Greenbush, WI – Wade House, a Wisconsin Historical Society site, is excited to announce a May 27 opening of the regular season as well as a robust calendar of upcoming events. The expansive, 240-acre site includes an 1850s stagecoach inn that once served travelers of the Sheboygan and Fond du Lac plank road, an active blacksmith shop, a working water-powered sawmill with a rare up-and-down Muley saw, and a vast collection of impeccably preserved carriages on display in the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum. Visitors to Wade House experience aspects of everyday life in 19th century Wisconsin before railroads and automobiles transformed the landscape.

“A special feature is the opportunity to take a horse-drawn vehicle ride from the visitor center to the historic area, immersing guests in the site’s major theme of the horse-powered economy of the 19th century,” said Wade House Site Director Bridgitt Zielke. “Guests can also view the exhibit ‘Frank Lloyd Wright: A Wisconsin Original,’ which features a display of horse-drawn carriages once owned and used by famed architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as rare photographs of the original Taliesin.”

The regular season begins on May 27 and ends on Nov. 4, 2023. Wade House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. General admission for adults is $15, $13 for seniors, $8 for children, and free for children under five. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free general admission and 10% off ticketed events.

Upcoming Events:

  • Blacksmithing Workshops – June 10 & 17, Aug. 12 & 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Discover the old-world art of blacksmithing at a series of interactive workshops. Strike while the iron is hot, hear the “clang” of the hammer and feel the heat from the forge as you craft your own project. Workshops alternate between a focus on knife-making, camping gear, or basic blacksmithing. Participants must be age 13 or older and advance registration is required. Lunch is included in the ticket price. Cost is $225 per person. 

  • Into the Wilderness Overnight Adventure for Adults – June 24-25, 9 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Join Wade House for an overnight camping adventure on the Wade House grounds just forgrown-ups. This 24-hour experience is packed with activities like learning to build and cook over a campfire, exploring survival skills, and forging camping gear in the blacksmith shop. All participants must be 18 or older, and must bring their own camping and sleeping gear. Meals are included in the ticket price. Cost is $175 per person.

  • Wade House Carriage Driving Day – July 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Feel the footfalls of the horses hitched to antique, reproduced and modern carriages as they compete for a coveted blue ribbon in Wade House’s brand-new horse arena. The event will consist of three competitions: Dressage, Cones Course and a Cross Country Drive, which will showcase the versatility, training, and talents of both horse and driver. Enjoy the action up-close as the horses show off their different gaits at the subtle command of their drivers.  In addition to enjoying the outdoor excitement, guests may access the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, home to Wisconsin’s largest collection of carriages and wagons. This event will occur rain or shine and concessions will be available for purchase. Tickets are $17 for adults and teens, $15 for seniors, $8.50 for children, and children under 5 are free.

  • Arts, Crafts and Trades Fair – Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This day-long fair on the grounds of Wade House attracts more than 80 vendors with booths spanning an array of arts, crafts and trades. The event features artisan demonstrations, live music and food trucks offering a selection of delectable fare. Besides entrance to the arts fair, admission includes a horse-drawn vehicle ride from the historic area to the visitor center and Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, a guided tour of the Wade House stagecoach inn, a trip to the Herrling sawmill and a visit to the blacksmith shop.  Cost is $5 per person. 

  • Hearthside Dinners – Nov. 4, Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Head to the historic Wade House stagecoach inn and whip up a home-cooked meal in Betsey Wade’s kitchens. Prepare unique 19th century dishes on a wood-burning stove and open-hearth fire, and then enjoy a sit-down, family-style meal in the Wade House dining room. Priced at $75 per person.

For more information, call 920-526-3271 or visit wadehouse.org.

Click here to view the Wade House photo gallery.

About Wade House

Located in Greenbush, Wisconsin, Wade House is a historic stagecoach inn that was operated in the 1850s to serve traffic along the plank road connecting Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. The site tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the 1850s in Greenbush. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation, as well as the Dockstader blacksmith shop. Wade House is also home to a visitor center with orientation exhibits, gift shop, meeting rooms and the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state’s largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons.

About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

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