Gehl purchased the farmstead in 1867. In addition to the farm, Gehl also ran butcher shops in both Chaska and Carver, which were supplied by his farm. He did well with both. During the 1880s, the large Chaska brick house on the property was built. It was home to Gehl, his wife Christina Sohns Gehl, and their fourteen children. Henry and Christina’s son Francis Gehl ran the farm after Henry died in 1890. Three years later, Francis married Beda Hurtig. They had two children: Robert (1895) and Herbert (1896). Sadly, just a few short years later on January 24, 1901, tragedy struck. While crossing railroad tracks on his way home from Jordan, Francis was hit and killed, though the horses survived and continued home. Upon the tragic death of Francis, his brother Herman A.J. Gehl bought the farm. For the next sixteen years until his death, Herman made “Gehl Ranch” one of the largest farms in southeastern Minnesota. At his death, the farm had over forty horses, one hundred cattle, and two hundred hogs. Following Herman’s death, his son, Henry William Gehl, named for his grandfather, took over both the farm and the meat market in February 1934. At this point, the massive farm was at 2,000 acres, 100 cattle, and about 20,000 turkeys. In February 1935, Henry married Stella Winson. They moved to her home town of Excelsior and operated the farm and meat shop with hired help. Henry W. and Stella Gehl had no children. Henry had a sister, Florence Mittelsted, and brother, Charles F. Gehl, still alive at his death. His will gave the farm to his nephew, Gale Mittelsted, with whom he had formed a business partnership, and niece, Shirley Teske. The last family owners of the Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead were Gale Mittelsted, his wife, and two sons. Trained as a veterinarian, Gale opened a practice in Chaska after being discharged from the military in 1946 after World War II ended. According to family legend Gale was named “Gehl” Mittelsted after his mother’s family, but it was misspelled on his baptism papers, and it became “Gale” instead. The Mittelsted’s lived in Chaska, working the farm with hired help. In 1980, they moved to the farm, where Gale died in 1983. His wife Anita and sons Peter and Gehl remained on the farm until selling it to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995, making the farmstead a part of the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge. Although the Fish and Wildlife Service originally planned to turn the house into a Visitor Center, its location on a floodplain, and the fact the house has twice had floodwater reach as high as the floor joists, changed their minds. However, the site still has enduring historic value. Made of Chaska brick, the house is significant for the brick and its early German architecture style. The property was also owned and operated by five generations of the same family, which is historically significant. As part of the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge, the land will not be developed on, divided up, or sold. This will allow the property to be preserved for future generations of visitors. The house is less secure. In 2006, the house and outlying building that remain were placed on a list of Minnesota’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites and its future remains uncertain. Turning Point: In 1995, the US Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the historic Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead, with plans to convert the house to a visitor center and preserve the land as a wildlife refuge for visitors to see. Chronology: February 13, 1825: Henry Gehl is born in Schwerin, Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany. 1850: Henry Gehl immigrates to America at age twenty-five. 1867: Gehl purchases farmland in San Francisco Township, Carver County. 1880s: A Chaska Brick farmhouse is erected on the property using early German architectural styles. 1890: Henry Gehl dies; son Francis Gehl takes over the farm. 1893: Francis Gehl marries Beda Hurtig January 24, 1901: Francis Gehl dies in a train accident. 1918: Herman A.J. Gehl takes over the farm and makes “Gehl Ranch” one of the largest farms in southeastern Minnesota February 1934: Herman Gehl dies and son Henry William Gehl takes over the farm. February 1935: Henry W. Gehl marries Stella Winson of Excelsior where they settle, running the farm from a distance with hired help. June 1949: Henry W. Gehl dies. 1949-1983: Gale Mittelsted operates the farm with hired help while running a veterinarian clinic in Chaska. 1980: Gale Mittelsted, his wife Anita and their children move to the farm. 1983: Gale Mittelsted dies. 1995: The Gehl-Mittelsted property is sold to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 2006: The Gehl-Mittelsted farm is listed on Minnesota’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites list."

