Put on your bonnet, today we are off to Old World Wisconsin, a delightful living history museum where you can visit immigrant homesteads from the 1800s in a natural setting.
We have Kit with us — is there any doll easier to travel with? Her cute hairstyle can endure all the traumas that come with doll adventures.
Our first stop always has to be the restaurant The Hen House in Eagle, Wisconsin. You can get a breakfast with homemade white bread toast for 3.99. I won’t pass judgement if you start your meal by sharing a homemade donut!
Old World Wisconsin is on a huge parcel of land. There are trams to take you from one Settlement (Norwegian, German, etc.) to the other. The buildings have been relocated here from all over the upper Midwest.
The General Store is filled with wonderful calico prints. Kit says, “How many yards will you need of the pink gingham?”
Many of the buildings have museum interpreters in period attire doing work just as it would have been done more than 120 years ago. You may find someone spinning yarn, making soup, or feeding livestock breeds favored by early European immigrants.
Cucumbers sitting on the porch were a clue that some pickling was underway inside this home.
Kit found something she could relate to in Four Mile House.
A lucky child had a full bedroom set for her doll. The bed looked like the right size for Kit, and the doll trunk would solve some storage issues!
I found a quiet moment with Kit at the German Homestead.
If you go, I would recommend prioritizing which Settlement you want to see most. By the time we got to the Norwegian area, we were hot and tired. Next time we will start there with fresh eyes.
Kit says, “There’s still plenty of nice weather to get outside and learn about the immigrants — recent or not so recent — that came to your state or province.”
Looks like fun!
β€ , IrishAG
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We were grateful to be able to do another one of our summer bucket list items π
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I have been there once this summer and plan to go again with a doll!
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Oh, I look forward to your post should you be able to go! We would love to get back there in fall. Have you read Kathleen Ernst’s Chloe Ellefson mysteries that are set there? Really good! !
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I should try those! I need something to read! Thanks!
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The first one is Old World Murder. They aren’t scary or gory. My favorite is Heritage of Darkness which takes place In Decorah at Vesterheim Museum. Kathleen lives in Middleton and wrote the Caroline books ππ
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Great story. Looks as though Kit enjoyed herself. Loved the doll-size bedroom set!
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I can only imagine many generations of girls played with that doll bedroom set.
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Looks like an interesting place. thank you for sharing it with us.
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Our pleasure! It’s a special place because it doesn’t feel touristy. Brianna went to summer camp in their one room school house a few years ago. You are encouraged to dress the part, bring your lunch in a 19th C manner, and definitely pump water!!
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Nice!
I’ll be at the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival this weekend. 98% accurate demonstrations of 18th and 19th century PA Dutch/German home skills and trades. http://www.goschenhoppen.org/ Always a fun weekend. This year I am in Kirsten’s era; usually I’m in Kaya’s. π
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Sounds fantastic. I look forward to hearing about it if you share on your blog. What a terrific way to keep traditional folkways alive.
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This reminded me of Colonial Williamsburg. Also, what is Kit wearing? Is it handmade?
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That is Kirsten’s ‘On the Trail’ outfit, minus the shawl. http://americangirl.wikia.com/wiki/Kirsten%27s_Checked_Dress_and_Apron
I got it at a rummage sale (the one I wrote about in June). The fabric is fantastic and the dress is pretty even without the apron.
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Very cool
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Very interesting! Reminds me of Little Norway (which I’ve since found out is no longer open.)
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It felt pretty timely to think about the hard working people who came to the US not all that long ago–an acquaintance’s husband was just deported.
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Did you see she posted in the comments that he is home? I hope for good too. Such a ridiculous situation.
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Oh I’m so glad I mentioned it and you saw that post, too. I had not seen the follow up. Wow.
I saw an article I think on CNN that crops in Cali are rotting due to workers being deported.
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I used to live in WI and I’ve been there. Cool pics! Thanks for sharing them w/ us.
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Glad to be able to take you back for a little WI scenery!
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That’s so neat to see! And neat that there are different countries settlements. Is the time period all the same too? Or does that change depending on what country you’re visiting?
You are so good, going to all these cool places and blogging about them. I’m going to all these cool places, bringing dolls and taking pictures but I’ve barely had time to blog about them at all! Hopefully sometime this week…
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The buildings are various ages, but 1870s – 1890 is fairly representative. The schoolhouse was relocated all the way from Bayfield, WI which is the tippee top of WI sticking into Lake Superior. In the German area, for example, there may be several homesteads representing different decades or even more established immigrant as compared to “just arrived and sleeping with livestock.” It’s a fantastic place in fall!! Not too too far from Rockford…
Blogging… once we are back in school, it’s much more of a challenge for us to take time to blog, and the dolls are time intensive. We just do it when it brings us joy… it’s not fun if it feels rushed. We look forward to hearing about your summer when your time permits. π
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That sounds really similar to White Pine’s Village in MI where I visited and plan to take Kirsten next year.
http://www.historicwhitepinevillage.org/
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Oh yes, that does look similar. Old World WI also has a vintage baseball team.
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PS come to think of it, Kit would probably love to go see a game there!
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This is so cool! There’s an old world village not too far from where I live, but it’s extremely small and not quite as historic-looking as this! I love that you brought Kit along, too!
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Thanks! It was a fun day and I was grateful to be there during the work week when there were fewer people to interfere with doll pictures, LOL
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How much is admission? I’ve never heard of the place. I write similar blogs, except I haven’t used the novel idea of a doll. I just blog about inexpensive places in the area. You’re welcome to check it out.
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Itβs about 20.00 for an adult and 10.00 for a child. Itβs enough to keep you occupied for a full day or more. Thanks for commenting! Iβll stop by.
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