Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Jen & Poppy - Otto's Grotto

Day 12 Tuesday 19th May

Otto's Danish Castle 

Today we visited a bizarre but interesting place. Burnt out relics, which left us puzzled and confused. We had too many questions not to do a little research and find out what it was all about. It's been said that you could get anything "from a needle to an anchor" at Otto Holten's hardware store. Otto was a Danish migrant who arrived in Broken Hill in the early 1900's, He created a thriving business that sold anything and everything for over fifty years. He built his own house and shop on the same large block in the predominantly migrant area of the south broken hill. The house, an astonishing replica of a Danish castle, was destroyed in a storm. The shop, a rambling, adhoc building described as a 'rabbit warren' was affectionately known as the grotto. Defying union rules, he traded seven days a week, providing the materials needed to build the many houses that sprang up in the area during the mining boom. A union dispute marked the end of Otto's business, and the old man died soon after the shop was burnt to the ground in the seventies. But old Otto's Grotto is now enjoying a new lease of life, courtesy of pensioner Karl Hahn. Karl moved to Broken Hill about a year ago and chanced upon Otto's story. Since that time he has taken it upon himself to turn the old site into an 'open air museum', spending virtually every day at the disused site, currently owned by the Public Trustee. After visiting Otto’s grotto we headed for the Mundi Mundi planes for another missed sunset, this time there was a thick band of cloud on the horizon. On our return journey we counted the 39 dips in the road between Silverton and the Hill. The night was topped off with a plate of chicken, bacon and mushroom fettuccine that we shared with Patrick the photographer. 

If you are interested in more info on Otto’s grotto follow this link http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/05/07/2563893.htm

Please stay tuned for the next exciting installment from the "YoungOnes"

Poppy & Jen

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2 comments:

  1. stan gortonMay 20, 2009 at 9:10 PM

    Fantastic ladies - who needs the Mall of America when you've got Otto's Grotto - did u spot any bargains?

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  2. Susanmarie100@hotmail.comMay 26, 2009 at 1:03 AM

    It was great to see this image of Otto's Grotto. I grew up in Broken Hill and remember going to the hardware store Otto owned before it burnt down? He had everything you could image in it and as a child it was a magical place to visit. I was pleased to hear that Karl is rediscovering Ottos lost legacy for others to see. Perhaps one day Otto's life history will be told by those who are still alive to remember the unusual place he built. Thanks for the walk down memory lane, Jen and Poppy!

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