History of Tennyson

Written by: Bernadine Pluemer

"In the quaint little village of Tennyson on the quest of a picturesque hill" was not written by Alfred lord Tennyson, as one would suspect, but rather by two talented St. Andrew High School girls for the opening verse of their school song. The words were by Adeline Pluemer Good and music by Catherine Seipker Zenz in 1925.

Formerly Tennyson was known as "Dutch Hollow" until somewhere around 1913. The villagers met together and suggested various names. Some preferred using the name "Saint Andrew," the church's patron saint. Some suggested "Pluemerville" others "Mullerville." Finally, someone proposed the name "Tennyson" after the English poet Lord Alfred Tennyson. A vote was later taken and the name "Tennyson" was agreed on. So in 1940, almost a century after the German settlement was organized, Tennyson first became incorporated.

Town meetings were held in the old body shop across the road from Muller's garage. They bought the school on Bunker Hill in 1953, and held monthly meetings there until 1976 when the old school was razed and a new building was built.

The Stone House

The Three story house was built of native stone in 1848 by a settler named Frank Muller. It was used as a store. Supplies were brought from Galena to the German settlement by wagon. Little of the home's history is known after the death of Frank Muller. We do know that two maiden ladies by the name of Mary and Jane Scullem had a millinery shop for a time. After that, Maggy Mechler Friesen and Laura Burkett had a dress-making shop.

Mary and Nick Wagner may have lived in a part of the house when they had a saloon.

Also during the mining days, the house became a boarding house for some of the miners. It was used as a mill for five years. Portable mills came in use so the mill was discontinued.

This former boarding house may have at one time been a stay for one of America's most notorious assassins, John Wilkes Booth. Continue onto the next page to learn more.