Outdoor museum named a 2020 Choice Destination
Discover Wisconsin will be shining the spotlight on Old World Wisconsin in an upcoming episode. The episode premieres Saturday, May 23. at 6:30 p.m. on WKOW TV 27 and Sunday, May 24 at 10 a.m. on WITI TV 6.
The episode is available for online streaming at discoverwisconsin.com, Roku, Apple TV, SmartTV, Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire.
To find out more and to watch, visit facebook.com/discoverwisconsin and youtube.com/user/DiscoverWI.
“As the state of Wisconsin joins the world on the road to recovery. Discover Wisconsin’s episode of ‘Old World Wisconsin’ is a wonderful reminder of our history: the traditions, culture, and resiliency that is passed on through generations”, said Marie Justice, co-host of Discover Wisconsin. “ I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the “living museum,” that is nestled on vast acres of picturesque land. With the traditional houses, buildings and actors recreating life during the early settlement of this state—I was transported back in time. I got to spend a day in the life of an early settler, learning about their culture and the ingenuity that they brought to this great state! There’s nothing quite like the experience of visiting Old World Wisconsin. It gives you an appreciation for the people that came before us and their ability to courageously carve out a future for themselves and for generations to come.”
The half-hour segment kicks off by highlighting the history that draws visitors near and far to Old World Wisconsin with the help of Site Director Dan Freas. The Discover Wisconsin Crew head to the 1900’s Raspberry Schoolhouse to discover how the one-room building got there and learn a quick lesson from the teacher. Next, co-host Mariah Haberman heads to the Blacksmith shop where she learns to make a hook with the help of local 1880’s Blacksmith.
The episode continues with some fun activities for all ages. Haberman heads to Wheeelman’s Club to learn the history and ride a high wheel bike. The evolution of baseball is also featured with the help of the Diamonds base ball team based on the 1900’s Waukesha Diamonds team. Chores and daily life activities from the 1800’s are also highlighted in the segment.
Next, the crew heads to the 1860s Pomeranian Immigrant Farm to learn why animals were such an important part of daily life on the farm. The importance of gardens and the variety of plants in the 1860’s is also highlighted. Co-host Marie Justice explores the historic process and techniques of 19th century beer making.
Justice hikes the surrounding woods outside Old World Wisconsin’s 600 acres of history, in the southern unit of the Kettle Moraine Forest. The show then comes to a close by calling attention to the many activities families can take part in during the Christmas season.
“The Wisconsin Historical Society is excited about the opportunity to provide this virtual visit to Old World Wisconsin at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our operations. We hope viewers will be inspired to visit in the near future” said Site Director Dan Freas.
Old World Wisconsin is also featured in episode 16 of Discover Wisconsin’s official podcast, The Cabin. The episode premieres Tuesday, May 19 and will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and various other podcast streaming apps.
Discover Wisconsin’s “Old World Wisconsin” episode will reach the show’s broadcast network of 600,000 viewers across the upper Great Lakes region, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Northern Illinois, and Upper Michigan. The episode was produced by Taylor Carruthers.
To learn more, visit discoverwisconsin.com.
