Hauberg Estate Newsletter for April – June 2021
Staying True to the Mission and Vision at the Hauberg Estate
To accomplish the goals of the next few years a Capital Campaign will be kicked-off in June 2021. The campaign will focus on the restoration of the Carriage House and the Terraced Garden. Architectural renderings are in progress. Budgets are being finalized and schedules are being drawn-up. Preservation brings an increased revenue stream. The estate becomes sustainable which allows the Friends of Hauberg Civic Center Foundation to more fully realize its Vision. “Engaging the community, the Past, the Present and the Future.”
Just as Susanne Hauberg enjoyed viewing the Terraced Garden with her daughter Catherine, we invite you to enjoy the estate with your family.
The Director’s Desk
Friends of Hauberg Civic Center, the managing and operating entity for the Hauberg Estate, are preparing for the launch of a Capital Campaign to make major improvements in the Carriage House and Terraced Garden. And while I’d like to encourage you to contribute, I also want to talk with you about Preservation and Sustainability.
The importance of this Capital Campaign is that by preserving and restoring the iconic Hauberg Carriage House and the unique Terraced Garden, new opportunities are available for community activities, involvement and resources. By focusing on these key areas, we are able to create new revenue streams that will help to make the Hauberg Estate more sustainable.
Preservation is a key word around here. We work to preserve the structures and landscaping. We preserve the history and culture of the estate. We preserve the philosophy of the designers of the mansion, carriage house, interior furnishings and gardens. We preserve the legacy of the Hauberg family who donated the estate. We preserve the estate for the community.
In order to preserve and restore the Hauberg Estate into the future, we must build-in sustainability in our programs and activities. Whether it’s with sustainable landscape plans or increasing rental opportunities within the property, it is time to grow the possibilities. Our upcoming Capital Campaign allows for much needed, big preservation and restoration improvements to take place over the next few years. Those improvements will generate increased revenue opportunities and increase sustainability.
So please, join us in this effort and make our “jewel in the rough” shine as in did a hundred years ago.
Preservation = Sustainability
Deb Kuntzi
Executive Director
Around the Gardens
Garden Crew
The days are getting warmer, the grass is greener, the trees are ready to blossom and everything is coming back to life at the Hauberg Estate and Gardens. In celebrating Spring, many exciting outdoor activities are planned at the Hauberg.
Join the Garden Crew this season. Are you interested to learn about native plants and perennial gardening? Every other Thursday, 9a.m. to noon or noon to 3p.m. are available beginning April 8th. We’re looking for a group of enthusiastic volunteers willing to get their hands dirty as they plant native wildflowers and learn about the gardens. No experience necessary and tools, water, gloves and guidance will be provided. Michele Cotton will lead the Garden Crew. She has over 10 years experience running landscape crews and has been consulting at the Hauberg for the last 3 years. Michele grows native plants and has a wealth of knowledge to share.
You can join us by going to Sign Up Genius at www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49a4ab2faaf4c70-garden, email director@haubergestate.org or call 309-373-5080.
Jens Jensen Earth Day Event
Honoring the Hauberg’s landscape architect, will be taking place on April 18th from 10a.m. to 4p.m. An early environmental activist, he believed in native plants and sustainability in his designs. The preservation and restoration of the Hauberg gardens are all developed with Jensen’s philosophy and original plans. You can learn more about Jens Jensen and the gardens on our website: www.haubergestate.org.
Spring Pond Renovation Celebration
Watch for the upcoming Spring Pond Renovation Celebration activities surrounding the More than 1200 native plants will be planted in May and June, returning the area to its original design. The pond projects, which began last November, recreate the retention pond system and native landscaping originally created by Jens Jensen.
Hauberg Native Spring Plant Sale
And lastly, the Hauberg Native Spring Plant Sale is coming up on May 8th. The event will again be hosted by Guardians of the Prairie and Forest and Mariposa Design. Native trees, shrubs and perennials will be offered for sale.
We would love to have you come and join us. It’s a busy, fun-filled time in the gardens.
“The Denkmann-Hauberg Gardens
A Pictorial History of a Jens Jensen Landscape”
“The Denkmann-Hauberg Gardens - A Pictorial History of a Jens Jensen Landscape” is now available as a self-guided tour and new brochure. We welcome you to leisurely walk through the grounds and enjoy the beautiful estate on your own schedule.
The Terraced Garden
The Terraced Garden is a big element of our upcoming capital campaign. The next few years should see some exciting renovations. We’ll be sharing the plans as we begin the work to move forward with this uniquely designed garden.
