Eureka, South Dakota: 1887 - 1987, Centennial Anniversary Book

The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection is pleased to present this important centennial book about the community of Eureka, South Dakota. In the Foreword, Martha Mehlhaff states, "The intent of this book is, firstly, to fill in the void from 1937 to the present, which has been termed "the second 50 years" and secondly, to preserve the cultural heritage for future generations. The rich backgrounds of many individuals is herewith recognized. It is important that this be done so as not to lose all of our traditions and customs."

In the Dedication, Walter Kranzler writes, "This centennial book is not dedicated to a specific person or event of the past. Instead, we dedicate this book to the nameless people of eternity whose fame rests in their stoic perservance to settle the vast prairies of the Dakotas. These people stood at the burial place on the untamed prairie...They, and only they, knew the pain of saying the benediction at the graves of their children, spouse or parents and the agony of leaving the bodies of their loves ones behind as they continued their journey and urged the oxen with their burdens along the lonely and unknown trail..."

Pastor T.R. Bauler writes an interesting essay on "Who are they? The racial background of many central Dakotans."

A major portion of the book includes Family History section. Family names include Ackerman, Aman, Bauer, Beck, Bertsch, Delzer, Dohn, Gab, Goehring, Heiser, Hoff, Knoepfle, Krein, Lapp, Mehlhaff, Opp, Perman, Raile, Rau, Schumacher, Weber, Wolf, Zimmerman and Zumbaum. The ancestors of these families once lived in the Lutheran Glückstal villages of South Russia near Odessa, Ukraine - Bergdorf, Glückstal, Kassel and Neudorf.