Crumbling stones whisper tales. We stand before the Mainkur former baroque customs station. Its story begins not with grand pronouncements but with quiet tolls. Imagine 1768. The Mainkur customs station first appears in records. It stood guard at a crucial point. This was the border between Offenbach am Main in Hesse-Kassel and Frankfurt am Main. The Main river curved dramatically here. This bend created a natural chokepoint. Goods flowed along the river. The Mainkur station levied its taxes.
This wasn’t just any border. It marked a significant shift in power. Fechenheim and the future Mainkur area belonged to the County of Hanau. After the death of Count Johann Reinhard III in 1736 these lands passed to Hesse-Kassel. The Mainkur station became a vital link in this new political landscape. It represented the intersection of economic and political forces. Its presence asserted control over trade and movement.
The Hanauer Landstraße was crucial. This road ran alongside the Main. Built from 1765 onwards it connected Hanau to Frankfurt. By 1780 it was fully paved with gravel. Inns sprang up along the route. Some bore the name Zur Mainkur. They catered to travelers merchants and those seeking respite along this busy thoroughfare. The Mainkur station was an important landmark. Its location at this convergence point shaped the area’s development. It wasn’t simply a checkpoint it was a community hub.
However the Mainkur station’s peaceful existence was shattered. The July Revolution of 1830 erupted. The so-called Hanauer Krawalle targeted taxes and customs duties. The Mainkur station met a fiery end. It was destroyed along with tax and customs offices in Hanau. The revolutionaries were dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs. Their actions reshaped the political landscape. The destroyed station marked a profound shift.
The story of Mainkur doesn’t end there. In 1848 the Frankfurt-Hanau railway opened. It ran parallel to the old road. It even included a station called Mainkur. This was a border station between Hesse and the Free City of Frankfurt. The railway further transformed the region. The location continued to play a vital role. It was now a point of transit of people and goods by train.
The area evolved. Cassella Farbwerke Mainkur AG was founded in 1870. This chemical company left an enduring mark. Various successor companies still operate on this site. Other businesses followed. The area transitioned from a primarily agricultural setting to a bustling industrial center. The legacy of the Mainkur station however is still apparent.
Today. Only remnants remain. But they serve as a reminder. The Mainkur former baroque customs station. A place where history economics and revolution intersected. A tiny reminder of larger events that shaped a significant part of this area. A symbol of change.