victoriansourcelogo2.jpg
Teutonia Hall

The following excerpt is from a speech by New York City Mayor McClellan in 1909.

1909SpeechNYCMayorMclellan.jpg

Yonkers Teutonia Hall
 
Early in the 20th Century, Yonkers was home to many ethnicly based social clubs and organizations. Mirroring the US at that time, newly immigrated groups would settle in geographic proximity to each other to build a new life in America. Establishing Social Clubs, Brotherhoods and Houses of Worship were one way they could help each other and build the community. The goal was to assimilate into US society. One such group were the Germans who established a "singing and literary society" in Yonkers in 1856 and built their own building on Buena Vista Avenue in 1891-92 and also a church on Hudson Street. Read about their organization and see photos of Teutonia Hall below. Further down read excerpts from newpaper articles about significant events held at the Hall.
 
Today, the building has been unoccupied for many years and was recently sold to a developer. Its fate is uncertain, but clearly the building and the organization it housed, played an important cultural and educational role in the city of Yonkers and in lives of many of the city's German ancestors. 
 
 
 
 

DedicationTeutonia1892.jpg

The society searched for land to build their own hall. The site purchased was on Buena Vista avenue. See the 1881 map below and note the land belonging to the Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Map1881Bromley.jpg

Below is a map from 1893 which shows the location of Teutonia Hall a year after it was built. Note the homeowners adjacent and across from the bulding included the Otis Family and J. M. Alvord. Alvord was a partner in the Otis Company for a brief period.

Map1893.jpg

Organizational description of Yonkers Teutonia published in 1901
Note some influential citizens of the past were its Presidents (e.g. Rudolf Eickemeyer* and John Schlobohm)
 
*Read about the life of Rudolf Eickemeyer (Sr.). Click below to read his Euology dlivered by Frederic Shonnard in 1895.

Click here

YonkersTeutoniaHistorylores.jpg

Photos Below show Teutonia Hall at the turn of the last century (period 1900-1903)

TeutoniaHallCloseup1900lores.jpg

TeutoniaHallCloseup1900lores.jpg

TeutoniaHallCloseup1900lores.jpg

TeutoniaHallCloseup1900lores.jpg

If Walls Could Talk

Whenever one enters a building with a long history, particularly a building that performed a social and educational function in the development of a city, one can only imagine the people who passed through its doors. Thousands of events and functions that took place within its walls and the history and the changes that were taking place beyond its walls worked together to shape and develop a city and nation. In thinking about what should and should not constitute a landmark, that is a site that should be preserved, one must consider its historic value. This value is not necessarily just architectural in nature, or location based, but consideration should be given to its social and historic position as well. Is it just an old building or is it something more. Does the site offer learning to future generations as well as the present generation. If walls could talk what would they say? The following are some news articles from the New York Times describing events held at Teutonia Hall from its earliest beginnings in 1892. Some were of importance to the German members, some were important to all citizens of Yonkers and the greater geographic area.

 
 

WestchesterCountyBall1892.jpg

The following excerpt is from the New York Times 1894:

1896nyt.jpg

The following excerpt is from the New York Times 1896:

1896nyt.jpg

 
 
 
 
 
 
What do you think? Your comments are important. Please share your thoughts. Thank you!