South Wood County Historical Museum

South Wood County Historical Museum Preserving local history in South Wood County, including Grand Rapids, Nekoosa, Port Edwards, Rudolph

📚Happy First Day of School!🍎As students head back to the classroom, we’re wishing all of our community’s students, educa...
09/01/2026

📚Happy First Day of School!🍎

As students head back to the classroom, we’re wishing all of our community’s students, educators, and support staff a wonderful school year! We hope it’s filled with learning, new experiences, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.

📸 From the Museum Collection:
1975.05.81, donated by Ruth Bennett
Scranton School students, Pittsville, Wisconsin

Pictured are Edna Kumm, Ernest Maha, Fred Rosd and Johnson, Itzen Mabel, John, Anna Sayka, Christina Sayka, Frank Sayka, and teacher Pearl Staples.

Do you recognize anyone in this photograph? We’d love to hear from you!

And while you’re getting back into the school-year routine, remember that this is the final week to visit our exhibits during exhibit season!

🕐 Exhibit Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday
1–4 PM

This is also your last chance to see 'Immigration: An American Story'. We’re pleased to have it available for one more week courtesy of the Gilder Lehrman Institute!

Stop by and see the exhibits before exhibit season comes to a close! 🏛️

🐾Happy National Dog Day!🐾For thousands of years, dogs have shared our lives—as hunting partners, working companions, pro...
08/26/2026

🐾Happy National Dog Day!🐾

For thousands of years, dogs have shared our lives—as hunting partners, working companions, protectors, and, perhaps most importantly, friends. Researchers are still piecing together the exact story of how wolves and humans first became companions, but there’s no question our histories have been intertwined for a very, very long time.

And that long history is right here in our own collection.

📸 1993.01.485 — An unidentified man with his dog.

📸 2009.31.33 — Mary Kellog with a canine companion, from the Jamelle and Mark Milne donation.

📸 2010.01.10 — An unidentified boy flying a kite with his dog behind Howe School, from the Donald Krohn Collection.

We may not know the names of every person—or every dog—in these photographs, but that’s part of what makes historic photographs so special. They preserve the everyday moments that might otherwise disappear: a beloved companion at someone's side, a child at play, and a dog simply being part of the family.

On National Dog Day, we're celebrating all the dogs who have been part of South Wood County's history—and all the good dogs making history with us today. ❤️🐶

Do you have a favorite photo or memory of a dog from your family's history? We'd love to hear about it!

🎉 That’s a wrap on the 2026 South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt! 🔎🗺️A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participate...
08/25/2026

🎉 That’s a wrap on the 2026 South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt! 🔎🗺️

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year’s hunt! Whether you visited every location, completed a few clues, shared photos, or simply followed along, we appreciate everyone who took the time to explore South Wood County’s history with us. ❤️

We’ve enjoyed seeing your scavenger hunt adventures and the photos you’ve shared along the way! 📸 Thank you to everyone who contributed their photos—we loved seeing the hunt through your eyes.

And now for the big news… our two 2027 SWCHC Membership Giveaway winners have been selected and notified! 🎉 Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

But the history doesn’t end with the hunt! 📜 We’ve put together the history behind each of the scavenger hunt locations, and you can now read the stories on our website:

https://www.swch-museum.com/events/south-wood-county-historical-scavenger-hunt/

We hope you enjoyed discovering some of the places, people, and stories that make South Wood County special. And if you missed this year’s hunt, stay tuned—we’ll be back with another scavenger hunt next year! 🔎

🔎 Today’s the LAST DAY of the South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt!🗺️If you’ve completed the hunt, there’s still ...
08/25/2026

🔎 Today’s the LAST DAY of the South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt!🗺️

If you’ve completed the hunt, there’s still time to stop by the Museum! Participants have until 4 PM today to show us their results and be entered into the SWCHC Membership Giveaway! 🎉

After 4 PM, we’ll draw our two winners and contact them directly. We’ll also be sharing the history behind each of the scavenger hunt locations, so stay tuned—you’ll get to learn the stories behind the places you’ve been exploring! 📜

We’ve loved seeing the photos participants have shared along the way, and we’ll be featuring a few here! 📸 Have photos from your scavenger hunt adventure? We’d love to see them! Feel free to share them in the comments or email them to us at the Museum.

