Monday, September 9, 2024
Fall in Love with FALL at Historic Wade House in Greenbush, Wisconsin
Dine among the autumn leaves, have a tipple at a historic tavern, or bring the kids for a fun-filled day of pumpkins, turnips, spooky stories and more
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GREENBUSH, Wis. – Dine in a prairie surrounded by autumn colors, carve a turnip as in days of old, and enjoy a seasonal brew in an authentic 19th-century tavern. Fall is in the air at the Wade House, and the historic stagecoach inn looks forward to welcoming guests for a season filled with festive activities.
“Our lovely, wooded prairie setting, with trails connecting to the Kettle Moraine State Park, is an ideal place to savor the beauty of fall,” said Wade House Site Director Brigitt Zielke. “This year, we are introducing new programs where guests can indulge in food and beverage activities in our scenic location along with participating in favorite fall celebrations.”
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 19th 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.
Wade House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Nov. 3, 2024. 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 Wade House Events:
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- 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.
Stagecoach Saturdays – Sept. 14, Oct. 12, 30-minute rides available every 45 minutes from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Travel back in time, among the autumn leaves, 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.
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.
About Wade House
Wade House is one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums. Located in Greenbush, the site includes an1850s 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.
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. The Wisconsin Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, receives grants and private contributions benefitting the Wisconsin Historical Society and administers the membership program. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
