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Wade House Opens for Season May 25 with New Activities Including Stagecoach Saturdays

The horse-powered world of Wade House comes alive through a bounty of activities from carriage driving days to new culinary events

Greenbush, Wis. -- Step into the world of horse-powered travel when Wade House, an 1850s stagecoach inn and Wisconsin Historical Society site, opens its doors for the summer season on May 25. New this year is Stagecoach Saturdays, where guests can take a 30-minute stagecoach ride through the picturesque landscape of Kettle Moraine. This is one highlight of a fun-filled year featuring many new events, from an evening at Wade’s Tavern to Marzano Pizza Company pizza parties.

“Wade House has a deep history of hospitality, a place for community gatherings and good cheer,” said Bridgitt Zielke, site director, Wade House. “We look forward to showcasing historic horse-powered transport, just like in the days of old, and introducing exciting new events like Spirits on the Solstice Craft Cocktail Experience and a farm-to-table Harvest Moon Long Table Dinner.”

Located in Greenbush near Fond du Lac, Sheboygan and Elkhart Lake, the 27-room inn was a popular overnight destination on Old Plank Road (now Hwy 23) in the 19^th century. Today, guests can visit Betsey Wade’s kitchen, view the 25-cent-a-night, third-floor guest rooms, learn how to mold horseshoes in the blacksmith shop, visit a working water-powered sawmill and take a horse-drawn wagon ride to the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, housing the state’s largest collection of carriages, including one owned by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

The spring, summer and fall season runs from May 25 - Nov. 3, 2024. Wade House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The cost of daily admission is $15 for adults and teens, $13 for seniors (65+), $8 for children (5-12), and free for children under five. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free general admission and 10% off ticketed events.

Sheboygan and Fond du Lac residents can take advantage of Half-Price First Saturdays and receive a 50% discount when visiting the Wade House grounds during the first Saturday of the month. Discounts are available for all family members who show proof of residence.

For further information or to purchase tickets, go to wadehouse.wisconsinhistory.org or click here.

Upcoming Events at Wade House:

Blacksmithing Workshops – May 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or June 22, Oct. 5,  9 a.m. to noon

Strike while the iron is hot, hear the “clang” of the hammer and feel the heat from the forge as you learn the art of blacksmithing in the 1860s-era Dockstader Blacksmith Shop. Shape unique knives from various materials and customize the handles to make a distinctive, one-of-a-kind knife. The cost is $225 for a full day and $125 for a half-day session.

Home School Days at Wade House – May 21, Sept. 4, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Learners of all ages will be invited to explore the horse-powered world of Wade House in the mid-1800s. Learn about stagecoach travel, visit the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, build a model carriage, take a horse-drawn wagon to the site’s historic core and watch how a water-powered sawmill and the skills of a blacksmith thrived in the old world. A tour of the 27-room Stagecoach Inn is included. The cost is $6 per person for grades K-12 and $11 per adult or senior chaperone.

Stagecoach Saturdays – May 25, June 15, July 13, Aug.10, Sept 14, 30-minute rides available every 45 minutes from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Travel back in time with a slow-paced stagecoach journey through the picturesque rolling landscape of the Kettle Moraine. Each ride in the replica Concord stagecoach lasts approximately 30 minutes and gives guests a true feel for travel in a bygone era. Six can comfortably be accommodated per ride, and pre-registration is strongly recommended.

Father’s Day at Wade House – June 15 and 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Get a close-up view of life in a 19th-century stagecoach inn during a special Father’s Day weekend. The curated experience begins with a horse-drawn wagon ride to the historic Wade House. Meet tradespeople and learn the tools and techniques used hundreds of years ago to craft buildings, carriages, and other essential items. The gardener and cook will also show you how Betsey Wade – one of the inn’s founders – grew and prepared food for guests. Families who complete a photo-based scavenger hunt will receive a special item from the gift shop. Food and drinks are available for purchase. 

Spirits on the Solstice: Craft Cocktail Experience – June 20, 6 to 8 p.m.

On the longest day of the year, watch the sun setting and savor a cocktail on the Wade House’s Greek Revival-style porch. Enjoy a hands-on evening of craft cocktail-making, learning mixology tips and tricks while sampling cocktails, and nibbling on snacks and appetizers. Must be 21+ to participate. The cost is $35 per person.

