Irvin Henry Dietle farm, Larimer Twp., Somerset Co., PA

The photos on this page show the farm of Irvin and Alma (Miller) Dietle on what is now known as White Oak Hollow Road. It had also been the farm of Ephriam and Mary (Dietle) Geiger. Most of the images that are shown on or linked from this page were provided by Ralph Dietle from the papers of his father Irvin Henry Dietle. The farm is now (2023) part of the Pennsylvania State Gamelands.

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The back of the following picture is inscribed, "Irvin + Alma Dietle's farm." The house and summer kitchen are on the left, and the barn is on the right. The chicken coop is perched on the hillside, to the left of the barn. I don't know what most of the other buildings are. After Irvin Dietle, Sr. moved in with his son Ralph, Ralph commissioned a painting of the farm for his father Irvin that is based on the photograph. Click here to see the painting.
Irvin Henry Dietle farm, Larimer Twp., Somerset Co., PA

The next picture shows the red color of the barn and chicken coop. It has enough detail to reveal that the building in front of the barn is a corn crib. This picture also shows the garage, which was made from cement blocks. The fence that is visible in the foreground is a snow fence, to control drifting. Only the top of the fence is visible because of the deep snowdrift.
Color photo of the Irvin Henry Dietle farm, Larimer Twp., Somerset Co., PA

The back of the following photo is inscribed, "Ephriam Geiger barn". The individual in the picture is standing on a sledge. The stalls of the barn have Dutch doors. The roof of the corn crib is shingled with wooden shakes.
Ephriam Geiger barn

The back of the following photo is inscribed, "Irvin Dietle farm". All four of the boys are wearing short pants and long stockings. I can't tell if the car that is parked near the barn is grandpap Dietle's Model T Ford or his 1928 Chevy.
Trout fishing on the farm.

The next picture was taken looking generally east-northeast at the house, summer kitchen, spring house, and garden fence. A copy of the photo that was provided by Dana (Dietle) Moore is labeled "Irvin Dietle's Farm in 40's".
House, spring house, summer kitchen.

Here are links to other photos of the Irvin H. Dietle farm:

  • The barn, as seen from the pasture

  • The barn, garage, & corn crib, as seen from the upstairs of the house, 1962

  • The driveway, as seen from the porch, 1962

  • The pasture and creek, as seen from the porch, 1962

  • The barn, horse-drawn wagon, men in suits

  • Irvin H. Dietle with bull, in front of barn

  • Ralph Dietle, Beagle, front steps of Dietle farmhouse

  • Ralph Dietle, calves, in pasture near house

  • Irvin, Sr.; Roy, Irvin, Jr. with chicken coop in the background

  • The hillside pasture in wintertime

  • The road to the upper fields

  • Ralph Dietle, at the gate, with the barn in the background

  • Riding horseback on the Dietle farm circa 1958

  • Picking strawberries on the Dietle farm circa 1958

  • Photos of deep snow at the Irvin Dietle farm

  • Bottomland photo, creek visible in background

  • Ralph posing at the dog box near the east end of the barn

  • Ralph posing west of the summer kitchen, house, and barn.

    Here are links to real estate-related documents related to the farm:

  • 1794 survey for property that included the Irvin H. Dietle farm

  • 1873 deed Jonathan Bittner to Christian Mankamier (922 KB pdf) This eventually became the farm of Irvin Henry Dietle.

  • 1881 indenture to Richard Mankameyer (1789 KB pdf) This eventually became the farm of Irvin Henry Dietle.

  • 1886 deed, Richard Mankamyer to Ephriam Geiger, Larimer Township (14,516KB pdf)

  • 1890 draught of the farm

  • 1909 deed, Frank Bittner to Ephriam Geiger (9,306KB pdf)

  • 1920 bill of sale, Mary Geiger to Harry Dietle (7,237KB pdf)

  • 1925 deed, Mary Geiger to Harry Dietle, Larimer Township (5,270KB pdf)

  • Click here to see a title search of the Larimer Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania property owned by Ephriam and Mary (Dietle) Geiger.

  • 1899 petroleum lease, Mary Dietle (2872 KB pdf) From the papers of Irvin Henry Dietle.

  • The 1927 deed to the farm that Irvin and Alma Dietle lived on

  • The 1927 mortgage to the Larimer Township farm that Irvin and Alma Dietle lived on (1994 KB pdf)

  • The stone springhouse of Irvin & Alma Dietle

    Go to the Dietle book page

    Go to the home page

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