Travel Back in Time at Heritage Hill

Heritage Hill State Park

If you live in the Green Bay area and haven’t been to Heritage Hill you’re missing out. If you’re heading to Green Bay, check it out!

This weekend we went for their Civil War Re-enactment. It was fantastic. Period. P and his friend, completed the challenging scavenger hunt by asking soldiers and townspeople questions, they crawled into army tents, watched two great battle re-enactments, visited with the fur trader and his son, and shook hands with Abraham Lincoln. Do you know what their favorite part was? The chickens. Yep, the chickens behind the Belgian farmhouse. Go figure.

Hands-on Experience

Hands on experience (and clearly, chickens) is the number one reason we keep coming back. We’ve made cookies, dipped candles, printed newspapers, and carded wool.There are so many ways to not only see and hear history, but to feel history.

When I ask P what exactly it is that he loves so much about Heritage Hill he says “Halloween!”. When I get him to clarify what he likes about every visit, he says he likes the old buildings and the people “dressed up”.

Dress Up

It’s not just for volunteers. During Laura Ingalls Wilder Days children come dressed in period dress, during the Civil War re-enactment, kids came with their Union or Confederate hats on. Some even brought their own wooden replica rifles. Adults get into it, too. And then there’s Halloween at Heritage Hill where all the kids and lots of adults dress up.

There’s always something new

While some of their events have become a tradition (Spring on the Farm and Laura Ingalls Wilder Days, Halloween) Heritage Hill does a great job keeping things new and interesting. This year they’re restoring the Fort Howard guard house. In August they’re having Wisconsin’s World War 1 Experience. Even the events we’ve been to repeatedly are freshened up each year.

Things to know

• There’s a shuttle bus. During special events, it runs from the CP Center’s parking lot on Webster Ave. No worries about parking and darting across busy streets.
• They have food! Burgers, brats, popcorn, soda, etc. for sale near the restrooms just past the gazebo.
• Bring hand sanitizer. There are usually live animals, chickens at the very least, near the Belgian Farm. You’ll also have the opportunity to help with the printing press (think wet ink) and probably a few other hands on activities.
• You’ll do a lot of walking. It doesn’t look very big, but it is. By the time you get to the Fur Trade Cabin, you’ll be thrilled to find they have a cart (train) to take you back to the entrance.
• Bathrooms. There are plenty of bathrooms and water fountains in the main Education Center. There’s another smaller set of bathrooms near the other end of the park.

Photo Opps

Well, the whole park is a photo opp. We I like to take photos while operating the printing press, playing old-fashioned games, and carding wool. During special events you’ll have the opportunity to pose with the “actors” or impersonators, like Abraham Lincoln. During the Civil War Re-enactment, P and his friend posed in front of the canon. There are so many possibilities!

What will our next Heritage Hill event be? We’re going to go to their special July 4th event to do something fun and in the true spirit of Independence Day. Uncle Sam will be there, we’ll listen to music and play historic games. Maybe we’ll see you there!

 

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