National Register of Historic Places listings in Forest County, Wisconsin facts for kids

See where Forest County is in Wisconsin!

Have you ever wondered about old buildings, bridges, or places that tell a story about the past? In the United States, there's a special list called the National Register of Historic Places. It's like a hall of fame for important historical sites. When a place is on this list, it means it's worth protecting because of its history, architecture, or what it teaches us about the past.

Forest County, Wisconsin, has 10 amazing places on this list. These spots help us learn about the people who lived here long ago, how they built things, and what their lives were like. Let's explore some of these cool historic sites!

Historic Places in Forest County

Armstrong Creek Bridge: An Old Steel Bridge

The Armstrong Creek Bridge, built over 100 years ago.

The Armstrong Creek Bridge is a very old bridge built in 1908. It's a special type of bridge called a "Pratt pony truss" bridge. This kind of bridge was once common in Wisconsin, but now only a few are left. It's made of strong steel and has helped people cross Armstrong Creek for over a hundred years!

• Location: Old 101 Road over Armstrong Creek, near Armstrong Creek
• Listed: November 18, 2011

Butternut-Franklin Lakes Archeological District: Ancient Native American Sites

A trail near the Butternut-Franklin Lakes Archeological District.

This area is super important for understanding ancient history. It's a large district with about 20 different sites where Native American people lived thousands of years ago. Archeologists have found clues here that show people were living and using this land for about 4,000 years! It's like a giant outdoor history book.

• Location: Along the Hidden Lakes Trail near Butternut and Franklin Lakes, near Hiles
• Listed: May 9, 2007

Camp Five Farmstead: A Logging Camp's Story

The Camp Five Farmstead, showing what a logging camp looked like.

Imagine a time when huge forests were being cut down for wood. This farmstead was part of a logging camp from the 1890s. It wasn't just a camp; it was also a farm that grew food to feed the loggers. Today, it's a living history museum. This means you can visit and see what life was like back then!

• Location: 5466 Connor Farm Road, Laona
• Listed: January 11, 1996

Chicago and North-Western Land Office: From Land Sales to Books

The old land office, now a library in Wabeno.

This unique building was built in 1897 from logs. It used to be an office where land was sold to new settlers. Think of it as a real estate office from over a century ago! Today, this historic log building has a new life. It's now the public library in Wabeno, where you can find books and learn even more stories.

• Location: 4556 North Branch Street, Wabeno
• Listed: December 23, 1993

Dinesen-Motzfeldt-Hettinger Log House: A Traveler's Stop

The Dinesen-Motzfeldt-Hettinger Log House, a historic stopping place.

This log house dates back to the 1870s. It was a "stopping place" for travelers on the old Military Road that went north from Green Bay. Imagine weary travelers stopping here for a rest! A famous person, the father of writer Karen Blixen (who wrote Out of Africa), once lived here when he was trapping and trading. The cabin is being restored so it can be enjoyed for many more years.

• Location: 3125 Wisconsin Highway 55, near Mole Lake (listed as Crandon)
• Listed: January 12, 2005

Franklin Lake Campground: Built by Hard Work

This campground has special buildings that were constructed starting in 1936. They were built in a "rustic" style by two important groups during the Great Depression: the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). These groups helped people find jobs during a tough time, and they built many parks and public spaces that we still use today.

• Location: National Forest Road 2181, near Alvin
• Listed: September 28, 1988

Minertown-Oneva: A Lumber Town's Rise and Fall

An abandoned general store in Oneva, showing what's left of the town.

Minertown-Oneva was once a busy town built around a lumber company. It boomed starting in 1899, with lots of people working in the mill. But when the mill burned down in 1931, the town slowly faded away. By 1939, it was abandoned. It's a reminder of how important the lumber industry was to Wisconsin's history.

• Location: State Trunk Highway 32, near Carter
• Listed: May 4, 2010

Otter Spring House: Protecting a Special Spring

This unique building was constructed in 1933 by a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp. It's made of cedar logs and was built to protect a natural spring. This spring was important because it was the water supply for the CCC camp. The water from this spring also has special meaning and importance to the Potawatomi Native American people.

• Location: About 80 meters south of Spring Pond Road, near Lincoln
• Listed: June 3, 1999

John and Anna Wywialowski House: A Family Home

This listing is for the historic home of John and Anna Wywialowski. While the description doesn't give many details, being on the National Register means this house has a special story to tell about the people who lived there and the history of the area. It helps us remember the families who built communities in Forest County.

• Location: 8680 Wisconsin Highway 101, Armstrong Creek
• Listed: November 7, 2016