Compelling needs statement

The German American Heritage Center focuses on teaching, demonstrating, and bringing to life the timeless spirit, values, and work ethic of the German immigrant to our current and future generations.

• The immigrants and their descendants helped to weave a strong fabric of family values, hard work, perseverance, stewardship, and community spirit to the Quad Cities region and surrounding Midwestern states.
• The values and work ethic that are present in our community today are directly linked to the immigrants settling in this region.
• The immigrants brought with them a culture of families and communities supporting each other and sharing their successes and sorrows through music, food, fellowship, and mutual respect.
• As innovators, these immigrants resourcefully used their skills to build and grow successful businesses, and farms.
• As stewards, these immigrants helped to establish a strong financial and banking community.

The Center was once a Hotel used by immigrants as they established themselves in the Midwest region. The Center supported these immigrants as they carved out their own niche built on the values of hard work and perseverance.

Today, the Center is the crossroads for the generations. The place where brick and mortar and a living culture are merged to provide dynamic experiences to perpetuate the immigrant values and work ethic for our current and future generations.

The Center explores and celebrates the immigration experience and further tells the story of how the immigrants contributed to the development of our country and had a positive influence on our American way of life.