Snapshot: Woodbury Council Tours Heritage House

The Woodbury City Council on Wednesday took a tour of the Woodbury Heritage Society’s Heritage House.

The structure, which was once attached to the log cabin home of original property owner Frederick Raths, was built circa 1870.

For those who want to tour the house themselves, the Woodbury Heritage Society offers free tours the second and fourth Sundays of the month from June through September. The tours run from 1-4 p.m., and a member of the organization is on hand to answer questions and talk about the house and grounds.

The Heritage House is located at Marsh Creek Park.

From the Woodbury Heritage Society’s website:

Raths emigrated from Germany in 1853 and purchased the Woodbury property in 1866. This addition was used by the Raths family as a kitchen and living quarters. Over the years, it has also been used as living quarters for farm hands, and as a washing room and utility room.

In 1895 the log cabin was torn down when Henry Raths, son of Frederick, built a new home. The addition was then moved north of the new house where it remained until 1993. Jacob and Lizzie Stutzman bought the farm from Henry Raths and his wife Rebecca in 1903. Herbert Stutzman (son of Jacob), and wife, Laura, became owners in 1919 and worked the farm with their two sons Roy and Warren. In 1951, Wendell and Borgie Thompson rented the farm and operated it until 1993.

In 1993 the Stutzman familyl farm on Radio Drive at Lake Road in Woodbury was sold to developers. Woodbury Community Development Director Dwight Picha recognized that one of the farm buildings was a good example of the structures built in the earliest days of Woodbury’s settlement and was worthy of preservation. He initiated a cooperative effort with the developer, who agreed to donate the building to the city. The Woodbury Heritage Society stabilized and restored the building.

In the fall of 1993, the building was relocated to a temporary spot north of its original site until its final move. Beginning in spring 1995, our members, Boy Scouts, and other volunteer workers have repaced the roof, repaired the chimney, patched siding, painted the exterior and interior, fenced the yard, built a handicapped access, installed new windows and doors, and added a small entry porch.

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