Herman and Emma Schlensack came to the United States from Germany with their young son Helmuth sometime in the late 1920s. They lived at 1631 Mathney in Springfield. In the mid-1930s, Robert was born. In 1938 Herman and Emma opened Herman’s Meat Market at 1331 East Reynolds. In addition, they also purchased extensive rental properties throughout Springfield. In 1958 they closed the market and converted the property into a laundromat, Coinwash. In 1963 they moved the business to 610 North Grand Avenue East; it closed in 1970. Emma purchased the house at 1605 Lowell Avenue at auction in 1968. Herman died in 1975 and Emma in 1986. Helmuth died in 1996 and Robert disappeared. In 2005, the city auctioned the abandoned house.
The collection is a reorganization of real estate records, as well as some family mementos and photographs.
The items in this collection were found at 1605 Lowell Avenue in Springfield, in a home previously owned by Herman and Emma Schlensack and occupied a various times by Herman and Emma as well as their sons Helmuth and Robert.