Title: Kern-Meinecke Album
Inclusive Dates: 1884-1893

Creators:

• Kern Family
• Meinecke Family

Call Number: Milwaukee Historic Photo Collection 9

Quantity: 0.6 cubic ft. (2 boxes)

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

This family album is primarily of the grandchildren of John Baptiste Adolph Kern (usually known as Adolph Kern) and Adolph Meinecke. The album also includes both interior and exterior views of the Kern and Meinecke homes and views of Milwaukee, including the parade for the 50th anniversary of the City of Milwaukee.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-mhpc0009

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John Baptist Adolph Kern (Adolph Kern) was born in Bavaria in 1829. His family came to the United States in 1832. Adolph came to Milwaukee and started a milling business with a small mill on Poplar Street in 1859. In 1861, he entered into partnership with Fred Bertschy, the father of his wife Helen, whom he married in 1856. Bertschy and Kern started the Eagle Mill. Eagle Mill flour proved very successful for Kern and he grew the company beyond the capacity of his original mill. In 1866, Kern sold the first mill and built a new, larger mill. That mill was added onto over the years and would eventually become one of the largest mills in the country. He had six children, one of whom was Margaret.

Adolph Meinecke was born in Oldenburg, Germany. He came to the United States in 1848 at the age of 17. He moved to Milwaukee in 1855 and started a small toy store on Market Square. In 1864, he started manufacturing willow baskets in the same building as his toy store. His willow–working business was so successful that in 1870, the business was divided and the toy business became a line that was produced under the name "Meinecke & Co." and the willow work enterprise was carried on under the name "A. Meinecke." By 1879, the company had grown so much that it was moved to then East, now North, Water Street. The company also expanded beyond the manufacture of toys and willow products to include the importing of fancy goods. By this time, Adolph’s eldest son Ferdinand was a partner in the willow manufacturer and that area of the business became known as A. Meinecke & Son. Adolph Meinecke’s son Ferdinand married Adolph Kern’s daughter Margaret in 1879.

The album contains 225 photographs. The photos are primarily sepia-toned though some cyanotypes have been included. The photos are in multiple sizes and formats. Pages include anywhere from one to many photos. The photos are primarily of the members of the family over a nine year period. Photographs of the exterior and interior of many houses are included, as well as photos of day to day activities, parties, and vacations. The home and buildings listed in the album are in various places around the county. The homes at 623, 625, and 651 Milwaukee Street would be at 1203, 1207, and 1237 North Milwaukee Street today. Pages 15, 37, and 38 are missing.

The Kern Farm that is depicted is today known as Kern Park in Milwaukee. The current address of the park is 3614 N. Humboldt Blvd., and is at the corner of N. Humboldt Blvd. and W. Keefe Avenue. A Milwaukee Journal article from July 21st, 1898 mentioned a wedding that took place at “the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Meinecke, three miles west of Wauwatosa.” A perusal of plat maps showed the location of the Meineckes’ summer property at the corner of what is now North 100th Street and West North Avenue. The home itself is still located at 2517 N. 100th Street. Oak Terrace appears to have been a summer home for the Meinecke and Kern families. However, no trace of the house’s location in Milwaukee was found. It is possible that the home was somewhere near North Ave., but that assumption is based upon conjecture and the photo showing one of the children leaving Oak Terrace to go to Rohn’s Swimming School which was located by the North Avenue Dam.

The pages were removed from the album and put into two boxes. The pages are in the original order.

Kern-Meinecke Album, 1884-1893, Collection 9. Milwaukee Historic Photo Archives, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Historic Photo Collection. Milwaukee Historic Photo Collection 6.

• Historic Portrait Collection. Milwaukee Historic Photo Collection 7.

• Remember When Collection. Milwaukee Historic Photo Collection 15.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view collections from the Milwaukee Historic Photo Archives by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

No acquisition information is currently available. Materials were accessioned as a Historic Photo Collection.

Processing Information

Processed by Jackie Radtke, Photo Librarian, 1999. Additional processing by Rose Fortier, Historic Photo Librarian, June 2010.

