Pioneer Park Historical Complex

06/03/2026

It’s officially museum season at the Pioneer Park Historical Complex when the planters get filled for the summer! These flowers always add a great touch of color to our rustic museum complex, and delight visitors all season long.

A HUGE thank you goes out to the GFWC Rhinelander Woman's Club for supporting this beautification project for more than 50 years! The work was completed by club members and PPHC volunteers Deanna Jacobs and Peggy Osterman.

And of course, thank you to Henning and Ruth of Forth Floral for their wonderful selection and kind assistance as always. 🌻

Museum Season Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday: 12pm to 4pm
Closed Mondays and holidays.

www.rhinelanderppc.com

05/31/2026

Pioneer Park Historical Complex is OPEN for the Season!

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Regular Summer Hours
May 23rd through August 30th, 2026

Tuesday's - Saturdays: 10am - 5pm
Sundays: 12noon - 4pm
Mondays and Holidays: Closed

Admission is free, donations appreciated.

www.rhinelanderpphc.com

05/27/2026

We are taking stake of local exterior painting crews, and carpenters for some projects in the works....

Post your local suggestions in the comments ⤵️

*Photo for attention, looking for life sized painters and wood butchers...

05/24/2026

Pioneer Park Historical Complex is open today, Sun.May 24th from 12noon- 4pm .

A reminder that PPHC will be closed Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen Tuesday, May 26th with regular summer season hours.

Summer Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 12noon - 4pm
Mondays and Holidays: Closed

Admission is free. Donations are greatly appreciated and help support the preservation of our shared history at Pioneer Park Historical Complex!

05/23/2026

The new Vancos Family Splash Pad at Rhinelander's Hodag Park had its grand opening this past Friday and it’s already making a splash with families across the area. But did you know that spot has a much deeper connection to the city’s past?

Long before kids were running through fountains, the shoreline of Hodag Park was once home to the old C.C. Collins Lumber Mill, part of the massive lumber industry that helped build early Rhinelander into a booming Northwoods community. Rhinelander itself grew out of the logging era, with sawmills and railroads driving the city’s early economy.

And here’s the really cool part....

While crews were preparing the site for the new splash pad, pieces of that buried lumber history started coming back to the surface. Workers uncovered several artifacts tied to the old milling operations including a giant logging chain, a lathe saw blade, and even a section of rail once used around the mill site.

Instead of disappearing back into the ground, those pieces of Rhinelander history were preserved and made their way to Pioneer Park Historical Complex for display alongside the Northwoods stories and logging artifacts that helped shape the Northwoods.

So next time you visit the new splash pad at Hodag Park, remember there’s a whole layer of Rhinelander history buried just beneath the water and concrete. Be sure to check out the new splash pad, and then stop out at Pioneer Park Historical Complex to see some of the hidden history uncovered during its construction. Pretty cool stuff!

Pioneer Park Historical Complex is now open for the season! Come explore the Logging Museum, Sawmill Museum, Railroad Museum, Schoolhouse Museum, Papermill exhibit, and much more right here in the heart of Rhinelander.

Find more info here: www.rhinelanderpphc.com

05/20/2026

Opening for PPHC's 94th year in operation. This weekend!

Founded in 1932, Pioneer Park Historical Complex has grown into one of Wisconsin’s premier local history museum campuses. Located in Rhinelander, Wisconsin within Pioneer Park along the Pelican River, the complex preserves and interprets the history of the Northwoods through museums focused on logging, railroads, conservation history, rural education, and local folklore.

The complex is especially known for housing the oldest logging museum of its kind in the nation, along with the famous “5 Spot” locomotive, Rhinelander Papermill exhibit, extensive Hodag displays, historic structures relocated from throughout the region, and more!

With something for everyone, families, history lovers, and curious explorers alike, Pioneer Park Historical Complex is a must visit destination in the heart of the Northwoods!

Admission is free, Donations gladly appreciated.

05/16/2026

Hodag Heritage Festival is TODAY!
Pioneer Park in Rhinelander

The 6th annual Hodag Heritage Festival kicks off at 8am with a FREE Lumberjack Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Rhinelander VFW from 8am to 11am, with Hodag festivities happening all day from 8am to 7pm!

Bring your friends and family down for a full day celebrating Hodag history, folklore, and Northwoods culture right here in Hodag Country.

Pioneer Park Historical Complex will have the Logging Museum and Railroad Museum open from 9am to 5pm, along with Speeder Rides at the Depot throughout the day.

You’ll also find live entertainment, speakers, vendors, lumberjacks, Hodag activities, kids attractions, the Hodag Calling Contest, and more across Pioneer Park.

Check out the full Hodag Heritage Festival schedule here:
www.hodagheritagefestival.com

The OFFICIAL Hodag Heritage Festival schedule for May 16th. Don't forget to wear your green!!! 💚 https://hodagheritagefestival.com/

05/16/2026

Hodag Heritage Festival is TODAY!
Pioneer Park in Rhinelander

The 6th annual Hodag Heritage Festival kicks off at 8am with a FREE Lumberjack Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Rhinelander VFW from 8am to 11am, with Hodag festivities happening all day from 8am to 7pm!

Bring your friends and family down for a full day celebrating Hodag history, folklore, and Northwoods culture right here in Hodag Country.

Pioneer Park Historical Complex will have the Logging Museum and Railroad Museum open from 9am to 5pm, along with Speeder Rides at the Depot throughout the day.

You’ll also find live entertainment, speakers, vendors, lumberjacks, Hodag activities, kids attractions, the Hodag Calling Contest, and more across Pioneer Park.

Check out the full Hodag Heritage Festival schedule here:
www.hodagheritagefestival.com

05/11/2026

The 2026 museum season is coming up fast!

Be sure to join us for Hodag Heritage Festival Saturday, May 16th at Pioneer Park. With a full day of Hodag celebrations, history, and fun for everyone! Find a full schedule at: www.hodagheritagefestival.com

PPHC opens for the season on May 23rd, 2026 with our regular summer hours.

Special Note: Pioneer Park will be closed for HHF setup and teardown
on Thursday, May 14th, and Monday, May 18th.

See you soon at the Museum!

05/06/2026

Help us spread the word, and preserve history by sharing this post. 🌲🌲🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🌲🌲🌲

HELP WANTED: We’re getting ready for Summer 2026… 👀

That means it’s almost time to bring the Pioneer Park Historical Complex back to life, and we’re starting to put together our staff and volunteer team for the Summer.

If you enjoy history, meeting new people, and being part of something uniquely Northwoods… this might be for you!

We’ll be looking for both paid seasonal staff and volunteers to help make this another great summer at the museum. No experience needed, just a good attitude and a willingness to connect with visitors.

Interested? Send us a message or drop a comment and I’ll get you the details.
And if someone popped into your head while reading this… tag them 👇

For more details, visit https://rhinelanderpphc.com/volunteer-and-employment-opportunities/