Germantown and St. Ludger's Parish
Some of the earliest settlers of the Germantown
community were the Schmedding, Westhusing, Walbert, Hageboeck, Koch,
Schussler, Puthoff, Goth, Teeman, and Vogelman families.
Jacob Goldsmith opened Germantown's first store in
1857. By 1870, the town was booming with two stores, two saloons, two
hotels, two blacksmith shops, a post office, a millinery store, and a
public well. Later a school and convent were built.
In 1870, the MKT Railroad volunteered to help the
village by placing a depot along the outskirts. These plans met with much
opposition, especially from the mayor of Germantown who refused the
right-of-way through his land. The railroad then changed its course and
built a depot in the town of Montrose. From that time on, the once
prosperous village was doomed. As Germantown declined, Montrose
grew.
The Nunnery Bed & Breakfast is the former convent
of the sisters who served St. Ludger's parish and school.
The Precious Blood Sisters from Marla Stein, Ohio,
served from 1890 to 1893 and again from 1902 to 1907. From 1908-1938, the
Sisters of Notre Dame from St. Louis, Missouri, served the parish. The
Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration of Nevada, Missouri, taught
in the school from 1938 to 1944. The Sisters of St. Benedict, from
Atchison, Kansas, taught at St. Ludger’s from 1944 until the school closed
in 1959.
Ground was broken in the fall of 1920 for a new home
for the sisters, the present-day Bed and Breakfast. The cornerstone was
laid on May 22, 1921, with Bishop Lillis in attendance. On that same day,
Bishop Lillis confirmed 30 Confirmation candidates.
The convent was a large, two-story, brick building
that contained enough individual rooms to house the sisters and those
students who wished to board there during the week. It also contained its
own, small chapel. With the help of volunteer labor, the cost was held to
$11,000. On October 23, 1921, Bishop Lillis returned for the dedication.
The school was closed in 1959 when it was no longer
financially viable to continue to operate the school. The previous year,
the school's enrollment had fallen to a mere 55 students.
After the school closed, the convent that formerly
housed the sisters became home for a number of local families over the
next 40 years. The Bill Roos, Willard Tenholder, and Everett Rotert
families lived in the home. Joe and Carol Lewis resided here from 1970 to
1972. FAITH (Families Assisted in Transitional Housing) occupied the
convent from 1990 until the fall of 2000.
In October 2000, renovations began for The Nunnery
Bed & Breakfast. The altar in the Chapel dining room is the one
surviving piece of furniture from the convent.
Located on the grounds next to the Nunnery, is the
beautiful, historic St. Ludger Chapel, the former St. Ludger Catholic
Church now listed on the National Registered of Historic
Places.