Heritage Hill State Historical Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heritage Hill State Historical Park
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Park sign
Heritage Hill State Historical Park Location in Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin Heritage Hill State Historical Park Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Brown, Wisconsin, United States
Area	56 acres (23 ha)
Established	1977
Governing body	Heritage Hill Foundation
Website	Heritage Hill State Historical Park

Heritage Hill State Park is a cool place where you can step back in time! It's a 56-acre (23 ha) open-air museum located near Green Bay, Wisconsin, in a town called Allouez. Think of it as a living history book where you can walk through different eras.

This special park is run by a group called the Heritage Hill Foundation. They work together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to keep the park amazing.

Inside the park, you'll find 26 old buildings and some new ones built to look just like the originals. Many of these buildings were moved here to save them from being torn down. You can see log cabins from the early fur trade days, buildings from old Fort Howard, and even shops from the late 1800s.

During the summer, you might meet "historic interpreters" at the park. They dress in old-fashioned clothes and act like people from the past. They can tell you all about what life was like long ago!

Journey Through Time: Park History

Before it was a park, this land was a farm where prisoners worked. When a new bridge was built, the farm became part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In 1972, they decided to create a historical park here.

They chose the name Heritage Hill State Historical Park. They also planned to open it on May 1, 1977. Over the next 20 years, more than 25 buildings were moved to the park. The main goal is to protect these old buildings and items. It also helps people learn about the history of Northeastern Wisconsin.

Treasures from the Past: Collections

Heritage Hill has over 9,000 historical items! Most of these are displayed inside the buildings. Some items are on loan from other historical groups.

The collection includes old artwork, books, clothes, and furniture. These items date all the way back to the 1600s! One special item is a hand-painted screen in the Tank Cottage. The Tank family brought it with them when they moved to Wisconsin a very long time ago.

Learning Fun: Education Center

In 2006, the Betsy Hendrickson and Lucyanna Hitch Education Center was built. This center is used all year round for learning programs. It's also a place for meetings and parties.

About 18,000 students visit the park each year for educational programs. They get to see firsthand how people lived and worked in the past. These programs help students learn about history and social studies in a fun way.

Historic Buildings at Heritage Hill

The park is home to many interesting buildings. Six of them are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Some buildings were moved here from other places. Others are new copies built to show what old buildings looked like.

Structure name	Image	Original location	Original build date	Moved to park	Notes
Allouez Town Hall		Allouez	1912	1977	A wood-framed building.
Baird Law Office		Green Bay	1835	1975	Built in the Greek Revival style. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bark Chapel		Built on site	1981	N/A	A replica of Wisconsin's first church, made from saplings and bark.
Belgian Farmstead Farmhouse		Rosiere	1872	1984	A log house with brick.
Belgian Farmstead Dairy Barn		Rosiere	1900	1984	A log barn.
Belgian Farmstead Horse Barn		Rosiere	1900	1984	Another log barn.
Belgian Farmstead chicken coop		Rosiere	1872	1984	A small log building for chickens.
Belgian Farmstead pig house		Rosiere	1872	1984	A small log building for pigs.
Belgian Farmstead outhouse		Rosiere	1872	1984	An old outdoor toilet.
Belgian Farmstead summer kitchen		Rosiere	1902	1984	A kitchen made of cut stone, used in warmer months.
Belgian Farmstead Roadside Chapel		Duvall	1871	1983	A small wood-frame chapel by the road.
Belgian Farmstead windmill		Duvall	1871	1983	A metal windmill.
Blacksmith Shop		Green Bay	1850	1976	A wood-frame shop where blacksmiths worked.
Cheese Factory		Slovan	1894	1994	A wood-framed building where cheese was made.
Cotton House		Green Bay	1845	1938	A timber-frame house in the Greek Revival style. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Court House		Door County	Before 1814	1976	A log building with special dovetail joints.
Court House Monument		At current location	1934		A stone monument marking the site of Wisconsin's first courthouse.
Fort Howard Guard Building		Green Bay	1833	2014	Part original, part replica of the fort's guard building.
Fort Howard Hospital		Green Bay	1835	1975	A timber-frame building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Howard Ward Building		Green Bay	1816	1975	Another timber-frame building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Howard Post School		Built on site	1982	N/A	A replica school building.
Fort Howard Company Kitchen/Orderly Room		Green Bay	1816	1975	A timber-frame building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Howard Officer's Quarters		Built on site	1982	N/A	A replica building for officers.
Franklin Hose Company		Green Bay	1870	1975	A wood-frame building for a fire hose company.
Fur Trader's Cabin		Green Bay	1810	1975	A cabin built with a special "piece-on-piece" log style.
Maple Sugaring House		Built on site	1981	N/A	A log building for making maple syrup.
Moravian Church		Green Bay	1842	1980	A timber-framed church in the Gothic Revival style.
Print Shop		Built on site	1976	N/A	A wood-framed shop for printing.
Tank Cottage		Green Bay	1776	1976	The oldest standing house in Wisconsin! Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tank barn		Built on site		N/A	A barn built to go with the Tank Cottage.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier		At current location	1938	N/A	A monument made of stacked limestone.
Victorian Bandstand		Built on site	1982	N/A	A decorative bandstand in the Victorian style.
YMCA Library		Green Bay	1872	1977	A wood-framed building with brick, in the Greek Revival style.
Visitors center		Built on site		N/A	The main building where visitors start their tour.
Maintenance/restoration building		Built on site		N/A	A building used for keeping the park running and restoring old items.