When did the Sleger family move into their house?
The Sleger family moved into the house in the early 1890s.
Is the house entirely original, or did the Sleger family change anything?
The parlor or living area of the house was added by Josef Sleger, he was a carpenter and was able to add onto the house after they had bought it from the previous family. When he added this extension onto the house, he also added a closet, second entrance, and a hallway connecting the two parts of the house.
Are the artifacts in the house reproduction, period pieces, or original?
All the artifacts are period pieces, the only original Sleger family piece is the photo of Josef and Helena Sleger, and their three children. The oldest two were born in Bohemia, and the youngest, Frank, was born in Cedar Rapids.
Where the Slegers practicing Catholics, like many other Czech immigrants?
Yes, they were.
Is the home in its original configuration, or have alterations been made?
Josef was a carpenter, and added the sitting room onto the original structure, as you can see by the joint on the wall outside.
How has the museum determined the current style, condition and layout of the house?
Well, originally the museum had the home painted in white, however after the flood [of 2008] we found that the floodwaters had revealed the current color underneath, so we made the decision to repaint the home. The ceiling in the kitchen was replaced after damage in the same flood, in order to maintain structural integrity. The layout of the furniture was determined by how a home would have looked at the time; hence the placement of musical instruments and other items.
Using the information gathered from their visit with Michaela and the tour of the actual Sleger Immigrant House, the two were able to see why this house became a museum and the cultural importance it served to the surrounding community, as well as its connection to the past.
Michaela Fricke is a Visitor Services Associate and guided the tour of the Sleger House when Nick and Kathleen visited the museum.
Sleger Immigrant Home 