
The Homes (Life at the Homes)
The true stories of life at a Lutheran institution housing orphans and the elderly in rural Iowa on the eve of the Great Depression. Almost lost to the passage of time, these stories of sorrow and joy, compassion and cooperation have been uncovered and can now be shared with you. Join mother and son hosts Karen Thalacker and Andrew Newell as you learn about life at the German Lutheran Orphans and Old Folks Home - or as it was commonly called The Homes. Follow The Homes on Instagram at lifeatthehomes for photographs and additional content.
Podcasting since 2021 • 27 episodes
The Homes (Life at the Homes)
Latest Episodes
Season 2: June of 1930
Welcome to June of 1930! Iowa is celebrating its national champion but June at the Homes means only one thing ... the annual Orphans Day celebration. The weather limits attendance in the morning but the afternoon was a success. Andy shows his r...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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56:45

Season 2: May of 1930
Welcome to May of 1930! As Iowa leads the way in introducing night baseball, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Bill is argued in Washington, DC. On Burlington Road, money is tight but their love of music is always a welcome distraction. Throughout the ye...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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40:11

Season 2: April of 1930
Welcome to April of 1930! While the first day of the month is full of light-hearted pranks, the mood turns more serious as President Hoover's first term is evaluated and the 1930 census kicks off. The world is changing -- whether it's demograph...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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48:43

Guest in the Homes: Rev. Larry Stumme
Join us for Guest in the Homes as we interview Rev. Larry Stumme, son of former Homes' superintendent Rev. Lawrence Stumme. Larry was 5 years old when his father accepted the call to the Homes and he shares his recollections and what made the H...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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1:00:46
