The Pioneer Park Historical Complex is made up of seven different museums.
There are buildings for logging, the Wisconsin Civilian Conservation Corps, and outboard boat motors among others.
“They kind of have their own focus, but they're all connected into the same kind of forestry community, Northwoods of Wisconsin vein,” said Kerry Bloedorn, director of the Pioneer Park Historical Complex.
He says it’s the oldest, most complete collection of mid to late 1800s logging era history in the country.
“The people that founded this museum in 1932 could see the writing on the wall. They knew that the logging boom as they knew it, and as they lived it, was declining, and they thought, ‘Let's collect all these materials and photos, artifacts, equipment before it's gone,’” said Bloedorn. “We're so lucky that they did, because we have it to learn from.”
With the museum’s 100-year anniversary just a few years out, Bloedorn says his focus has turned to the next 100 years.
“We are focusing on putting together a plan for restoration efforts to make sure that the logging museum buildings are all up to snuff, everything gets a new fresh coat of paint, what can we do to make these buildings look as good as they can while preserving their rich history, so that they can keep the collections intact and safe for years to come,” said Bloedorn.
The Pioneer Park Historical Complex is open Tuesdays through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Admission is free.
Whether it’s Pioneer Park or another museum, Bloedorn hopes people take some time to explore a bit of Northwoods history this summer.
“Every community up here has a great little museum, and they're always looking for help too,” said Bloedorn. “Go check them out, get involved, and help preserve our local Northwoods history.”