Full backstory of the Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse, provided by Carver County Historical Society

Photo credit: Carver County Historical Society photo descriptions: "Subject Files, Drawer G1: Gehl Farm and Gehl Farm Notes. “Gehl-Mittelsted Farmstead” [Description]: Front and side views of the Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse as it is in the twenty-first century. Rights held by the CCHS....Subject Files, Drawer G1: Gehl Farm and Gehl Farm Notes.“MN Valley Fllodway” [Description]: an aerial shot of the MN Valley Refuge site, showing a floodplain view. Rights held by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." Historical significance summary: "The Gehl-Mittelsted Farmstead is located in the far southern part of Carver County, in San Francisco Township. One of Carver County’s many historic properties, the farmstead was placed on Minnesota’s 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites list in 2006. The farm was founded by Henry Gehl. Gehl was a German immigrant, born in Schwerin, Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany on February 13, 1825. At age twenty-five, he joined the thousands of others immigrating to America during the 1850s. Gehl purchased the farmstead in 1867. In addition to the farm, Gehl also ran butcher shops in both Chaska and Carver, which were supplied by his farm. He did well with both. During the 1880s, the large Chaska brick house on the property was built. It was home to Gehl, his wife Christina Sohns Gehl, and their fourteen children. Henry and Christina’s son Francis Gehl ran the farm after Henry died in 1890. Three years later, Francis married Beda Hurtig. They had two children: Robert (1895) and Herbert (1896). Sadly, just a few short years later on January 24, 1901, tragedy struck. While crossing railroad tracks on his way home from Jordan, Francis was hit and killed, though the horses survived and continued home. Upon the tragic death of Francis, his brother Herman A.J. Gehl bought the farm. For the next sixteen years until his death, Herman made “Gehl Ranch” one of the largest farms in southeastern Minnesota. At his death, the farm had over forty horses, one hundred cattle, and two hundred hogs. Following Herman’s death, his son, Henry William Gehl, named for his grandfather, took over both the farm and the meat market in February 1934. At this point, the massive farm was at 2,000 acres, 100 cattle, and about 20,000 turkeys. In February 1935, Henry married Stella Winson. They moved to her home town of Excelsior and operated the farm and meat shop with hired help. Henry W. and Stella Gehl had no children. Henry had a sister, Florence Mittelsted, and brother, Charles F. Gehl, still alive at his death. His will gave the farm to his nephew, Gale Mittelsted, with whom he had formed a business partnership, and niece, Shirley Teske. The last family owners of the Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead were Gale Mittelsted, his wife, and two sons. Trained as a veterinarian, Gale opened a practice in Chaska after being discharged from the military in 1946 after World War II ended. According to family legend Gale was named “Gehl” Mittelsted after his mother’s family, but it was misspelled on his baptism papers, and it became “Gale” instead. The Mittelsted’s lived in Chaska, working the farm with hired help. In 1980, they moved to the farm, where Gale died in 1983. His wife Anita and sons Peter and Gehl remained on the farm until selling it to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995, making the farmstead a part of the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge. Although the Fish and Wildlife Service originally planned to turn the house into a Visitor Center, its location on a floodplain, and the fact the house has twice had floodwater reach as high as the floor joists, changed their minds. However, the site still has enduring historic value. Made of Chaska brick, the house is significant for the brick and its early German architecture style. The property was also owned and operated by five generations of the same family, which is historically significant. As part of the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge, the land will not be developed on, divided up, or sold. This will allow the property to be preserved for future generations of visitors. The house is less secure. In 2006, the house and outlying building that remain were placed on a list of Minnesota’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites and its future remains uncertain. Turning Point: In 1995, the US Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the historic Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead, with plans to convert the house to a visitor center and preserve the land as a wildlife refuge for visitors to see. Chronology: February 13, 1825: Henry Gehl is born in Schwerin, Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany. 1850: Henry Gehl immigrates to America at age twenty-five. 1867: Gehl purchases farmland in San Francisco Township, Carver County. 1880s: A Chaska Brick farmhouse is erected on the property using early German architectural styles. 1890: Henry Gehl dies; son Francis Gehl takes over the farm. 1893: Francis Gehl marries Beda Hurtig January 24, 1901: Francis Gehl dies in a train accident. 1918: Herman A.J. Gehl takes over the farm and makes “Gehl Ranch” one of the largest farms in southeastern Minnesota February 1934: Herman Gehl dies and son Henry William Gehl takes over the farm. February 1935: Henry W. Gehl marries Stella Winson of Excelsior where they settle, running the farm from a distance with hired help. June 1949: Henry W. Gehl dies. 1949-1983: Gale Mittelsted operates the farm with hired help while running a veterinarian clinic in Chaska. 1980: Gale Mittelsted, his wife Anita and their children move to the farm. 1983: Gale Mittelsted dies. 1995: The Gehl-Mittelsted property is sold to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 2006: The Gehl-Mittelsted farm is listed on Minnesota’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites list."

