THE HISTORY OF DR HALE'S HOUSE

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ORAL HISTORY AND THE DENTAL PRACTICE

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Very little remains documented in official civic archives regarding the early origins of this historic property. However, vital pieces of local lore have been preserved and passed down through a succession of property owners. The previous custodians informed the contemporary owners, Gert and Christin Burger, that the residence originally served as the home and private dental practice of a Dr Hale.

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To ensure this heritage remains anchored to the property, Dr Hale's original professional medical brass plaque has been carefully preserved and transferred from owner to owner across the decades.

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THE MYSTERY OF DR H.L. HALE

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While the dentist's professional plaque proudly displays the initials "H.L.", his full Christian names remain a local historical mystery. Family records and cemetery registers confirm that Dr Hale passed away at the young age of 44.

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He was permanently laid to rest inside the Nigel Cemetery in 1946, leaving behind a wife and children who recorded on his resting place that he was deeply loved and missed. The Burger family continues to safeguard the property and its unique medical artifacts to ensure Dr Hale's contribution to Heidelberg's early healthcare history is not forgotten.

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Sources: The private property archives of Gert and Christin Burger, and the regional burial registers of the Nigel Cemetery (Compiled July 2021).