Heritage Hill State Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heritage Hill State Historical Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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 Heritage Hill State Historical Park
Location in Wisconsin
Heritage Hill State Historical Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Brown County, Wisconsin |
| Area | 56 acres (23 ha) |
| Authorized | 1977 |
| Visitors | 60,000 |
| Governing body | Heritage Hill Foundation |
Heritage Hill State Historical Park is a cool place to visit in Allouez, Wisconsin. It's a 56-acre open-air museum, which means it's like a history book you can walk through! This special park is run by a group called the Heritage Hill Corporation. They work with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to keep the park amazing.
The park has 26 old buildings and some new ones that look just like the originals. Many of these buildings were moved here to save them. The park is split into four main parts, each showing a different time in Wisconsin's past:
- The Fur Trade: This area shows what life was like when people first met and traded furs.
- The Growing Community: Here, you can see how Green Bay started to become a busy city in the late 1800s.
- The Belgian Farmstead: This part shows how immigrant families farmed in the early 1900s.
- Fort Howard: This is a rebuilt fort, showing how it looked in the mid-1800s.
You can visit the park all year, but most of the fun activities happen from May to September. Friendly guides, dressed in old-fashioned clothes, are there to tell you all about the history!
Contents
Discovering History at Heritage Hill
Heritage Hill State Historical Park has a fascinating past. Before it became a park, the land was part of a prison farm. Prisoners used to tend orchards here.
In 1972, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources decided to create a historical park. They chose the name Heritage Hill State Historical Park at a meeting in July 1972. The park officially opened its doors on May 1, 1977. Over the next 20 years, more than 25 buildings and 15 acres of land were added. The main goal is to save these old buildings and teach people about the history of Northeastern Wisconsin.
Amazing Collections and Artifacts
The park is home to over 9,000 artifacts! An artifact is an object made by people in the past, like tools, clothes, or furniture. Most of these items are displayed inside the historical buildings.
Some of these treasures are borrowed from other historical groups. The collection includes old artwork, books, clothing, and furniture. These items date from the 1600s all the way to today. One very special item is a hand-painted screen in the Tank Cottage. The Tank family brought it with them when they moved to Wisconsin in the late 1600s.
Learning and Fun at the Education Center
In 2006, the Betsy Hendrickson and Lucyanna Hitch Education Center was built. This center is a great place for learning all year round. It also hosts meetings, parties, and other events.
About 18,000 students visit the center each year for educational programs. They get to see firsthand how people lived, worked, and played long ago. These programs help students learn about history and social studies in a fun, hands-on way.
Historic Buildings to Explore
Heritage Hill State Historical Park has many unique buildings. Six of these buildings are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized as very special historical sites in the United States. Seven other buildings in the park are modern copies built to look exactly like the originals.
Here are a few of the interesting buildings you can find at the park:
- Tank Cottage: This is the oldest standing house in Wisconsin! It was built in 1776. It's a great example of how people lived a very long time ago.
- Baird Law Office: Built in 1835, this building shows what a lawyer's office looked like in the early days of Green Bay. It has a Greek Revival style.
- Fort Howard Hospital and Ward Building: These buildings were part of the original Fort Howard. They show how soldiers were cared for in the 1800s. The hospital was built in 1835 and the ward building in 1816.
- Belgian Farmstead Farmhouse: This farmhouse, built in 1872, shows how Belgian immigrant families lived and farmed. It's made of logs with a brick outside.
- Moravian Church: This beautiful church, built in 1842, has a Gothic Revival style. It was moved to the park to preserve its history.
Images for kids
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Allouez Town Hall, built in 1912.
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A replica of Wisconsin's first church, built in 1981.
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The Belgian Farmstead Farmhouse, moved from Rosiere.
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The Horse Barn at the Belgian Farmstead.
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An outhouse from the Belgian Farmstead.
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The summer kitchen at the Belgian Farmstead.
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A small roadside chapel from Duvall.
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The windmill at the Belgian Farmstead.
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The Blacksmith Shop, moved from Green Bay.
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The Cheese Factory, built in 1894.
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The Cotton House, a timber frame building from 1845.
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The Court House, moved from Door County.
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A monument marking the site of Wisconsin's first courthouse.
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The Fort Howard Guard Building.
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The Fort Howard Hospital.
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The Fort Howard Ward Building.
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The Fort Howard Post School, a replica.
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The Fort Howard Company Kitchen and Orderly Room.
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The Fort Howard Officer's Quarters, a replica.
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The Franklin Hose Company building.
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The Fur Trader's Cabin, built around 1810.
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The Maple Sugaring House, a replica.
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The Moravian Church.
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The Print Shop, built on site.
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The historic Tank Cottage, the oldest house in Wisconsin.
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The Tank barn.
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The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument.
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The Victorian Bandstand.
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The YMCA Library.
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The park's Visitors Center.
See also