Nov 13, 2023

  • Amanda Zielike

The Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse history, provided by Minnesota Bricks

Train crash photo credit: Radaris "The Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead is located in San Francisco Township of Carver County, near Belle Plaine, Minnesota. The site is now in the possession of the United States Department of the Interior, as part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (MVNWR). The MVNWR has erected an interpretive/visitors center just uphill from the original Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead. Signs guide you to the area from the Jonathon-Carver Parkway. Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse The entrance road to the site takes you over the Carver bluffs and down sharply toward the Minnesota River. You can park at the interpretive center and walk down a blacktop path to the original farmstead. The barn is gone, but the fieldstone base it stood on is still there. However, the Gehl-Mittelsted farmhouse dominates the view, and what a spectacular Chaska brick farmhouse it is! The house was built on an area of higher terrain right next to the Minnesota River. Of course, what quickly comes to mind is river flooding, and what this family did when the Minnesota River hit some of its historic highs. According to several sources I have come across, it only had water near its main level twice. This is really amazing. I can’t imagine living that close to the river. Gehl-Mittelsted Outhouse The house itself is still in fantastic shape as far as the brick is concerned. The roofing is another story. The caretakers have placed tarps over the roof segments to prevent any further damage to the inside. Of course, visitors cannot see what the inside looks like, so I’m sure it is not in too good of shape. The Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead was named to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota’s top 10 most endangered sites of 2006. According to the Preservation Alliance’s web site, the MVNWR have no plans to restore it. This is no surprise, due to the massive costs involved. Yet, as of November 2009, it is still there. The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota stated that the house was originally built by Henry and Christina Gehl in the middle 1880s. The Gehls were a wealthy German immigrant farm family. Wealth is evident in this farmstead, even down to the outhouse. The outhouse was built even closer to the Minnesota River than the house. It was also built of Chaska brick and looked very extravagant. However, you can see how the settlers in the 1880s thought nothing of draining their outdoor toilets right into their water source. That led to many epidemics of typhoid fever, until they learned this was not a good practice. For those Chaska brick fans out there, I highly recommend this site. This is one of the largest Chaska brick houses I have seen and the surrounding country still appears like it did back in the 1880s. That is hard to find these days, with the metro area expanding to the southwest! The house itself is still in fantastic shape as far as the brick is concerned. The roofing is another story. The caretakers have placed tarps over the roof segments to prevent any further damage to the inside. Of course, visitors cannot see what the inside looks like, so I’m sure it is not in too good of shape. The Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead was named to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota’s top 10 most endangered sites of 2006. According to the Preservation Alliance’s web site, the MVNWR have no plans to restore it. This is no surprise, due to the massive costs involved. Yet, as of November 2009, it is still there. The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota stated that the house was originally built by Henry and Christina Gehl in the middle 1880s. The Gehls were a wealthy German immigrant farm family. Wealth is evident in this farmstead, even down to the outhouse. The outhouse was built even closer to the Minnesota River than the house. It was also built of Chaska brick and looked very extravagant. However, you can see how the settlers in the 1880s thought nothing of draining their outdoor toilets right into their water source. That led to many epidemics of typhoid fever, until they learned this was not a good practice. For those Chaska brick fans out there, I highly recommend this site. This is one of the largest Chaska brick houses I have seen and the surrounding country still appears like it did back in the 1880s. That is hard to find these days, with the metro area expanding to the southwest!"

The Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse history, provided by Minnesota Bricks

Train crash photo credit: Radaris "The Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead is located in San Francisco Township of Carver County, near Belle Plaine, Minnesota. The site is now in the possession of the United States Department of the Interior, as part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (MVNWR). The MVNWR has erected an interpretive/visitors center just uphill from the original Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead. Signs guide you to the area from the Jonathon-Carver Parkway. Gehl-Mittelsted Farmhouse The entrance road to the site takes you over the Carver bluffs and down sharply toward the Minnesota River. You can park at the interpretive center and walk down a blacktop path to the original farmstead. The barn is gone, but the fieldstone base it stood on is still there. However, the Gehl-Mittelsted farmhouse dominates the view, and what a spectacular Chaska brick farmhouse it is! The house was built on an area of higher terrain right next to the Minnesota River. Of course, what quickly comes to mind is river flooding, and what this family did when the Minnesota River hit some of its historic highs. According to several sources I have come across, it only had water near its main level twice. This is really amazing. I can’t imagine living that close to the river. Gehl-Mittelsted Outhouse The house itself is still in fantastic shape as far as the brick is concerned. The roofing is another story. The caretakers have placed tarps over the roof segments to prevent any further damage to the inside. Of course, visitors cannot see what the inside looks like, so I’m sure it is not in too good of shape. The Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead was named to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota’s top 10 most endangered sites of 2006. According to the Preservation Alliance’s web site, the MVNWR have no plans to restore it. This is no surprise, due to the massive costs involved. Yet, as of November 2009, it is still there. The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota stated that the house was originally built by Henry and Christina Gehl in the middle 1880s. The Gehls were a wealthy German immigrant farm family. Wealth is evident in this farmstead, even down to the outhouse. The outhouse was built even closer to the Minnesota River than the house. It was also built of Chaska brick and looked very extravagant. However, you can see how the settlers in the 1880s thought nothing of draining their outdoor toilets right into their water source. That led to many epidemics of typhoid fever, until they learned this was not a good practice. For those Chaska brick fans out there, I highly recommend this site. This is one of the largest Chaska brick houses I have seen and the surrounding country still appears like it did back in the 1880s. That is hard to find these days, with the metro area expanding to the southwest! The house itself is still in fantastic shape as far as the brick is concerned. The roofing is another story. The caretakers have placed tarps over the roof segments to prevent any further damage to the inside. Of course, visitors cannot see what the inside looks like, so I’m sure it is not in too good of shape. The Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead was named to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota’s top 10 most endangered sites of 2006. According to the Preservation Alliance’s web site, the MVNWR have no plans to restore it. This is no surprise, due to the massive costs involved. Yet, as of November 2009, it is still there. The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota stated that the house was originally built by Henry and Christina Gehl in the middle 1880s. The Gehls were a wealthy German immigrant farm family. Wealth is evident in this farmstead, even down to the outhouse. The outhouse was built even closer to the Minnesota River than the house. It was also built of Chaska brick and looked very extravagant. However, you can see how the settlers in the 1880s thought nothing of draining their outdoor toilets right into their water source. That led to many epidemics of typhoid fever, until they learned this was not a good practice. For those Chaska brick fans out there, I highly recommend this site. This is one of the largest Chaska brick houses I have seen and the surrounding country still appears like it did back in the 1880s. That is hard to find these days, with the metro area expanding to the southwest!"

Nov 12, 2023

  • Amanda Zielike

14839 Jonathan Carver Parkway, Carver, MN, USA

The house is known as the Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead

14839 Jonathan Carver Parkway, Carver, MN, USA

The house is known as the Gehl-Mittelsted farmstead

1888

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