History Center of Olmsted County receives challenge grant to restore George Stoppel Farmstead

Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Jul. 2—ROCHESTER — The History Center of Olmsted County recently received a challenge grant of $833,000 from the Jeffris Family Foundation to spur a $3 million capital campaign to restore the George Stoppel Farmstead.

The Stoppel Farmstead is an intact mid-1800s farmstead in Rochester built by German immigrant brothers. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its statewide significance in the areas of architecture, immigration, settlement and agricultural history. The capital project focuses on four structures in close proximity on the History Center's campus — the barn, stone house, smokehouse and hand-dug caves.

"Post-restoration, these will all come to life in a next phase that includes interactive exhibits, activities, and recreation spaces as outlined in HCOC's award-winning interpretive plan," said the History Center of Olmsted County in a press release announcing the latest funding. "Educational themes will center on farming and farm life, immigration, and Indigenous culture."

"The George Stoppel Farmstead is a Midwestern jewel," said Thomas Jeffris, president of the Jeffris Family Foundation, which funds projects committed to high historic preservation standards for sites of national or statewide significance. "Historic preservation is an important way for us to transmit our understanding of the past to future generations."

Using a $500,000 state-funded Legacy Grant and $58,000 in other early donations, the History Center of Olmsted County has nearly completed restoration of the smokehouse and begun work on the barn. The History Center is seeking to raise an additional $1.6 million by June 30, 2026, to meet the Jeffris Foundation's 2:1 challenge grant and plans to complete the restoration work by 2028.

"History has called our generation to restore and preserve this precious piece of yesteryear and make it available for the public to enjoy and learn from for generations to come," said David Senjem, Olmsted County Commissioner, former Minnesota State Senator, and member of the History Center of Olmsted County Board of Directors.

The master planning process will be completed in 2025 with implementation over the following decade.

"We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve and revitalize this unique property to create an intergenerational and cross-cultural learning hub," said Wayne Gannaway, History Center of Olmsted County executive director. "I look forward to engaging with the community on this important undertaking. Community support will be vital to the project's success."