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Caledonia Historical Society

Caledonia Historical Society's Community Newsletter

For more than 10 years the Caledonia Historical Society has been caring for our past.  Structures from the past significantly enrich our understanding of who we are and where we have been.  Many historic buildings have survived; some
as a result of good stewardship by our ancestors, others by luck and good
fortune.  They give pleasure to many people, form a valuable economic, social and educational resource and contribute to a sense of regional identity. 

The story of the village of Caledonia began long before the arrival of white settlers. Native American bands encamped along the winding Root River and on the shores of Lake Michigan. Caledonia’s first white settlers established a trading post in the early 19th century and it’s rich land and easy water access drew European settlers -  eventually displacing the native Potawatomie with their own Bohemian, Polish and other ethnic settlements.  In 1842 the Township of Caledonia was established and became the largest township in Wisconsin.

In 1877 a Caledonia Town Hall was erected on the corners of Highway 38 and 5 Mile Rd. By the 1950’s Caledonia had outgrown this building and the current Caledonia Hall was built on Nicholson Rd., leaving the original Town Hall vacant and in disrepair.

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In the 1990’s the town Chairman, Dennis Kornwolf, realized the historic value of the building and gathered a small group of like-minded citizens in their effort to save the structure. That group was the seed that grew into the Caledonia Historical Society.

In 2001 the Caledonia Historical Society obtained the 1877 Caledonia Town Hall and relocated it to Linwood Park where the Town Hall began its’ second life
as a museum and educational tool. It has been painstakingly restored and is the foundation of our preservation efforts. 

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Five years ago we made a decision to expand our efforts by securing funds necessary for relocation of the 1902 Sturtevant Railroad Depot. The Canadian National Railroad owned the structure and the depot was slated for demolition.  It
was moved to Linwood Park in four pieces and the staggering restoration was
begun – and continues to this day.  Funds obtained through individual and business donations, fund-raising efforts and community organizations such as Preservation Racine and the Racine Community Foundation, have provided much-needed support.

 In 2010 we relocated and refurbished a circa 1927 caboose and we were on the way to our historic settlement.

The next acquisition came about by luck. Alan and Patty Ruud unearthed an 1840’s log cabin on their property in the core of a nondescript home prior to destruction. The Ruud’s offered the cabin to the Historical Society along with enough funding to cover the disassembly and reconstruction on Linwood Park. The cabin was completed in the spring of 2012 and has been named the “Ruud Cabin” in their honor.

Our newest “Old Building” was completed in September of 2012. We call it the “Myers Museum” in honor of Royse and Barbara Myers, generous members of the CHS. The building is representative of a 19th century livery stable and is built from materials recycled from disassembled barns and factories.  It houses a blacksmith shop and a huge hand-carved diorama created by Joe Fotjik, Sr.

What is our drive? Simply put, the past should be retained, remembered and appreciated. This past September hundreds of people came to the park during our two day Homecoming event. They discovered a slice of Racine county few even knew existed. They discovered a beautiful, serene park along the Root River and in doing so, they learned of their past.

The Caledonia Historical Society would like to invite you to visit us this summer. We open our season on June 8 with a live old time radio play performed in the Town Hall. Buildings will be open for tours starting June 9 and the second Saturday of each month thru October.

This summer, August 10th,  Sebastian’s Restaurant will be hosting a Farm
to Table supper which will benefit the Caledonia Historical Society’s preservation efforts. Sebastian’s will be showcasing our local farmer’s produce paired with Wisconsin wines and the harvest of this summer’s gardens.

The Caledonia Historical Society is located at Linwood Park which is on the corner of 5 Mile Road and Highway 38 in Caledonia. The park is open from dawn to dusk and the buildings are open as stated above.  To contact us please email chs1877@yahoo.com.  Donations are MOST welcome and can be mailed
to:
Caledonia Historical Society, 6922 Nicholson Rd, Caledonia, WI 53108.

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