Wade Pizza Party featuring Marzano Pizza Company – June 28, July 26, Aug. 23, 5 to 8 p.m.

Participate in a Friday pizza party at the historic Wade House. Celebrate founder Betsey Wade’s hospitality at the stagecoach inn and enjoy live music, food and drinks. Marzano Pizza Company pies will be available along with soft drinks, beer and wine. There is no admission fee for the event. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Wade House Carriage Driving Days – July 19-21, noon to 4 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

Take in the beauty and pageantry of a three-day Wade House carriage driving event, held on the site’s new horse arena. Watch as elegantly dressed riders in antique and vintage-inspired carriages, and their horses, attempt to master a series of trials designed to showcase their versatility, training and talents. A horse-drawn carriage will transport guests to the contest grounds. The cost is $17 for adults and teens, $15 for seniors (65+), $8.50 for children (5-12) and free for children under five.

Arts & Crafts Fair – Aug. 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Observe the work of more than 50 carefully selected artists and craftspeople on the Wade House’s beautiful and historic grounds. Potters, quilters, metal workers, woodworkers and herbalists are just some of the trades represented. Find that must-have piece of whimsy for your garden, fine art for your living room wall or artisan foods for your pantry, all while noshing on tasty snacks, listening to live music and watching craft demonstrations. The cost is $5 per person.

Harvest Moon Long Table Dinner – Sept. 28, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Gather around the long table for a communal, open-air, farm-to-table feast highlighting the Kettle Moraine’s autumnal bounty, with locally sourced produce, wine, camaraderie and warm spirits. Chef Tracey Leonhard of Rosemary Gourmet will prepare a delightful dinner celebrating Wisconsin’s agricultural heritage and incorporating vegetables, herbs and edible flowers from Wade House’s gardens. Menu-inspired mocktails and cocktails included. Guests must be 18 years of age or older to attend. The cost is $150 per person.

Autumn Celebration Weekend & General Admission – Oct. 12 & 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Celebrate this most colorful time of the year with traditional autumnal activities for the entire family. Carve pumpkin and turnips, press apples and play historic games like Snap Apple. The celebration continues in the candlelit Herrling Sawmill where visitors will hear the rumble of an up-and-down water-powered saw and listen to spooky, family-friendly tales. Hot apple cider and horse-drawn carriage rides included. The cost is $15 for adults and teens, $13 for seniors (65+), $8 for children (5-12) and free for children under five.

An Evening at Wade’s Tavern – Oct. 24, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Visit the Wade House taproom and experience a typical evening in what was once the social hub of 19th-century life for Greenbush locals and travelers alike. Sample specialty beers and apple cider and nosh on snacks while exploring this stately Greek Revival inn. Musical entertainment is provided by Ric Tic! Guests must be 21+ to attend. The cost is $20 per person.

Hearthside Dinners – Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Enjoy a delicious hearth-cooked meal prepared with your own hands in the historic Wade House kitchen as part of the site’s popular Hearthside Dinner series. Prepare wild rice soup, pork ragout, Yankee pot roast along with brethren cheddar bread and apple pandowdy, over a wood-burning stove just as Wade House matriarch Betsey Wade did more than 150 years ago. Once the food is ready, sit down and savor the fruits of your labor during a family-style dinner in the elegant and lovely Wade House dining room. 

A Wade House Christmas – Dec. 14 and 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Step into the holidays of yesteryear at the historic Wade House. The halls of the picturesque inn will be decked out for the holidays, showcasing how the Wade family and their many visitors would have celebrated a classic 19th-century Yankee and German-influenced Christmas. Enjoy classic holiday treats, crafts, live music and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas”. The festivities continue in the Wade House Visitor Center and Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, where seasonal décor, a scavenger hunt, live music, and children’s activities will add to the festive spirit.  

For further information or to purchase tickets for any of these events, go to wadehouse.wisconsinhistory.org or click here.

About Wade House

Wade House is one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums. Located in Greenbush, the site includes an 1850s stagecoach inn that was built to serve traffic along a plank road connecting Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. The site tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the 1850s and 1860s. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the Dockstader blacksmith shop and Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation. Wade House is also home to the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state's largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons. For more information and a list of upcoming events call (920) 526-3271 or visit wadehouse.org. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free admission to this site during regular operating hours.