Box   1 Page   1	John Baptist Adolph Kern, Adolph Meinecke Sr., Adolph Meinecke III, undated
Box   1 Page   2	Lorle, Gretchen, Adolph and cousin Rosa Meinecke, undated
Box   1 Page   3	Adolph and Lorle Meinecke, undated
Box   1 Page   4-5	Gretchen and Adolph in Mexican costume, undated
Box   1 Page   6	Gretchen and German nurse, undated
Box   1 Page   7	Mother (Margaret Meinecke née Kern) and Gretchen, undated
Box   1 Page   8	Family gathering at Kern Farm (now Kern Park 3614 N. Humboldt Blvd.), 1884
Box   1 Page   9	Marie, undated
Box   1 Page   9	Adolph, Gretchen, Lorle and Juneau (family dog), undated
Box   1 Page   10	Father (Ferdinand Meinecke), Mother (Margaret Meinecke), Grandma Kern, Lorle, Adolph, and Gretchen, undated
Box   1 Page   11	Adolph, Lorle, Gretchen and Marie, 1887, undated
Box   1 Page   12	Kern Farm: Lorle, Marie, Gretchen and Adolph, undated
Box   1 Page   13	Oak Terrace: Lorle in carriage to swimming school at Rohn’s, undated
Box   1 Page   14	Dinner at 651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   1 Page   16	Mother (Margaret Meinecke) in living room at 651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   1 Page   17	Parlor at 651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   1 Page   18	Sunday Dinner at 651 Milwaukee St., guest Otto Haueisen, undated
Box   1 Page   19	Adolph as a Turk, undated
Box   1 Page   20	Playhouse at Oak Terrace, undated
Box   1 Page   21	Family at Kern Farm, undated
Box   1 Page   22-24	Kern and Meinecke grandchildren, Elsa Deuster, 1888
Box   1 Page   25-26	Catching crabs on Milwaukee River, undated
Box   1 Page   27	Kern and Meinecke grandchildren at Oak Terrace, undated
Box   1 Page   28	Grandpa and Grandma Meinecke and children, undated
Box   1 Page   29	Mother (Margaret Meinecke) and F.M. Jr. (Ferdinand Meinecke Jr.?), undated
Box   1 Page   30	Lorle in Turkish room at 651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   1 Page   31	Gretchen, Lorle, and Marie in Turkish room at 651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   1 Page   32-33	Nante first appearance with Marie, Gretchen, Adolph, and Lorle, 1888
Box   1 Page   34	Nante and Lorle, undated
Box   1 Page   35	Photos at 623 Milwaukee Street, undated
Box   1 Page   36	Visitors from Indianapolis, undated
Box   1 Page   36	Mother (Margaret Meinecke) and Irma Feldman, undated
Box   1 Page   39	Harvesting grapes at Kern Vineyard on Humboldt, undated
Box   1 Page   40	Kern vineyard, wine sampling, Grandma and Grandpa Kern, undated
Box   1 Page   41	Sunday gathering, Kerns, Meineckes and Gustave Pabst, undated
Box   1 Page   42	Making wine at Kern Vineyard on Humboldt; Lena, John Kern, Father (Ferdinand Meinecke), Grandma Kern, Grandfather, Mother (Margaret Meinecke), Adolph K., Lorle, Adolph M., Jennie Berthie, undated
Box   2 Page   43	Kern home at Humboldt, undated
Box   2 Page   44	Christmas masquerade party; John and Hedwig Penshorn, Mother (Margaret Meinecke), Lorle, Ferdinand Meinecke Jr., Marie, Gretchen, Elsa Deuster, Adolph, 1888
Box   2 Page   45	Launch on Milwaukee River, undated
Box   2 Page   45	Gathering at Kern’s Farm, undated
Box   2 Page   46	Fanny the pony, Nounu, Adolph, Nante, Gretchen, undated
Box   2 Page   47	Adolph Kern and Racer, undated
Box   2 Page   48	Mother (Margaret Meinecke), undated
Box   2 Page   48	Mother (Margaret Meinecke) and Irma Feldman, undated
Box   2 Page   49	Christmas at Kern’s Farm, undated
Box   2 Page   50	Launch on Milwaukee River, undated
Box   2 Page   51	Marie, Lorle, and Gretchen, undated
Box   2 Page   52	Marie, undated
Box   2 Page   52	Lorle, undated
Box   2 Page   53	Lorle, 1892
Box   2 Page   53	Marie, 1892
