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.
The Homes (Life at the Homes)
Guest in the Homes - Rev. Paul Ostrem
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Researched and hosted by Andrew Newell and Karen Thalacker. Sound edited by Robert Newell.
Podcast guest Rev. Paul Ostrem is the former pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Muscatine. Zion's history and the history the Homes have been intertwined since the very beginning. Rev. Ostrem talks about his research involving Pastor John Haefner that culminated in a book entitled "Dennoch!" Pastor Haefner's triumphs and struggles within the Muscatine community provide valuable insight into what it meant to be a U.S. citizen of German descent in the period before and after World War I. The episode closes with a lovely recollection of a visitor he spoke with in the little cemetery on the hill at the Homes. If you want to purchase a copy of "Dennoch!" you can contact us at lifeatthehomes@gmail.com and we will connect you with Rev. Ostrem.