Pinecrest Historical Village
If you’ve read any of my blogs, you know how I like to make the most of a road trip and see as much as I can on the way to and back home from a new destination. I’ll be spending the next five days in Door County, but I had a couple of stops planned for my way up. First stop was Pinecrest Historical Village, just three miles west of I-43, (Exit #152) on county road JJ. This place is full of history and great old buildings for photographs.
As you enter the grounds, there is a huge field of wildflowers – one of my favorite things! I won’t bore you with all of those photos, but here are a couple, as well as the beautiful crabapple tree that graced the area around the first building. It was a beautiful day and this place was a great find!
I have always been fascinated by print shops, so the first stop was of particular interest to me. James E. Hamilton from Two Rivers, WI revolutionized wood type production in the 1880s and small village print shops popped up all over. This shop was originally inside a house and was moved to Pinecrest in 1979.
This was a fascinating place to visit. At only $7 for a self-guided tour with an audio guide and a take-home newspaper chock full of info about each building, it was a great way to spend the afternoon and learn a little more about the history of the area. In this blog are just a few of the 26 stops on the tour. This place is a must-see if you are passing near the Manitowoc area.
Shadyside School (below) was a one-room rural school in the town of Manitowoc Rapids from 1872 to 1956. It was moved to Pinecrest in 1976.
Niles Church is pictured below. This shot was taken way across the grounds as I entered the wildflower field. The outside was difficult to photograph close up because of the angles and the trees that surround it. It is a Presbyterian Church, built in 1886 on Highway 151 between Valders and Chilton and moved to Pinecrest in 1972, where it was restored. It is available for weddings. There is a replica of a country cemetery outside the church with authentic tombstones, including several Civil War veterans. Although there are no burials onsite, it looks pretty cool, with many inscriptions in German and Czech.
Below are a few of the other buildings, including the Rockwood Firehouse (1926), Rank Dressmakers Shop (1897), the General Store and Village Meat Market (1870s).
I have lots more pictures, but if I show ya everything, you won’t have a reason to visit! OK, here are a couple more, but that’s it!
Obviously I REALLY enjoyed this wonderful place. I suggest you visit, so you too can REALLY enjoy it! There’s a Halloween celebration called “All Hallow’s Eve” as well as “Christmas at Pinecrest” that sound like a lot of fun, plus MORE. Visit Pinecrest Historical Village website HERE.
Happy trails,
Barb
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