Box   2 Page   54-55	Nante as a Turk, undated
Box   2 Page   56	Father (Ferdinand Meinecke) as a Mexican mandolin player, undated
Box   2 Page   57	Gretchen and Lorle, undated
Box   2 Page   57	Marie and Gretchen, undated
Box   2 Page   58	Father (Ferdinand Meinecke) in Turkish Room, undated
Box   2 Page   58	Hugo Menzel in Turkish Room, undated
Box   2 Page   59	Father (Ferdinand Meinecke), undated
Box   2 Page   59	Mother (Margaret Meinecke), undated
Box   2 Page   60	Conservatory at 625 Milwaukee St., Meinecke children with grandparent Meinecke, undated
Box   2 Page   61	Meinecke grandchildren, Christmas, 1890
Box   2 Page   62-63	Meinecke family in conservatory at 625 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   2 Page   64	Grandpa and Gramma, Irma Feldman in conservatory, undated
Box   2 Page   64	F. Meinecke family in conservatory, undated
Box   2 Page   65-66	Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   66	Adolph Meinecke, Sr. and Jr., undated
Box   2 Page   67-68	Garden house at Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   68	Elsa Deuster, Fritz Roerich, undated
Box   2 Page   69	Adolph Meinecke Jr. on big wheel bicycle, undated
Box   2 Page   70	Oak Terrace Sunday gathering, undated
Box   2 Page   71	Gondola on Milwaukee River, undated
Box   2 Page   72	Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   73	Vineyard, Kern’s Farm, undated
Box   2 Page   73	Looking across Milwaukee River, undated
Box   2 Page   74	Children’s play house, Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   75	Milwaukee River, undated
Box   2 Page   75	Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   76	Gretchen’s birthday party, August 27, 1885
Box   2 Page   77	Milwaukee River in winter, undated
Box   2 Page   78-80	Scenes at Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   79	Hockey game at Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   80	Dining room and kitchen, Oak Terrace, undated
Box   2 Page   81	On Milwaukee River in gondola, undated
Box   2 Page   82	Catching crabs on Milwaukee River, undated
Box   2 Page   83-85	Swimming lessons at Rohn’s Swimming School, undated
Box   2 Page   85	Family dinner with Nounu at 651 Milwaukee St., 1892
Box   2 Page   86	Family dinner at 651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   2 Page   86	651 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   2 Page   86	Lorle up in tree, undated
Box   2 Page   87	Meinecke home, 623 Milwaukee St., undated
Box   2 Page   87	Milwaukee Street looking north, undated
Box   2 Page   88	Interiors, undated
Box   2 Page   89	Steamer trip to Sheboygan, undated
Box   2 Page   89	Floats for Milwaukee 50 Year Anniversary parade, undated
Box   2 Page   89	Kern Mill float, undated
Box   2 Page   89	Meinecke toy float, undated
Box   2 Page   90	Vacation to Niagara Falls, 1887
Box   2 Page   91-92	Ferdinand Meinecke country home in Wauwatosa, undated
Box   2 Page   93	On stairway in front of library in Wauwatosa home, 1893
Box   2 Page   94	Menomonee River, Wauwatosa, undated
Box   2 Page   94	Fireplace in Wauwatosa home, undated
Box   2 Page   95	Stairway in Wauwatosa home, undated
Box   2 Page   96	Library in Wauwatosa home, undated
Box   2 Page   96	Crabbing at Wauwatosa, undated
Box   2 Page   97	Mighty hunters at big elm, Wauwatosa, undated
Box   2 Page   98-100	Outdoor scenes in Wauwatosa, undated
Box   2 Page   100	Vacation across the lake in Michigan, undated
Box   2 Page   101	Article from the Milwaukee Sentinel about cutting down the old elm in Wauwatosa, undated
Box   2 Page   102	Newspaper clipping “Toys play big role in city history”, Milwaukee Sentinel, undated