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The Germantown Colony and Museum, located northeast of Minden, provides visitors with a look into the past, to a way of life once believed by its founders to be a utopia. The colony is one of three founded in the United States in the early 19th century by the Utopian Movement of the Harmonist Society, which originated in Germany. In 1835, under the leadership of the Countess von Leon, the colony was established and operated on a communal basis until 1871.
Above the settlement on a quiet hill surrounded by beautiful old trees is the small well-kept cemetery, which holds the remains of many of the early settlers. The tombstones reveal places of birth in Germany, and their dates often tell the sad story of early death.
On March 12, 1979, Minden's Germantown Colony was placed on the official list of the Nation's Cultural Resources Worthy of Preservation by the U.S. Department of Interior, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.
The Piney Hills Louisiana Master Gardeners have taken on the task of bringing some color and beauty with flowers to this historic place.
The Germantown Colony and Museum is located at 120 Museum Rd. Go 7 miles northeast of Minden on Germantown Road. Turn right on Museum Road. It is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Closed in January and February.
Admission is $3 for adults and $.50 for children under 12 years old. Group rates are also available. The museum is also open by appointment. For more information, call (318) 377-6061.