Heidelberg Six

Heidelberg’s Six Community Builders and Entrepreneurs
The crossroads village of Heidelberg, straddling both Wellesley and Woolwich Townships, opened its first post office in 1854. Six prominent local entrepreneurs toward the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century established businesses that would provide goods, services, entertainment, and support for the fledgling community.

Henry N. Huehn, born on a farm near Heidelberg was a harness-maker by trade. In 1888, he purchased an existing general dry goods store on the northwest corner of Heidelberg’s main intersection. While he continued to operate his harness shop, it was the store that provided generations of villagers with a wide variety of essential items, hardware and “a large assortment of Saskatchewan buffalo robes.” Huehn was appointed an issuer of Marriage Licenses, served as a Wellesley Township Councillor, and eventually the village postmaster. A merchant of depth, breadth and longevity, Henry Huehn provided a valuable service to local residents and farmers, thereby improving their pioneering situations immeasurably.

John Wesley Huehnergard, born on a farm bear Heidelberg worked as a jeweller and grocer prior to purchasing Heidelberg’s Dominion Hotel in 1892. The inn, built in 1851, and was the town’s second hotel. Huehnergard renovated the building, and transformed the second floor, “Huehnergard’s Hall,” to be used for concerts, meetings, social events and lectures. The hotel became an important social hub for the village. Huehnergard was a singer, accomplished musician, one time leader of the Heidelberg Band and was the first president of the Heidelberg Music Society. Under Huehnergard’s leadership, the society opened a summer resort at Otterbein Lake (later called Paradise Lake). Music programs, sports events, dances, fireworks, picnic facilities, boat rentals and eventually a concert pavilion were all established at the lake. Apart from being a successful hotelier, Huehnergard’s major contribution to the community was his ongoing efforts to provide entertainment and social events for the enrichment of the residents of Heidelberg and the surrounding area.

Charles Kreutziger immigrated to North America in 1849. He made his way to Canada West (Ontario) where he was a miller. He built a large gristmill in Heidelberg in 1879, the Kreutziger Lorne Roller Flour Mill, a state-of-the-art facility that was often described as “one of the best equipped modern roller flouring mills in the province.” Next, Kreutziger’s built a large sawmill which employed up to 10 people and bought large quantities of logs from local farmers. Later, Kreutziger moved to the city of Waterloo and operated a large planing mill and box factory along with his Heidelberg mills. As he did in Heidelberg, he asl dabbled in house design and construction, capital development and housing improvements. His own family home, which was built in 1893, was heated with steam generated at his mills and still stands today.

Henry Miller (Heinrich Mueller) immigrated to Canada from Baden-Wurttenberg in 1847. He built and opened Heidelberg’s third hotel, the Great Western Hotel, in 1860. It became a stage-coach stop and transfer point for overland routes to Millbank, Glen Allen, Stratford, and Berlin. Miller designed his hotel to include a general store with its own separate entrance; private, individual windowed lodging rooms on the second floor (rather than sleeping communally on thin pallets in the main tavern room); and an elevated walkway joining the second floor of the hotel to the barn. All of these innovations were forward looking. His businesses provided important employment opportunities in the village. He bore the risk and financial burden to open Heidelberg’s third hotel and first dry goods store. The hotel at this location has operated successfully for more than 160 years, and is known today as The Olde Heidelberg Restaurant, Tavern and Motel.

Valentine Otterbein immigrated from Hesse to Wellesley Township in 1842. He became a second-generation Wellesley farmer when he took over the operation of his father’s farm in 1856. In 1869, Otterbein began serving as the deputy reeve on Waterloo County Council, a post he held for almost 30 years. He was also one of the founders and first directors of the North Waterloo Farmers’ Fire Insurance Company, and later served as its president. Winning successive elections either by vote or acclamation, Valentine Otterbein was well liked by his constituents, so much so that the lake beside his property was named in his honour (Otterbein Lake, later Paradise Lake). His involvement with and influence on Waterloo County Council lasted almost three decades.

Adam Steiss, Jr. immigrated to Canada West in 1847. By 1867 he bought the Great Western Hotel from Henry Miller and operated the business for almost 40 years. Like his competitor, Huehnergard across the street, Steiss used the space above his barn as a public hall ( Steiss’ Hall) for civic meetings, spelling bees, division court, amateur plays, campaign meetings, horticultural shows, and Farmers’ Institute meetings. Steiss began his famous limburger cheese factory behind his house in 1878 (the first in Canada to engage in this type of cheese production). Business became very successful with customers locally and in Manitoba, British Columbia, and the Maritime Provinces. Demand for Steiss limburger cheese became so great that even with the construction of a new and larger cheese factory in 1901, the company still had difficulty fulfilling its orders. Steiss entered and won his category and class in a cheese competition at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition held in Buffalo. Besides being a successful hotelier and cheese maker, Stiess was appointed postmaster in 1879 and served for nearly 30 years. Described as a “man of industry”, Adam Steiss was one of Heidelberg’s most successful early residents.

Huehn, Huehnergard, Kreutziger, Miller, Otterbein, and Steiss stood apart from their peer group in early Heidelberg. By operating inns, flour and sawmills, dry goods and hardware stores, a cheese factory, a resort and farms, their enterprises provided food, supplies, clothing, recreation and entertainment for residents. They were also leaders in their community who collaborated in founding or participating in benevolent groups, bringing music and exhibitions to the local area, sponsoring cultural activities, offering new gastronomic experiences with trendy oyster suppers and providing employment for many people. Together, they helped to create a “golden age” in Heidelberg and the surrounding community.