Saxon Lutheran Memorial Village becomes the latest filming location for the local independent film company, Motion Dog Films. Infamous for developing and using local talent —giving fledgling actors real-world experience. Motion Dog Films prides itself on training actors and film crew here and using "ALL" 573 locations. That's a good thing for local economies—making a film is a very expensive hobby. In the production of its fourth feature film, MDF is now raising the bar by making a period film. Partnering with The City of Perryville, FilmFriendlyPerryville.com, Saxon Village, and The Perry County Historical Society, they are currently developing filming locations in Perryville and the surrounding areas for their new film, The Spring (a supernatural thriller).
The Fenwick Cabin
Directly across the road from the Schuppan Haus is the Joseph Fenwick cabin, built on Fenwick's 1797 Spanish Land Grant. The present structure was built about 1835 or 1836. It is believed that Mr. Fenwick was wealthy and owned slaves. The cabin was moved here from the Grebing family farm southwest of Frohna where it was originally located.
Today 573 Magazine will journey to Frohna, Missouri to visit Saxon Lutheran Memorial Village, the latest set location in development for, The Spring.
So what is Saxon Lutheran Memorial Village?
Commemorating the German Lutheran migration in 1838, the Saxon Lutheran Memorial Village is a small village consisting of original log homes and buildings from that era that have been preserved and are used as an historical living demonstration museum. The village is maintained and operated by Saxon Lutheran Memorial Inc, a 501 C3.
We met up with Tod Petzoldt and Kathy Scholl on location to find out more.
TODD
My name is Todd Petzoldt and I am married to Tamera Petzoldt, we live right here in Frohna, Missouri. We have 3 grown children. Alicia Anderle - Poplar Bluff, Landon Petzoldt - Lombard, IL, and Tabitha Petzoldt - Brentwood, TN. I was raised in Frohna and went to grade school at the Lutheran School here, graduated from High School in Perryville, and am a graduate of Concordia University - Chicago. I am a 5th generation Saxon Immigrant and can trace my ancestry back to the Saxon Lutheran Imigration of 1839. My ancestors were some of the original members of Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. My grandfather, Marvin Friedrich Gotthold Petzoldt, started East Perry Lumber Company in Frohna, where I am the CFO. I am very involved in the community, I am the Chairman of the Board at Saxony Lutheran High School in Jackson, Missouri - and have served on its board since it was founded in 2000.
I have had an interest in local history and have volunteered at the Saxon Lutheran Memorial ever since I can remember.
I have had an interest in local history and have volunteered at the Saxon Lutheran Memorial ever since I can remember. My Aunt and cousins have been very involved in the leadership at the Memorial since the beginning. A few years ago I was asked to join the local advisory board. In 2019, we started a Nonprofit Corporation with the express purpose of obtaining the Saxon Lutheran Memorial site and bringing it under local ownership and control. I became the President of Saxon Lutheran Memorial, Inc. and currently hold that office.
Saxon Lutheran Memorial exists to develop an appreciation of the rich cultural and religious history of the Saxon Lutheran immigration...
In January of 2022, we purchased the property, contents, and all the improvements of the 33 acres of the Saxon Lutheran Memorial.
This 573 Magazine Story is sponsored by the awesome people from The City of Perryville, Missouri.
Saxon Lutheran Memorial exists to develop an appreciation of the rich cultural and religious history of the Saxon Lutheran immigration and its legacy through the preservation and interpretation of historic objects, buildings, and traditions. This is our mission statement and it takes a real team effort to put this mission into practice.
Our Board of Directors also includes TJ Southard, Vice-President. TJ is a woodworker by trade and gives special interest to our woodworking shop. Kathy Scholl is our Secretary and is our organizer extraordinaire. Kathy, along with board member Joyce Theiss do most of the record keeping and necessary correspondence. They head up the team to organize and promote the Fall Festival, putting in countless hours to help our major fundraiser be a success year after year. Larry Degenhardt is our Treasurer and has been an invaluable part of the team with years of experience as a CPA. He keeps an eye on all things financial. Dan Grebing and David Sticht are members of the board as well. They are also a valuable part of the team, helping with keeping up the property, giving tours and lending a steady hand to keep our mission on track. Everyone involved is a volunteer. We have over 50 additional volunteers that give of their time, from a few hours to hundreds of hours individually each year.
It is a day filled with Activities: Musical Entertainment, Hand-made crafts, Delicious Food, Horse & Buggy Rides and a Beer Garden.
