Tour a living showcase of German craftsmanship.
Tour a living showcase of German craftsmanship.
Transcript
[Kohlsdorf] Welcome to Manning House Barn Heritage Park, a living snapshot of German craftsmanship and community pride.
[Tim Weible] The first attraction in Heritage Park was the Horse Barn, dedicated in 1999, the largest and oldest house barn that's been relocated from Germany in the United States.
[Kohlsdorf] Over 360 years old, this historic structure features a traditional thatched roof and housed both livestock and people together under one expansive canopy, offering visitors a vivid glimpse into early German farm life.
[Tim Weible] The people that own this were very wealthy. It was a castle of its day.
[Kohlsdorf] Next to the house barn sits the Leet/Hassler Farmstead.
[Tim Weible] It's more than just another farm. We feel it's the finest example of a farmstead of its era in the entire country, because it has everything. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.
[Kohlsdorf] Up the hill from the farmstead rests the historic Trinity Lutheran Church. Built in 1913, the church was relocated 11 miles to the north in 2006 and is permanently placed within Manning House Barn Heritage Park.
[Tim Weible] Oh the church. It's actually my favorite part of the tour. It is a genuine German architecture, narrow base, tall steeple, white building with stained glass. It's not flashy, but it's what they wanted. That's the way Germans did it. They weren't about flash and style. They were about function.
[Kohlsdorf] A fourth attraction sits at the entrance to the park. The Carroll County Freedom Rock is situated facing the Charters of Freedom, where hand-painted tributes to veterans stand alongside replicas of timeless documents that shaped our nation.
[Tim Weible] Manning landed the Charters of Freedom and we are the second site west of the Mississippi, and we encourage people to bring their children and their grandchildren to our Freedom Park. Use it as a tool to teach.
[Tim Weible] The celebration of German heritage that we've put in a package with our four attractions here at Heritage Park has evolved into one of the finest guided tours in the state of Iowa. We're still a hidden gem, but hopefully that's going to change because this is a worthy destination. Manning is a destination and we want to have you.