Otto Schroeder Archives and Records Center
The Dane County Historical Society manages the Otto Schroeder Archives and Records Center, located on the lower level of the Lussier Family Heritage Center (LFHC).
Aerial view of the Lussier Family Heritage Center. The Otto Schroeder Archives and Records Center is on the lower level.
The LFHC is at 3101 Lake Farm Road in Dane County’s Lunney Lake Farm Park. It is part of the Capital Springs State Recreation Area, which stretches along the southern border of the City of Madison.
In 2002, the DCHS began searching for a new home and launched a fundraising effort. To DCHS’s benefit, Amy Gillibrand donated generously in her grandfather’s name. Her gift made it possible for us to move into our current home.
The public can make appointments for the Otto Schroeder Archives and Records Center by contacting the Dane County Historical Society via our contact email or phone (608-224-3605). (As a tip, emails usually get a faster response.)
Otto Schroeder
Otto Schroeder was born in the small farm town of Elben, Germany, on September 26, 1899. At sixteen, he served in the military during World War I, assembling Fokker tri-planes for the Red Baron’s squadron. Schroeder served as a non-combatant because two older brothers lived in the United States. After the war, he received a degree in mechanical engineering and began employment in a steel manufacturing plant in Kassel, Germany.
In 1926, Otto married and moved with his wife to San Francisco, where he worked for the Soule Steel Company. The Schroeders moved to Napa, California, in 1941, where Otto worked in the Basalt Rock Company’s Napa Shipyard. While there, Schroeder invented a manufacturing process that revolutionized steel pipe production worldwide. After World War II, Schroeder worked as an international consultant, supervising the establishment of pipe manufacturing plants around the globe. Schroeder died at 92.
Collections
The Otto Schroeder Archives and Record Center houses the Dane County Historical Society’s collections. To learn more about them, visit our “Digitized Collections” page! Our list of digitized collections has been regularly expanding, which we believe enhances public access and the relevance of these collections.
For those interested, here is a link to our Collections Management Policy (2000).
Books
The Dane County Historical Society has two books for sale. Forward! A History of DANE: The Capital City is the most recent history of Dane County.
Forward: A History of DANE; The Capital County
Back to Beginnings: The Early Days of Dane County is a history for young readers. It is beautifully illustrated and fun for both young and old.