The site has 14 major buildings that require a lot of maintenance and care. The Fall Festival was started over 20 years ago to help fund the care and maintenance of the site. It is a day filled with Activities: Musical Entertainment, Hand-made crafts, Delicious Food, Horse & Buggy Rides and a Beer Garden. We also feature demonstrations: Apple Butter Cooking, Butchering, Bread Baking, Cross-Cut Sawing, Rail Splitting, Quilting, Blacksmithing, Woodworking, Spinning and Cider Pressing. The Fall Festival will be held this year on Saturday, October 8, 2022 9am-4pm.
We are very excited to be working with Motion Dog Films on The Spring! All those affiliated with the film have been very respectful of the site and wonderful to work with.
We are very excited to be working with Motion Dog Films on The Spring! All those affiliated with the film have been very respectful of the site and wonderful to work with. We are so happy that they were able to use our site for filming some of the scenes for the movie and can't wait to see the finished product. I am sure that this affiliation will bring more notoriety to our site and will add to the interest and story of Saxony Lutheran Memorial.
KATHY
My name is Kathy Scholl. I am presently the secretary of Saxon Lutheran Memorial, Inc and have been on the board since 2015. I have a special relationship with Saxon Lutheran Memorial as I can trace my heritage through Christian and Adolph Bergt who were the first Saxon immigrants to live on this site. Since there is no curator, I primarily give tours, and along with Joyce Theiss, another board member, perform the clerical work and set up the Fall Festival each year along with the other board members: Larry Degenhart, treasurer, Todd Petzoldt, president, TJ Southard, vice president, David Sticht, and Dan Grebing.
I grew up in the area and after spending six years in the Chicago area, moved back and married my husband Marvin of 47 years. We have three children. Joe lives in the Cincinnati area and is employed by Anheuser Busch. Karen and her husband Erik live in the S. Louis area. Karen is in medical sales and Erik is a clinical pharmacist. They have three children’; Norah, 8, Evan 6, and Luke 2. Mark lives with his wife Amber in Frohna and is employed by East Perry Lumber. Amber is an office manager for a fire extinguisher company. They have one son, Henry, who is 6 months old.
The site has 16 structures. The Twyman Cabin dates back to 1820, and was the first home of Christian and Adolph Bergt. The barn also dates back to 1820. The Bergt cabin was built in 1840 by the Bergt brothers.
The site has 16 structures. The Twyman Cabin dates back to 1820, and was the first home of Christian and Adolph Bergt. The barn also dates back to 1820. The Bergt cabin was built in 1840 by the Bergt brothers. Three cabins were dismantled and moved to the site: The Schuppan House affectionately called “Dorothy's Cabin”; the Hamilton/Goehring Cabin, donated by the Thurm family, and the Fenwick Cabin donated by the Grebing family. The site also boasts a bread oven, confirmation room, two small cabins, a country store, a machine shed, a granary, a working blacksmith shop, a leather and broom shop, a carpenter shop, a Visitor Center and an old farmhouse.
The Fall Festival is an annual event that takes place on the second Saturday in October. It is the primary source of steady revenue for the site. This year it is October 8, 2022. Over the years, thousands of people have enjoyed the demonstrations which may include bread baking, apple butter cooking, blacksmithing, broom making, tating, coffee grinding, quilting, apple cider making, rope making, carpentry, soap making, the manufacturing of split rail, buggy rides, and an animal petting area. People enjoy the thirty plus craft vendors. The food vendors include brats, German potato salad, pork burgers, chicken and dumplings, cheese sandwiches, chili, Italian beef and pulled pork sandwiches. A variety of beverages are also available.
Saxon Lutheran Memorial is honored to be part of the filming for The Spring. The people are respectful of the site and we can't wait to see the final product.
Well, you won’t have to wait too long…
Select scenes from The Spring including some scenes filmed at Saxon Lutheran Memorial Village will be screened at the 573 Film Festival in Perryville, Missouri. This year’s 573 Film Festival will be happening October 14th and 15th with a special Red Carpet screening of the Kids Film Workshop Films the following Sunday, October 23rd.
The 573 Film Festival is a sponsor funded free to attend and participate, community event. Sponsored by generous local businesses and individuals who support local art and film, and staffed and organized by volunteers, 573 Film Festival is free to enjoy. Our guest speakers, workshop teachers, judges, and event workers are all fans of movies and filmmaking who are donating their time to share their passion. Local art through film.
Interested in becoming a volunteer? Call AJ at (573) 760-4849.
For more information on the filming at Saxon Lutheran Memorial Village and other filming locations in Perry County and the 573, SUBSCRIBE to 573 Magazine and stay tuned for more on these stories. Until then 573 Friends...
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words by aj koehler
pics by t. smugala
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