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History · Oldenburg

Oldenburg dates to 1837, and 32% of its homes were built before 1940

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 119 buildings. Below: old-book passages.

1837founded
1on the National Register
32%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Oldenburg began

When was Oldenburg founded?

1837

Oldenburg dates its founding to 1837 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1845.

2020 census: 647189 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1845.The full story ↓

What stands out about Oldenburg’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Oldenburg Historic District takes in 119 historic buildings.A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Oldenburg are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Deep rootsEstablished in 1837: 189 years of Oldenburg.Old housesHalf of Oldenburg’s homes were built before 1964.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

1 listing protects 119 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
119
each building in a district counts
first listed
1983
Oldenburg Historic District
Oldenburg Historic District
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Victorian1
Baroque1
Romanesque1
Gothic1
Colonial Revival1
Oldenburg Historic DistrictGreek Revival

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Start Oldenburg’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Oldenburg’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Timeline

Oldenburg, 1837 to 1955

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1837
    FoundingOldenburg is established
  3. 1845Post officeThe Oldenburg post office opens
  4. 1861Born hereJohn Henry Tihen is born here
  5. 1893Born hereMarty Herrmann is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1955Born hereRandy Frye is born here
The story

How Oldenburg came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Oldenburg.

Read it all →

Oldenburg was founded in 1837 by a group of German settlers. The town was named after Oldenburg, in Germany. Incorporated in 1881, Oldenburg is called the "Village of Spires" because of its churches and religious educational institutions. In 1851, Mother Theresa Hackelmeier (1827–1860) founded the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg who would open numerous schools in the Midwest.

The Oldenburg Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Oldenburg in 1915

Passages that mention Oldenburg, cut from the printed page as they were published.

The academy is situated in the pleasant little town of Oldenburg, near the southwestern border of Franklin county. An excellent turnpike of four miles connects Oldenburg with Batesville, the nearest railroad station on the Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis division of the Big Four route.
History of Franklin County, Indiana1915Read the page →
Read the text

The academy is situated in the pleasant little town of Oldenburg, near the southwestern border of Franklin county. An excellent turnpike of four miles connects Oldenburg with Batesville, the nearest railroad station on the Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis division of the Big Four route.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Rudolf mentions in his chronicle that he dedicated the church at Enochsburg on December 22, 1844. From accounts handed down it is known that this was a log church and it is further known that it was a mission attached to the Oldenburg parish. It continued to be served from the Oldenburg church unti…
History of Franklin County, Indiana1915Read the page →
Read the text

Rudolf mentions in his chronicle that he dedicated the church at Enochsburg on December 22, 1844. From accounts handed down it is known that this was a log church and it is further known that it was a mission attached to the Oldenburg parish. It continued to be served from the Oldenburg church until 1862. when Rev. Lawrence Oesterling, a Franciscan priest, became the first resident pastor.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

By decade

Oldenburg, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-004)2021Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-004)Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-003)2021Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-003)Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-002)2021Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-002)Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-001)2021Indiana Forest Land (20210707-NRCS-BJOC-001)Fire hydrant painted like a workman2013Fire hydrant painted like a workmanFire hydrant in front of Immaculate Conception Church painted like a Franciscan nun2013Fire hydrant in front of Immaculate Conception Church…
Famous people

3 famous people were born in Oldenburg

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
John Henry TihenCatholic bishop · b. 1861
M
Marty HerrmannAmerican baseball player · b. 1893
R
Randy FryeAmerican politician from Indiana · b. 1955

Questions about Oldenburg’s history

What year was Oldenburg founded?

In 1837, according to Wikidata. Oldenburg’s post office opened in 1845.

What is on the National Register in Oldenburg?

One place: the Oldenburg Historic District (listed 1983).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.