Oshkosh Public Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Edgar Sawyer House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Location | 1331 Algoma Boulevard Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 |
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| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | William Waters |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Part of | Algoma Boulevard Historic District (ID94001368) |
| Added to NRHP | 1994 |
The Oshkosh Public Museum is a cool museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. It's located inside a beautiful old house called the Edgar and Mary Jewell Sawyer House. This house is part of the Algoma Boulevard Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical building!
The Story of the Sawyer House
The grand house where the museum now stands was built in 1908. It was the home of Edgar Sawyer, a very successful businessman who owned many timber companies. Before this mansion, the Sawyers had another home on the same spot. That first house was taken down in 1907 to make way for a bigger, more modern one.
Sadly, the Sawyers only lived in their new house for about a year. Mary Sawyer passed away from heart failure. Edgar kept the house open for 12 more years, but he didn't live there all the time. In 1922, the house was given to the City of Oshkosh. It officially opened its doors as a museum in 1924. In 1994, a fire happened on the third floor, but the museum has since recovered and continues to welcome visitors.
Cool Things to Explore Inside
The museum has many interesting things to see! One of the most special is a unique folk art clock called the Apostle's Clock. Every hour, music from an old Regina music box plays. Then, hand-carved figures of the Apostles start to move. They circle around and bow to a figure of Jesus Christ. The last apostle, Judas Iscariot, carries a bag and turns away from Jesus.
The inside of the building itself is also a work of art! It was designed by Tiffany Studios, famous for their beautiful glasswork. You can see several amazing stained glass windows and a fancy carved staircase. Different rooms in the museum show off art and share facts about Oshkosh and the Lake Winnebago area.
The museum also tells the story of immigrants who came to the region from Eastern Europe. A section called "Memories & Dreams" covers the years from the 1830s to the 1920s. It even has a 1913 Harley Davidson motorcycle! In a room called "Grandma's Attic," kids can touch and play with old items. There's also a model that shows what the city looked like in the 1800s, with all its lumber yards.
Images for kids
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Apostles Clock
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Registered Historic Place sign