Recreating the Carriage House
In 1911, the Carriage House on the Hauberg Estate was built to function as a place for housing automobiles, carriages, horses and a groundskeeper’s family. The multi-function structure also contained a woodworking shop and garden storage and greenhouse. The Carriage House was key to the functionality of the estate when it was built and current development plans aim to return its contribution to the estate back to the original intent.
There are two main sides to the Auto House side of the structure. Originally a garage housing John and Susanne Hauberg’s cars and Susanne’s Baker Electric car, an air compressor and an old gas pump. Work is under way to turn this area into a 1400 square foot classroom that ties into the nature and environmental opportunities of the property. It will also operate as a rental venue offering a less formal yet sophisticated event opportunity with full amenities.
The Carriage House side of the building once used for carriages, animals, feed and storage will be creatively reutilized. It will contain ADA bathrooms, a full kitchen and bar, and in the future, the stables will become the gift shop. Community volunteers and local trade apprenticeship programs have begun to work. But, as you can see, much more is yet to be done
Upstairs on the second floor is a 2600 square foot apartment. The original occupants of the apartment were Mr. Andrew Reitz, the Hauberg chauffeur, his wife Anna and their four children. Once restored, it is planned that the apartment may become a long-term corporate rental.
The Carriage House has recently been added to the Friday afternoon tours. Beginning at 1p.m., Volunteer Docents welcome visitors and conduct interesting and informative tours of the beautiful Mansion and Carriage House. Tours last about an hour and cost $10 per person. We would love to have you come and see what we’ve accomplished in the Mansion and the beginning phase of the Carriage House restoration.
John Hauberg Preserves Native American History
John Hauberg was interested in history, all kinds of history. He interviewed early white settlers, typing up file cabinet drawers full of their stories documenting the settlement of our area. He was equally interested in the history of the Native Americans who lived here even earlier. He first met several Sauk in 1914 when they were here looking into a land claim. He then located descendants of Black Hawk living nearby in Tama, Iowa. He went to meet with them and their tribal leaders and began documenting their history. He invited them here as his guests and together they mapped the large village of Saukenuk along the Rock River. He shared his findings with the community in dozens of lectures accompanied by photographs of people, places, and artifacts he presented on glass slides.
John had long been a proponent of a state park atop the bluff along the Rock River. He appeared before legislators in 1927 with a self-written 78-page booklet and a stirring speech, coming away with unanimous approval for Black Hawk State Park. When the park lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, John was offered the opportunity to design a museum to honor the area’s Native American Heritage.
Black Hawk’s Great Grandson and Family – Historical photos throughout this newsletter are from Augustana College Special Collections, John H. Hauberg Papers and Glass Slides.
He eagerly accepted, hiring two Native Americans to build authentic summer and winter houses for a display. He commissioned two large murals depicting seasonal activities of the Sauk and Mesquakie (which now hang in the large main room of the lodge). He designed and installed a room full of exhibits, some including Indian artifacts from his personal collection. Some of the artifacts were purchased; others were gifts from his Native American friends.
Although today we understand artifacts are best kept by the tribes themselves, John’s intent was not to build a collection, but to preserve history. One thing that has not changed is the debt of gratitude we owe to John Hauberg for his insatiable interest in, and thorough documentation of, our local Native American History.
The Purpose of the Friends of Hauberg Civic Center Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organized for charitable and educational purposes to oversee the preservation and sustainability of the Hauberg Estate, Mansion and Gardens.
One of the ways you can help preserve and make the estate sustainable is to become a Friend of Hauberg through membership. As a Friend you will be supporting the legacy of history, culture and preservation at the Hauberg Estate, Mansion and Gardens. Friendship options and benefits are available on our website at: www.haubergestate.org. Join or renew easily on the website or call us at 309-373-5080.
If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming Capital Campaign, please call Deb Kuntzi, Executive Director, at 309-373-5080.
Events at the Hauberg
Docent Tours of the Hauberg Mansion and Carriage House – Every Friday, throughout the summer, 1:00p.m.to 2:p.m.
Hauberg Native Spring Plant Sale is coming on May 8th, again hosted by Guardians of the Prairie and Forest and Mariposa Design. Native trees, shrubs and perennials will be offered for sale.
Tipsy Art – Paint-Sip-Enjoy – Sip your favorite drink while creating your masterpiece. All material included for $30 except for the cash bar. Tickets at HaubergEstate.Eventbrite.com or call 309- 373-5080.
Refer to the article Around the Gardens for additional events. To keep up to date with our coming events go to our page on Facebook at Friends of Hauberg Civic Center.