PND begins to Restore the Buildings
Volunteers Begin the Restoration of the House
After Steve Burian’s death in 1999, the Hutmacher site passed to his children, who began to look for an organization that would take over the management.
At about the same time, Preservation North Dakota had listed the Hutmacher site as one of the most endangered historic sites in North Dakota. Dale Bentley of Preservation North Dakota visited the site and immediately recognized the historic value of the buildings.
Standing amongst the buildings out on the open prairie listening to the wind, birds and an occasional cow, Dale realized the Hutmacher site represented more than just a collection of buildings. Based on Dale’s recommendation, Preservation North Dakota contacted Arnold Burian to discuss preservation of the site.
It was determined that the best course of action was to have Preservation North Dakota take ownership and take on responsibility for restoration and maintenance of the site.
PND had extensive experience in preserving old buildings. They are well known for their efforts in preserving prairie churches. The Hutmacher’s earthen buildings, however, represented new territory for the organization.
Restoring the Buildings
