Peters traces his rootsOctober 1994

Back to Vidzeme, where it all started

The highlight of this, Peters' third trip, was making it out to Vidzeme, where his maternal ancestors had originally settled, including visiting his grandfather's first mill — and windmill and subsequent water mill, the church where his grandparents were married and ancestors buried, and the grammar school his mother Irma and aunt Laura attended. Thankfully, Laura — two years older than Irma, was just old enough to still remember her way around after so many years!

Peters also had some time to wander around Rīga as well.

Read Peters' 1994 travelogue here in our Photo Features section.

Below, some favorite pictures from this trip, scanned at various times. Apologies for the smaller images which date to Peters' original AOL member's site.

Click a thumbnail to view in gallery

Two Ruble Lake
The property owner used to charge the locals 2 rubles for fishing rights.

Two Ruble Lake (near Mordanga)
Nearby is Two Ruble Lake, so named because the property owner used to charge the locals 2 rubles for fishing rights.

Two Ruble Lake
The property owner used to charge the locals 2 rubles for fishing rights.

Home Cooking
Irma, in her parents' kitchen in the Mordanga mill house.

Home cooking
Irma, Peters' mom, in her parents' kitchen in the mill house in Mordanga.

Home Cooking
Irma, in her parents' kitchen in the Mordanga mill house.

Mordanga
The mill house at twilight

Mordanga (Peters' Grandfather's second watermill)
Later, Peters' mother's family relocated the family to Kurzeme. Here is Peters' grandparent's third, and final, mill and home, "Mordangas Dzirnavas", at twilight.

Mordanga
The mill house at twilight

Pērļu Dzirnavas
Peters' grandfather's first watermill circa 1900

Pērļu Dzirnavas
Peters' grandfather's first watermill around the turn of the century. Peters' grandparents moved from the windmill in Lizums to Pērļu Dzirnavas, a water-mill, just down the road from Druviena, also in Vidzeme. When we visited, it had just been reclaimed by the daughter of the owner to whom Peters' grandfather had sold the mill before moving to Kurzeme. Peters' mother and aunt Laura were born here.

Pērļu Dzirnavas
Peters' grandfather's first watermill circa 1900

Radio Stacija
The radio station building in Old Rīga

Radio stacīja
The radio station building in Old Rīga, facing the Dom Church Square. The pock-marks of Soviet bullets attempting to quell the independence movement can just be barely made out in several places.

Radio Stacija
The radio station building in Old Rīga

The Abava River
This scenic spot is along the Abava river in Sabile.

The Abava River
This scenic spot is along the Abava river in Sabile, in Kurzeme. It's along the road from Riga to Kuldīga.

The Abava River
This scenic spot is along the Abava river in Sabile.

Peters' Grandparents (Mom's Side)
These photographs survived the trip to Siberia and back home

Peters' maternal grandparents
And here they are, Peters' grandparents. Peters rephotographed these pictures which his aunt Laura had saved when the family was taken to Siberia. (Thankfully, Peters' parents weren't home at the time!) Someday, Peters hopes one of his albums will include finding and visiting his grandparents' unmarked grave, under a stand of trees, about 30 kilometers outside of Krasnoyarsk.

Peters' Grandparents (Mom's Side)
These photographs survived the trip to Siberia and back home

Velena Church
The church in Velena, the Kulle family plot is in the church cemetery.

Velēna Church
The church in Velēna, Velēnas baznīca, now a registered national landmark. Peters' grandparents (mom's parents) were married here, and the Ķulle family plot is in the church cemetery.

Velena Church
The church in Velena, the Kulle family plot is in the church cemetery.

Veju Dzirnavas
Another view of Peters' grandfather's windmill

Vēju dzirnavas
Another view of Peters' grandfather's windmill—Peters looking up and recalling his mother telling the story of the time his grandfather fell off while repairing the sails!

Veju Dzirnavas
Another view of Peters' grandfather's windmill