Establishing and reinforcing cultural heritage to preserve the past for the future.

1. Establishing and reinforcing cultural heritage
to preserve the past for the future.

2.  Initial collaboration began with the State Historical Society
of North Dakota, North Dakota Department of Tourism,
NDSU Extension Service, Center for Heritage Renewal,
NDSU Libraries’ Germans from Russia Heritage Collection
and United States Department of Agriculture Rural
Development. It has expanded to local residents and groups
in the tri-county area.

3.  Our Mission
To preserve and promote the Germans from Russia heritage and
culture, and to enhance tourism in Emmons, Logan and McIntosh
Counties.
 Our Vision
To be the German-Russian tourism destination in North Dakota.

4.  Raymond A. Rosenfeld, Eastern Michigan University,
“Cultural and Heritage Tourism is a tool of economic
development that achieves economic growth through
attracting visitors from outside a host community, who are
motivated wholly or in part by interest in the historical,
artistic, scientific or lifestyle/heritage offerings of a
community, region, group or institution (Silberberg 1995)1.
Such travel is focused upon experiencing cultural
environments, including landscapes, the visual and
performing arts and special lifestyles, values, traditions,
and events.”
1Silberberg, Ted. “Cultural Tourism and Business Opportunities for Museums and Heritage Sites.” Tourism Management 16: 5 (1995): 361-365.

6.  Rosenfeld continues “Tourism is widely recognized for its
tangible outcomes (job creation, tax revenues) as well as its
less tangible outcomes (quality of life). It may be built upon
a wide variety of attractions, including agritourism, arts
tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, destination tourism,
fairs, events and conferences, sports teams, recreation, and
more.” (http://www.municipaltoolkit.org/UserFiles/Rosenfeld_EN.pdf)

7.  Dr. Tom Isern, NDSU Distinguished Professor:
“A heritage traveler comes in search of history and culture
in the local landscape, and is most happy to discover
heritage manifest not only in the obvious, promoted
attractions, but also embedded in the culture of the people.
Real things, real places, real people.”

8.  In the 18th century, Catherine the Great invited German
farmers to come to Russia & cultivate the land. First
colonized was the Volga region. In 1804, Germans
colonized the southern Ukraine (the Black Sea Germans).
More emigrated from Württemberg and Prussia around
1812 and became the Bessarabian Germans.
 In 1871 after Russification efforts under Alexander III,
many of the German Russians decided to leave. The Tri-
county area of North Dakota consisting of Emmons, Logan
and McIntosh became heavily populated with Germans
from Russia, and remains so today.

9.  Heavily settled by German-Russian immigrants in the
late 1880s & 1890s.
 Located in the “Sauerkraut Triangle.”
 German was often the first language taught in German-
Russian homes to children born prior to the 1930s.
 Many cultures and traditions are still prominent in
these three counties (i.e. Sauerkraut Day, polka fests,
weekly German day at local restaurants, Hochzeit
Schnapps at weddings).

10.  Emmons County
 69.2% of the population were of German ancestry.
 Logan County
 75.0% of the population were of German ancestry.
 McIntosh County
 82.2% of the population were of German ancestry.

15. 2010
 2009 Dakota Memories Heritage Tour proved there is a niche for
heritage tourism in German-Russian Country.
 Initial meeting regarding promotion of heritage tourism involved NDSU
Extension, Center for Heritage Renewal, Libraries’ Germans from Russia
Heritage Collection, North Dakota Department of Tourism and State
Historical Society meet to discuss potential of heritage tourism in
Emmons, Logan and McIntosh Counties.
 Held first meeting in tri-county area to encourage greater participation.
 NDSU Extension Service provides grant to NDSU Libraries’ GRHC for
second heritage tour.
2011
 Dr. Tom Isern’s heritage resource inventory project.
 Das Gute Essen Kochbuch Project received grant from SHSND.
 Second Dakota Memories Heritage Tour is a success.
2012
 May 18-20 – 19th Annual Conference of Preservation ND – A celebration
of North Dakota heritage in the heart of German-Russian Culture –
Wishek Civic Center and Tri-County area.

16. 2012 (continued)
 Designed Logo and Established Brand Name
 Prairie Legacy: German-Russian Country
2013
 Ewiger Saatz was debuted
2014
 501c3 status was received (began process in 2012)
 EIN #
 Bylaws
 $750 filling fee
 Articles of Incorporation filed with Secretary of State
 ESP Distinguished Team Award
 NDSU Extension Program of Excellence Award
 Testified at SHSND Foundation Meetings
 Special thanks to Senators Robert Erbele and Tim Mathern
 Welk Site
 Party on the Prairie
 Volunteer Hours
2015
 Welk Site became property of the State Historical Society of North Dakota
 Women Behind the Plow Exhibit

17.  Welk Farmstead
 Wishek Civic Center
 Zeeland City Hall
 Zeeland Arch
 Ashley Jewish Cemetery
 Logan County Historical Museum
 Braddock Letter Press Museum
 Hazelton Historical Society Museum
 German-Russian Exhibit at Governor’s Gallery at North Dakota
Heritage Center
 Alliance Ambassador Program
 Stronger Economies Together (SET)

18.  Presence at community events (i.e. Sauerkraut Day,
Oktoberfest, 125th celebrations.)
 St. Andrew’s Summer Service & Trail Ride
 3rd Annual Oktoberfest in Napoleon (fundraiser for
local organizations)
 90th Sauerkraut Day
 Ashley Oktoberfest
 Party on the Prairie

19.  Extension staff lead annual strategic planning session

21.  Creating content for German-Russian Country!

22.  Creating content for German-Russian Country!

25.  Data collected
 German-Russian Public Events
 German-Russian Material Culture
 German-Russian Folkways & Products
 People & Organizations

30.  Carmen Rath-Wald
Extension Agent, Logan County
President, Tri-County Tourism Alliance
Carmen.Rath.Wald@ndsu.edu
 Acacia Stuckle
Extension Agent, Emmons & Kidder Counties
Secretary, Tri-County Tourism Alliance
Acacia.Stuckle@ndsu.edu
 Sue Balcom
Historian, Tri-County Tourism Alliance
DasGuteEssen@hotmail.com