Camp Five Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Camp Five Farmstead
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5466 Connor Farm Rd., Laona, Wisconsin |
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| Architect | Connor Land & Lumber Company |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001506 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 1996 |
The Camp Five Museum is a cool place in Laona, Wisconsin. It's a "living history" museum, which means it shows you what life was like in the past. This museum teaches all about the forest industry and how people used to transport wood in Wisconsin. Part of the museum, called the Camp Five Farmstead, is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places because it's so important! The museum first opened its doors in 1969.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The R Connor Company started a logging camp here in the late 1890s. This was their fifth camp close to Laona. A logging camp is where workers lived while cutting down trees.
By 1914, most of the trees nearby had been cut. So, the company changed the camp into a farm. This farm grew food like meat and vegetables. It also raised horses for other logging camps.
This spot was perfect for a farm. It was near town and had good land for growing crops. Plus, it was right next to a train track. The farm kept supplying Connor's logging camps for many years. In 1969, this old farm opened to the public as a history museum.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum covers about 4 acres (1.6 hectares) of land. There's a special museum all about logging and forestry. You can see old logging tools and even bateaux, which were boats used to float logs down rivers.
There's also a slaughterhouse building, a fun petting zoo, and a nature center. If you get hungry, there's a small cafeteria. You can also visit the museum shop.
Tours and Trains
Two short tours take you into the nearby countryside. One tour teaches about forestry, and the other is a riverboat tour. Each tour lasts about twenty minutes.
To reach the museum, visitors ride the Lumberjack Steam Train. This train runs on the Laona and Northern Railway. It's a fun way to start your visit!
Living History and Special Events
The museum brings history to life every day. You can see the steam train in action and watch a blacksmith at work. A blacksmith is someone who shapes metal with heat and tools.
Sometimes, the museum hosts special events with people acting out different historical times. You might see people from the North American fur trade era, cowboys, or even re-enactors from the American Civil War and World War I.
Awards and Recognition
The Camp Five Museum has received several awards for its work:
- 1996 - The Camp Five Farmstead was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site by the United States Department of the Interior.
- 1987 - It won the Presidential Environmental Youth Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This was for its great education and ecology program for Boy Scouts.
- 1978 - The Forest History Association of Wisconsin gave it an award.
- 1975 - It received the National Award in Education from the Arbor Day Foundation for its Green Treasure Forest Tour.
- 1970 - The Wisconsin Historical Society gave it an Award of Merit.
