Old World Wisconsin
Old World Wisconsin is an open-air museum located near Eagle, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The museum's more than 60 historic structures range from farmsteads with furnished houses and rural outbuildings, to the 1880s Village with traditional small town institutions.
Opened in 1976, the museum is owned and operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. It portrays housing and the daily life of immigrants in 19th century Wisconsin. The largest outdoor museum of rural life in the United States, it encompasses nearly 600 acres (2.4 km²) of rolling wooded hills and contains over 60 historic structures. These range from ethnic farmsteads with furnished houses and rural outbuildings to a crossroads village. A restaurant and conference space are located in the octagonal Clausing Barn, along with a gift shop. Trams run between the Scandinavian and German, African American, and Crossroads villages.
Villages
- African American: Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Chapel, Shepard Family Cemetery, United Brethren Church, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
- Danish: Pedersen Farm
- Finnish: Rankinen Farm, Ketola Farm
- German: Koepsell Farm, Schottler Farm, Schulz Farm
- Christian Turck House was originally known as Schottler Farm. Both the Koepsell House and Christian Turck House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. .[1][2]
- Norwegian: Fossebrekke Farm, Kvaale Farm, Raspberry School[3]
- Polish: Kruza House
- Yankee: Harmony Town Hall, Four Mile Inn, Sisel Shoe Shop, Benson House, Grotelueschen Blacksmith Shop, Peterson Wagon Shop, Thomas General Store, Mary Hafford House, St. Peter's Church. Yankee Village also contains non-Yankee buildings featuring the integration of other European settlers to Wisconsin in the 19th century:
- Sisel shoe shop (Czech)
- Grotelueschen Blacksmith Shop (German)
- Peterson Wagon Shop (Scandinavian)
Tornado damage
On the evening of June 21, 2010, the museum was hit by a tornado that leveled acres of trees on the grounds.[4] The "Old World 4th of July" event was canceled because of the clean-up efforts.
References
- ↑ "German Area/ Koepsell Farm". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ↑ "Christian Turck House". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
- ↑ "Norwegian Area of Old World Wisconsin". SmugMug. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ↑ Tom Held, Mike Johnson and Karen Herzog. "Homeowners assess tornado damage after harrowing night in Eagle", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 22, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
External links
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