Once upon a time in Washington, what is today Chinatown was the center of the German-American immigrant community. John Hockemeyer arrived in Washington from Germany as a 15-year old in 1858. He became a wealthy merchant, specializing in the grocery, coffee roasting and meat business. In 1888, he built an elegant Victorian residence at 719 Sixth Street, N.W., just a block from the then fashionable Seventh Street business district.
The building served many purposes, including one of the city’s first bowling alleys, until it fell into disrepair. In October, 2008, the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA purchased Hockemeyer Hall . At noon on Sunday, March 21, the first day of spring, the old Hockemeyer Hall will be opened to the public as the new German-American Heritage Museum.
The building has been completely renovated, internally and externally, into a light-filled museum space. The design, which incorporates the red, white and blue of the American flag and the yellow, black and red of the German flag, is attractive with state-of-the-art audio-visual kiosks.
The Museum, the first of its kind in the District, is dedicated to the history of the German-Americans and their contribution to America’s history. Its mission is to collect, record, preserve and exhibit the rich cultural legacy of German-Americans. It is designed to be a place for continuing discussion, study, and development of ideas about German-speaking immigrants, their heritage, values and their future.
The Museum is also collecting audio-visual data on German immigration stories to preserve the heritage of German immigrants. In the course of a three-year long project, Americans of German descent are invited to share their immigrant background, their family history and their relationships with Germany today.
Entrance to the Museum is free, so stop by on Sunday afternoon at 719 Sixth Street NW for the grand opening. While the Museum doesn’t have a coffee shop, there are plenty of restaurants in the neighborhood for anyone in need of refreshment.
