Chesterfield in Madison County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Bronnenberg Family
Frederick Brandenburg was born in 1775 in Germany. As a youth he apprenticed as a tanner. Brandenburg immigrated to America as a young man, changing his name to Bronnenberg. He established a tanning business in Pennsylvania where he met and married Barbara Easter in 1806. The Bronnenbergs lived in Virginia and Ohio before reaching Indiana in 1819 with eight children.
A daughter's illness and death led them to postpone their westward journey to Illinois and stop in Indiana. A nearby abandoned fur trapper's cabin became their temporary home.
Frederick Jr. stayed on his father's farm until the mid-1800s when he built this brick home. Tulip poplars from nearby woodlands provided the timbers. Limestone for the foundation was quarried near the White River. Bricks made from local clay were fired at the site. Cedar trees provided the wood for making roof shingles.
The Bronnenbergs stayed at the Mounds, expanding their farm, tannery and mill. A log cabin located on the bend of the White River was constructed. The family expanded as well with the addition of four more children.
The Bronnenberg Family recognized their responsibility to preserve the mounds. They guarded the mounds against artifact hunters. As the result of their vigilance, the mounds remain among the best examples in the state.
"To write the pioneer life of Madison County, Indiana, without mentioning the Bronnenbergs would be like visiting Massachusetts without seeing Boston." Samuel Hardin
Erected by Indiana Division of State Parks and Reservoirs.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1775.
Location. 40° 5.681′ N, 85° 37.166′ W. Marker is in Chesterfield, Indiana, in Madison County. Marker can be reached from Mounds Road (State Road 232) 0.4 miles south of Markleville Road (County Road S300E), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located in Mounds State Park south of the visitor center parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4306 Mounds Rd, Anderson IN 46017, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Bronnenberg House (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named The Bronnenberg House (a few steps from this marker); Indiana State Parks: the First 100 Years (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Native American Memorial (about 300 feet away); The Mounds Dugout Canoe (about 400 feet away); The Great Mound (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Circle Mound (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Moravian Mission (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chesterfield.
Also see . . . Mounds State Park. Official park website from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. (Submitted on April 21, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 791 times since then and 93 times this year. Last updated on December 21, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 25, 2012, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 3. submitted on January 21, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 4. submitted on December 21, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
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