Henderson Heritage Park
Sharing Our Mennonite Culture
We are open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day
or by appointment (402) 694-8669 or (402) 723-4550
or by appointment (402) 694-8669 or (402) 723-4550
Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Gathering Room Building at Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park
The Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park groundbreaking ceremony for its new Gathering Room took place on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 8 a.m. This project has been in the planning stages for a long time, and it’s now time to get started.
Everyone is invited to the Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park to witness the groundbreaking for this new park addition. The new building will be located between the General Store and the Depot at the park.
IRONHIDE Construction out of Lincoln is the general contractor for the project, and ACRE DESIGN will be the architectural firm. The building is 66’ x 36’ and can seat approximately 100 or more people. “It will feature a large area for gatherings, an area for catering and serving food, plus two handicapped restrooms. It will also be heated and airconditioned. An added benefit to the building will be a patio facing the depot for guests to relax and enjoy the view,” said Chairman Suzanne Ratzlaff.
The new building will meet the needs of the community and the Heritage Park as a place where larger groups may gather, according to Chairman Suzanne Ratzlaff. The Gathering Room will draw visitors year-round to the park and be available for family gatherings, class reunions, receptions, and meetings. A special bonus will be offering space for larger bus tours which can bring more people to Henderson’s downtown.
The estimated cost of the building is $600,000. Thanks to the generosity of many Heritage Park supporters, $340,000 has already been raised. Construction will begin in anticipation of “If we start building, people will give,” said Ratzlaff.
Donations are currently being accepted to help reach this goal. Since Heritage Park is a 501c3, all donations are tax-deductible. They can be mailed to Henderson Heritage Park, PO Box 336, Henderson, NE, or dropped off at Heritage Park. For more information, people are welcome to call 402-723-4252.
Everyone is invited to the Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park to witness the groundbreaking for this new park addition. The new building will be located between the General Store and the Depot at the park.
IRONHIDE Construction out of Lincoln is the general contractor for the project, and ACRE DESIGN will be the architectural firm. The building is 66’ x 36’ and can seat approximately 100 or more people. “It will feature a large area for gatherings, an area for catering and serving food, plus two handicapped restrooms. It will also be heated and airconditioned. An added benefit to the building will be a patio facing the depot for guests to relax and enjoy the view,” said Chairman Suzanne Ratzlaff.
The new building will meet the needs of the community and the Heritage Park as a place where larger groups may gather, according to Chairman Suzanne Ratzlaff. The Gathering Room will draw visitors year-round to the park and be available for family gatherings, class reunions, receptions, and meetings. A special bonus will be offering space for larger bus tours which can bring more people to Henderson’s downtown.
The estimated cost of the building is $600,000. Thanks to the generosity of many Heritage Park supporters, $340,000 has already been raised. Construction will begin in anticipation of “If we start building, people will give,” said Ratzlaff.
Donations are currently being accepted to help reach this goal. Since Heritage Park is a 501c3, all donations are tax-deductible. They can be mailed to Henderson Heritage Park, PO Box 336, Henderson, NE, or dropped off at Heritage Park. For more information, people are welcome to call 402-723-4252.
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Henderson Heritage & Tourism was formed in 1994 with the
purpose of sharing and documenting Henderson, Nebraska's town history and Mennonite heritage. In the spring of 1998, the committee purchased an 8 1/2 acre site that was homesteaded by Jacob & Anna Friesen, one of the original settlers, on the north edge of Henderson. Today this is the site of the Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park. |
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The site located just north of Henderson includes a replica building of the original Immigrant House built by the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad that housed the first Mennonite settlers in the area. Lincoln architect Jim Dyck donated his services developing the site layout. Facing the Immigrant House at the opposite end of the park is the Country Mennonite Church built to resemble the typical country church that both branches of the Mennonites built in rural Henderson in the late 1800’s.
The park also features a turn of the century farm house, summer kitchen, granary, outdoor Russian (Ukranian) oven, windmill, water tower, outhouses, chicken house, East Side Café, Irrigation and Agriculture Building and fully restored barn built in 1911. Nestled in the back corner of the park is a metal machine shed housing large pieces of equipment and a shop.
The Visitor’s Center called The General Store is located on the Main Street at the park and is an air-conditioned and heated
building with public restrooms, office, gift shop, basement storage and display area. The original District #73E Country School house is located at the park and is fully restored and available for school field trips and other educational activities. A replica building of the original Henderson railroad depot is filled with railroad artifacts, historical pictures and equipment.
Our current future building project is our Town Hall Gathering Room. When complete, bus tours, family gatherings, receptions
and class reunions will be able to meet year-round in the comfort of heating and air conditioning, while surrounded by Henderson’s unique history.
The Visitor’s Center called The General Store is located on the Main Street at the park and is an air-conditioned and heated
building with public restrooms, office, gift shop, basement storage and display area. The original District #73E Country School house is located at the park and is fully restored and available for school field trips and other educational activities. A replica building of the original Henderson railroad depot is filled with railroad artifacts, historical pictures and equipment.
Our current future building project is our Town Hall Gathering Room. When complete, bus tours, family gatherings, receptions
and class reunions will be able to meet year-round in the comfort of heating and air conditioning, while surrounded by Henderson’s unique history.
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We are featured on the Nebraska History Spotlight section on the History Nebraska website. Click HERE to read more.
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