Wednesday, October 11, the Network New Ulm Youth Program got a tremendous amount of insight into the history of the city they live in, focusing on how the US-Dakota War of 1862 impacted New Ulm.

To start the day, students had a walking tour of downtown New Ulm followed by a guided tour of the third floor of the museum, dedicated to the US-Dakota War of 1862. Next, they headed to Herman the German to get a presentation on the history of the monument.

Breaking the day, lunch was served at Turner Hall, where the students learned about the Turner Society which started in New Ulm in 1856. Lunch included burgers, brats, pasta salad, spitzel, and of course the controversial sauerkraut. “I don’t know how anyone could like sauerkraut.” junior Cullen Slette said.

After lunch, students toured the pioneer section of the New Ulm Cemetery. Significant figures in the making of New Ulm were pointed out and recognized for their contributions to the War of 1862. Wealthy families were distinguishable by their large and tall stones.

At the time of their deaths, it was popular to have a tree trunk as a headstone. There was often lots of symbolism with the pulling back of the tree’s bark. Other symbols include ivy, doves, and books. “It’s cool to see how elaborate headstones were then compared to now,” New Ulm Cathedral student Madie Gilles said.

With the day coming to an end, students headed to the New Ulm Battery for a reenactment of a cannon fire.  The Battery received its first cannon, a 6-pound field gun, as a gift from former governor Henry Sibley in 1863. Today, the New Ulm Battery serves as the only Civil War-era militia in the country.