"The Other Swedes"
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Lindsborg Swedes, Their Neighbors & Friends ~
Mr. Claude Koehn
~ Remembering him as restorer and preservationist of Smoky Valley stone farmhouses
and other stone structures
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Lindsborg Swedes, Their Neighbors & Friends ~
Mr. Claude Koehn
~ Remembering him as restorer and preservationist of Smoky Valley stone farmhouses
and other stone structures
Mr. Claude Koehn
(1929 - 2013)
He was a United Methodist Church Christian
(1929 - 2013)
He was a United Methodist Church Christian
Courtesy of Koehn Family
- the stone mason par excellence -
Mr. Claude Koehn was born in 1929 at Elyria, Kansas. He was of German descent and was destined to become a gifted "restorer of stone structures" as well as building them. In 1958, he married Charlotte Hughes of Marquette, another Kansas Smoky Valley Swedish emigration destination, four miles west of Lindsborg. Mrs. Koehn's grandmother was a full Swede.
Mr. Koehn devoted over 50 years to his profession as a stone mason and bricklayer which found him during some of that time traveling throughout the Kansas Smoky Valley to restore stone structures. I was one of his customers. He shared my vision of restoring and preserving the stone house and stable on the old Deere farm.
Under the name Peaceful Acres, named by my mother, Lois Cochran, the farm's restoration projects were to benefit the Smoky Valley people. Mr. Koehn, with the help of his son Craig and some of his grandchildren, beautifully restored the one wall with the Roman arch of the stable along with restoring the other 3 walls that were shortened for seating. The Peaceful Acres stable was to become the "Smoky Valley Outdoor Classroom."
However, additional work had to stop as a result of the 2008 financial collapse world-wide resulting in Peaceful Acres having to be sold in 2011, severing our ties of 5 generations from the rich Kansas soil forever.
What remains now, instead, is a virtual memorial dedicated to the "Kansas Smoky Valley Swedish Settlements" and to "Mr. Claude Koehn." For the virtual memorial, go HERE.
The following are the "before" and "after" photographs of these projects.
Mr. Koehn devoted over 50 years to his profession as a stone mason and bricklayer which found him during some of that time traveling throughout the Kansas Smoky Valley to restore stone structures. I was one of his customers. He shared my vision of restoring and preserving the stone house and stable on the old Deere farm.
Under the name Peaceful Acres, named by my mother, Lois Cochran, the farm's restoration projects were to benefit the Smoky Valley people. Mr. Koehn, with the help of his son Craig and some of his grandchildren, beautifully restored the one wall with the Roman arch of the stable along with restoring the other 3 walls that were shortened for seating. The Peaceful Acres stable was to become the "Smoky Valley Outdoor Classroom."
However, additional work had to stop as a result of the 2008 financial collapse world-wide resulting in Peaceful Acres having to be sold in 2011, severing our ties of 5 generations from the rich Kansas soil forever.
What remains now, instead, is a virtual memorial dedicated to the "Kansas Smoky Valley Swedish Settlements" and to "Mr. Claude Koehn." For the virtual memorial, go HERE.
The following are the "before" and "after" photographs of these projects.
Before
Front view of the remains of the stone stable that Mr. Koehn was to restore partially.
This was to be turned into the "Smoky Valley Outdoor Classroom."
Front view of the remains of the stone stable that Mr. Koehn was to restore partially.
This was to be turned into the "Smoky Valley Outdoor Classroom."
Back and interior view of the stone stable with Swede House in the background.
After -- Mr. Koehn work!
The Beginning of the "Smoky Valley Outdoor Classroom" & Swede House Restorations
Go
HERE
to
T H E S M O K Y V A L L E Y S W E D I S H P E O P L E' S V I R T U R A L M E M O R I A L
* * *
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
