Much of Old Salem’s preservation as a community treasure can be attributed to four generations of the Zehnder family.
At age 28, Frederick Zehnder left Germany and arrived in the United States in 1852. He settled on 160 acres of prime farmland overlooking Horseshoe Lake just south of Salem Church Road. He was one of the founding members of Salem Evangelical Church.
Frederick’s son, Christian, was born in 1871 in the family’s log cabin. Active in civic affairs and business, he assumed responsibility for maintaining Salem’s property and records.
Christian’s son, Cyrus, was born in 1900 and assumed the care-taking function when his father gradually retired. Cyrus continued the family trust until 1986 when his daughter, Laurie, and her husband Donald Dinger, assumed the watch, serving as Secretary and Treasurer for many years. Cy’s other daughter, Jill Lewis, also became involved around that time, serving as President for nearly 30 years.