EXPLORE LIFE IN A LOG CABIN!
The log cabin is an enduring symbol of America’s heritage. It is a powerful icon of our past that evokes great pride. We invite you to take a trip back in time and discover life in 1850 in the museum’s new pioneer cabin that opened July 7 as part of renovations to Memories & Dreams.

Log cabins were a common sight in pioneer days. An 1838 broadside written for settlers coming to the Wisconsin Territory explained, "The first buildings put up are generally cabins made of logs slightly hewn on two sides, and the corners notched together. They are made single, or double, with a space between according to the enterprise, ability, or taste of the owners. . ."

The museum's cabin duplicates the average size of a settler's first dwelling and enables visitors to discover a slice of life 150 years ago. The logs for this project were generously donated by John Koerner Tree Farms & Koerner Forest Products, Ltd. The museum also expresses its appreciation to Terry Laib of Laib Restoration, Inc., Oshkosh for his consultation services.

Other areas in Memories & Dreams, scheduled for completion in winter 2008, will help visitors discover the pioneer experience. Included in the December opening will be interactive components, audio, and the experience of European immigrants and Yankee settlers who came from the eastern United States. The exhibit will include many artifacts that have not been on public view for many years.

Help your kids discover America's pioneer heritage! They'll have great fun using their imagination to become pioneers in the hands-on cabin.

One early pioneer, Henry A. Gallup, wrote of this experience coming to Oshkosh: "But at that time is was a lonesome journey indeed; all the low ground was covered with water a foot deep, and grass up to our armpits, and in the whole distance we did not see a living thing with the exception of a few prairie chickens."

Oshkosh was a veritable Garden of Eden - one mass of
blooming flowers of every hue and shade...very different from
the barren snow-clad hills we had so recently left behind.
Mrs. T. D. Grimmer, 1847

Never was a person more prejudiced against coming to this
region or more dissatisfied with the place than I was...
Myranda Pike Underwood, 1847

Explore the rich history of the Lake Winnebago area told through the words of the people who lived here. See artifacts and images that capture the spirit of this region. Begin your journey with the pioneers, move on through the changes in rural life and traditions to the new opportunities and hardships of work as a craftsman or in a factory.

Take a moment and see how people played and relaxed in the past and then travel on to the excitement of town life and new technology. Finish your adventure in Grandma's Attic.

Grandma's Attic

Every kid loves playing in Grandma's Attic. Dress-up clothes, fun artifacts, and the chance to discover the past entice kids to explore. Where is your family's history stored?

Finally, Grandma will welcome you to her attic where you are free to explore the trunks and drawers. Don't be surprised to hear voices and music from the past! Try on clothing and hats, play games from your childhood-or your parents' or grandparents'. Or take a break, rock on the porch, and share your own memories.