And, of course, THANK YOU to everyone who participated! Whether you made it to every location, completed part of the hunt, or simply followed along, we’re so glad you joined us in exploring the history of South Wood County. ❤️

We hope you had fun discovering some of the fascinating places and stories that make our community special!

Missed this year’s hunt? Don’t worry—stay tuned for this annual event to return next year! 👀🔎

🔎 The South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt is still underway! 🗺️The first two photos in this post are tied to the...
08/18/2026

🔎 The South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt is still underway! 🗺️

The first two photos in this post are tied to the hunt. Can you figure out which spot they match? 👀

You still have time to participate! The hunt runs through Tuesday, August 25, but our supply of printed brochures at the Museum is limited. Don’t worry—you can still access the scavenger hunt brochure on our website!

Once you’ve completed the hunt, be sure to stop in at the South Wood County Historical Museum to show us your photos and be entered to win a 2027 SWCHC membership! 🎉 We’ll also give you an in-depth history of all the scavenger hunt sites, so you can learn more about the places you’ve explored along the way.

📍 Planning your visit?
Office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 10 AM–4 PM
Stop by during these hours to have your scavenger hunt photos verified and receive your site histories.

Exhibit hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday, 1–4 PM
Our exhibits are open through Labor Day weekend, so while you’re here, take a stroll through the Museum and explore our local history exhibits!

Happy hunting! 🔎📸

📣 South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt!The scavenger hunt is officially underway, and we're excited to see people...
08/11/2026

📣 South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt!

The scavenger hunt is officially underway, and we're excited to see people out exploring South Wood County! We have, however, been made aware of a couple of directional errors in the printed clues. We appreciate those who brought them to our attention!

📍 Centralia Marker: The marker is located south of Ben Hansen Park.

📍 John Jones Grave: The grave is located south of the Port Edwards boat landing.

We've updated the clues to reflect the correct locations. If you have an earlier version of the brochure, please keep these corrections in mind as you make your way through the hunt!

Need a brochure? Printed copies are available at the South Wood County Historical Museum and Olio Arts & Music Center, or you can access the brochure online:

👉 https://www.swch-museum.com/?page_id=4590

Remember, visit all 10 locations, take a selfie or photo at each stop, and bring your photos to the museum by August 25 to be entered into the drawing for a 2027 South Wood County Historical Corporation membership!

Happy hunting! 🔎📸

🔎 Explore South Wood County’s History!Ready for an adventure? The South Wood County Historical Museum is excited to invi...
08/06/2026

🔎 Explore South Wood County’s History!

Ready for an adventure? The South Wood County Historical Museum is excited to invite you to our first-ever South Wood County Historical Scavenger Hunt!

From August 9–25, grab a brochure, follow the clues, and explore historic locations throughout South Wood County. Along the way, you’ll discover fascinating stories about the people, places, and events that helped shape our communities.

Here’s how it works:

📍 Pick up a scavenger hunt brochure at the South Wood County Historical Museum or visit our website below to download a copy.
https://www.swch-museum.com/?page_id=4590&preview=true
📸 Visit the featured locations and take a photo/selfie at each stop.
🏛️ Bring your completed hunt (and your photos!) back to the museum to be entered into a drawing for a 2027 South Wood County Historical Corporation membership!

Whether you’re a lifelong resident or new to the area, this is a fun way to get outside, explore, and connect with the history right in your own backyard.

We hope you’ll join us as we uncover the stories of South Wood County!

🏛️ Looking for something to do this week?Step inside the South Wood County Historical Museum and discover the stories th...
08/02/2026

🏛️ Looking for something to do this week?

Step inside the South Wood County Historical Museum and discover the stories that shaped our community. From fascinating artifacts and local photographs to this season's exhibits, there's always something new to explore—even if you've visited before!

Whether you're a lifelong resident, new to the area, or hosting friends and family, the museum offers a chance to slow down, learn something unexpected, and connect with South Wood County's rich history.

🕐Exhibit Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday
1:00–4:00 p.m.

Admission is free, although donations are always appreciated and help us continue preserving and sharing our local history.

We hope to see you soon!

Address

540 Third Street South
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
54495

Opening Hours

Tuesday 1pm - 4pm
Wednesday 1pm - 4pm
Thursday 1pm - 4pm
Sunday 1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+17154231580

Website

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