The Arnold Property at Bethel
Section 350 in the hundreds of Light.
163 acres
Originally owned by
Johann Ehrenfried Arnold.
History
The property was first purchased in August 1857 by Gottfried Reich of Tanunda who was to be Ehrenfried Arnold’s father-in-law. Ehrenfried married Anna Mathilde Louise Reich on 23 June 1858. Gottfried Reich had taken out a seven-year lease on the land and it was not until 24 November 1864 that Ehrenfried took over the ownership. It is not known in which year the first house was built on the property but it is believed that it was a pug and stone building with a straw roof. The house remained standing for over 100 years.
In 1889 when the District of Light first assessed properties and rates were to be paid – the property was said to consist of 163 acres and included a building. The first council rates of one pound one shilling and six pence were paid on 4 May 1889. In later years another house was built on the property and the original house was then used as a bedroom for the boys and then after they had left home the youngest daughter used it. The second house has now been demolished.
The property was transferred to Ehrenfried’s son, Ernst Wilhelm on 21 November 1912 (Ehrenfried died in 1917) and was later owned by Wilhelm’s sons, Arthur Alwin and Benno Heinrich Arnold before being sold in 1978 to the present owners, the Doecke family. The property therefore was in the Arnold family for 114 years.