Brass Tavern
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Kaske House

Brass Tavern, also, Kaske House. . , Brass Tavern , In 1837, David Gibson built a log stagecoach inn near the corner of today's Ridge Road and Columbia Avenue., Julia Watkins Brass, pictured to the left, and husband Allan Brass took over the property in 1845. The building, called the Brass Tavern and Inn, served as a way station for Chicago-bound travelers from Fort Wayne and Michigan and a gathering spot for neighbors. When Allan left in 1849 for the California Gold Rush, Julia was the sole manager of the tavern. She was an excellent cook for hungry travelers that stopped by., Set up in 1859, the Brass Tavern's telegraph line brought the first news of Abraham Lincoln's assassination to the residents in 1865., In 1864, Johann and Wilhelmina Stallbohm, pictured to the left with their 3 children, purchased the tavern for $5000. At the tavern, also known as the Stallbohm Inn, Wilhelmina and Johann served food and beverages to the locals and travelers who visited., However, the business began to decline in 1890, so Wilhelmina Kaske, the Stallbohm's daughter, moved into the former inn with her husband, Hugo Kaske, and converted it into a family home., Unfortunately, in 1909, the inn was lost to a fire. To honor the history of the location, the boulder, pictured to the right, serves as a historic marker. It was dedicated by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Julia was the daughter of Oliver Watkins, an American Revolutionary war soldier who fought in the campaigns of George Washington., Kaske House , In 1910, the Kaske House was built behind the old Brass Tavern/Stallbohm Inn. The Kaske's daughter, Helen and her husband Lawrence Bieker inherited the house and the surrounding acreage. When Helen passed away in 1988, the Munster Parks Department had purchased the property and later named it Heritage Park. The Kaske House, now the Munster History Museum, opened in 1997, and the home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998., Both the bookshelf and the piano, that are currently inside of the home, were saved by the Kaske family from the 1909 fire. There are many other artifacts and photos in the home as well., Heritage Park , East of the Kaske House, in Heritage Park, is the gazebo pictured to the left. The gazebo was dedicated on June 26, 1999 to accentuate the history of the area. It is used for a picturesque backdrop for weddings, concerts, and more., The "Aeromotor" windmill, pictured to the right, was made in Denver, Colorado in 1937. It was purchased by Munster residents C.D and Cora Schoon to be installed on their farm near Wheatfield, Indiana. The windmill provided water for livestock, but was not needed when the farm converted to only growing grain. So, C.D and Cora's children donated the windmill to Munster Parks Department to be installed at Heritage Park in April 2001., [Captions:] , The children of Wilhelmina and Hugo Kaske (Helen, Erna, and Louise) play in front of thier new home, the 1910 Kaske House (photo courtesy of Munster Historical Society), The Stallbohm Barn, pictured to the right, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The barn was destroyed by arson on May 15, 2002. (photo courtesy of Munster Historical Society), Along with the Kaske House, the Ibach House, pictured to the left, is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home was built in 1924 with its Colonial Revival architectural style.