Outdoor Exhibits

Outdoor exhibits include two log buildings and farming equipment. The 1856 log room, built by the Kurio family, originally part of a dog trot home, is furnished as a bed room. A section of the earlier 1855 room is also preserved on the Museum grounds. The Mertink family log room is used to exhibit carpenter’s and farming tools.

The Kurio Log Room

The Kurio home, located on two Serbin town lots, was built in stages during the 19th century. The original structure, a one room log home, was built in 1855 by Michael and Christina Kurio who came to Texas on the Ben Nevis. They added an additional log room, probably in 1856, which created a double log house with front porch and open dog-trot.

The house fell into disrepair while not being occupied so in 1987 Marvin Kurio offered all or part of the building to the Museum. It was decided to take the 1856 log room intact, and the remaining parts of the wall of the 1855 log room.

In the museum restoration, the 1856 log room stands as a one room home just as the 1855 home would have looked before the additions. Rotted sills, floor joists, and floor boards etc., were replaced with similar old lumber salvaged from other Wendish farms. The shingles and roof construction are of new materials.

The Mertink Log Room

The Mertink Log Room was already on the farm when Ben and Alma Schneider Mertink purchased the property near Northrup in 1924. It was originally part of the dog trot style home which had two log rooms with doors opening into the dog trot (open hallway between the rooms.) Ben and Alma lived in it for a while, but when they built their new home in 1932, Ben dismantled it. He moved one room down the hill and used it for a barn.

In 1987, Carl Mertink, son of Ben and Alma, offered the log barn to the museum. In the museum restoration, the log room stands as barn in which the museum exhibits their collection of farming tools, small implements, and other equipment common to out-buildings. All logs are original except for the two bottom sills.