A brief recap of how we arrived at Botzum.
We are the Winkelmann Family. George is an Architect with 40 years of professional experience. He is an Executive Director of the Farmstead and the Property Manager. Maureen is an experienced personnel manager and organizer, par excelence. She is an Executive Director of the Farmstead and the Director of Marketing.
Maureen is our connection to The Farmstead. Conrad Botzum is Maureen’s Great Grandfather. You can read more of the Botzum Family history on that page.
In 1969, when we were dating, we drove past the farmstead for the first time. Maureen told me that she had many fond memories of family picnics and reunions back by the old hunting cottage. At that time the Farmstead had already been sold out of the Botzum family. In the early 1990’s we saw an article in the newspaper stating that the Farmstead had become part of Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. We contacted the National Park Service and had our name put on a mailing list. Several years later we received a letter inviting us, along with whoever else might be interested, to submit a bid package to lease the farm back from the Park Service. We submitted a 20 page proposal and were eventually selected, out of 7 submissions, to lease the property. We began restoration work of the land in 1998, on the Bank Barn in late 2000, and the House in 2001. And, as they say, the rest is history. Have a look at the more extensive family history, look around our website…and thanks for visiting with us!