Gone But Not Forgotten: The Farmers Home in Millard

October 18, 2023

The Farmers Home building on 135th and Millard Avenue is Millard’s oldest building. It is not on the National Register of Historic Places and is in danger of being demolished. Before that happens, I wanted to get another look at the old building and document its history, which is difficult to nail down.

The Farmers Home was built in 1901 as a hotel that catered to farmers and ranchers when they arrived in town to sell their cattle and produce. Christine Joern, a German immigrant, was operating the hotel at that time. Herman Gerndorf, who was also a native of Germany, was working as a saloon keeper, and it seemed he would take over operation of the hotel for a time.

This 1908 photo from the Omaha Public Library shows a fence in front of the living quarters to the left as well as large glass windows on either side of the main entrance.

By 1910, Gerndorf was living with Carsten Hans and Anna Sieck, who were now operating the hotel. Hans took over from around 1910 through at least 1920 and possibly longer. In 1918, he was sent to the Nebraska Hospital for the Insane in Lincoln after stating that “John Peters might just as well kiss his children good-bye because when I meet him, his wife is going to be a widow.” Another witness claimed Hans walked into his place of business and scared him and his customers after placing three revolvers on the counter and saying, “Take any one you want, they don’t cost anything.”

This 1910 from the Omaha Public Library shows a bunch of men in front of the hotel. Two Krug brewing signs are on display. There’s also a sign for Old Stonewall Whiskey in the window.

Anna successfully fought to get her husband released claiming that his detainment was illegal after being denied a hearing before the insanity board. Upon his release, Hans said that he was never insane and that Anna’s death just a few months later was the result of a nervous breakdown caused by his arrest.

October 2023 Omaha Exploration photo of the front of the Farmers Home building. As you can see, it is falling apart and probably requires a substantial investment to save it.

Soon afterward, he married Johanna Fleck. They did not live happily ever after. He asked for a divorce one year later, claiming that she would often sing unpatriotic songs, praise the Kaiser of Germany, and refer to herself as the “Princess of Germany.” It did not stop there, as Hans further claimed she would hurl Bibles at him with pinpoint accuracy and killed their family poodle after throwing him against the icebox and breaking his back.

For her part, Johanna claimed that he only married her for her money and that the day after the wedding, he stopped working. She further claimed that he was a strong and dangerous man and that after receiving more than $4,000, he began to abuse her. Despite all that, they remained married until 1924. During that time, he would abandon her for months at a time. Hans left for good after claiming that she threw dirt on the grave of his first wife. After the divorce, he relocated to Papillion and leased the Wilcox Hotel.

October 2023 Omaha Exploration photo of the the Farmers Home from another angle.

Johanna, meanwhile, continued to live in the old Farmers Home until 1943. By that time, it was operated by Charles Paul, son of prominent Millard businessman August Paul. Charles bought the building and put it to use as his grocery store. From what I can tell, it lasted from 1934 until around the late 1960s. Charles had an aunt named Hannah Sieck living with him in 1940, suggesting that Charles and Hans were related.

October 2023 Omaha Exploration photo of what I suspect is the former living quarters for the innkepper. In the 1908 photo is has a fence in front of it.

The main floor had a beautiful bar which some readers suggest was sold to the nearby bar that is now Brick Street Tavern in 1978. Guests of the hotel slept in one of the many small rooms on the second floor. I suspect that the innkeepers quarters were on the south side of the building.

Looking inside the Farmers Home during its time as Olympia Cycle.

Duffy’s Butcher Shop occupied the building sometime between 1969-1974 followed by Hanke’s when Yogi Hanke bought it. He changed the name to B. I. G. Meats. In 1978 the building at 4910 S 135th St was turned into a second location for Olympia Cycle. The bike shop moved out around 2020. It was purchased in 2023 at which point its new owners were evaluating the cost to renovate it versus tear it down and replace it.

9/24 Update: A follower of my page has informed me that the building is going to be demolished as the foundation is unstable and has lots of asbestos.

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