Ludwig and Christina Welk Homestead
Encyclopedia
The Ludwig and Christina Welk Homestead built in 1893 is an historic farm house located at 845 88th Street, South East in Strasburg
, North Dakota
. It is also known as the Lawrence Welk Birthplace, the Mike Welk Farm and ND SITS 32 EM 46. Here on March 11, 1903, noted American musician
, accordion
ist, bandleader
, and television
impresario
Lawrence Welk
was born to Ludwig and Christina Welk, who were German-speaking Roman Catholics from Alsace-Lorraine
by way of Odessa, Ukraine
. On October 28, 1993, the homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
The Lawrence Welk Birthplace, officially called the Ludwig and Christina Welk Farmstead, has been restored and is run by local volunteers including Lawrence Welk's niece Edna Schwab. Although Welk donated to other local efforts, surprisingly he specified that none of his money be used for the restoration of his birthplace.
Strasburg, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 549 people, 216 households, and 136 families residing in Strasburg. The population density was 1,823.0 people per square mile . There were 245 housing units at an average density of 813.5 per square mile . The racial makeup of the town was 96.72% White, 0.18%...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. It is also known as the Lawrence Welk Birthplace, the Mike Welk Farm and ND SITS 32 EM 46. Here on March 11, 1903, noted American musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
ist, bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
, and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
was born to Ludwig and Christina Welk, who were German-speaking Roman Catholics from Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
by way of Odessa, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. On October 28, 1993, the homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The Lawrence Welk Birthplace, officially called the Ludwig and Christina Welk Farmstead, has been restored and is run by local volunteers including Lawrence Welk's niece Edna Schwab. Although Welk donated to other local efforts, surprisingly he specified that none of his money be used for the restoration of his birthplace.