A weekend filled with holiday activities of the past plus a new Wade House Christmas Field Trip for students highlights the festive season
GREENBUSH, Wis. — Experience the warmth and wonder of a traditional 19th-century holiday at A Wade House Christmas, held Dec. 13 and 14. For one festive weekend, the 1850s stagecoach inn comes alive with the sights, sounds, and aromas of Christmases past. Guests can enjoy holiday customs inspired by English and German traditions. These same traditions are also featured in the new Wade House Christmas Field Trip, a special program designed for students and offered on select dates throughout the holiday season.
Guests begin their journey back in time with a horse-drawn wagon ride, complete with jingling sleigh bells, leading to the historic inn adorned with greenery, garlands and a Victorian-style Christmas tree. Inside, the soft melodies of aguitar and flageolet set the mood, whilehistorically dressed interpreters guide hands-on Christmas craft projects inspired by “Godey’s Lady’s Book,” read “The Night Before Christmas,” and serve traditional holiday treats such asplum pudding and hot mulled cider—favorites in 19th-century American homes.
While exploring the home and grounds, guests can stop by the Dockstader Blacksmith shop, where artisans forge special holiday ornaments, or visit the White Cottage, beautifully decorated in boughs and ribbons, for a photo opportunity with Father Christmas in his19th-century green sleigh (photos available for$7).
At the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, located in the Visitor Center, families can enjoy cookie decorating, scavenger hunts and caroling throughout the day.
Admission is $15 for adults and teens, $13 for seniors, $8 for children ages five to 12, and free for children under five. Tickets are available at wadehouse.org or click here.
A Wade House Christmas Field Trip for Students
For educators seeking a historic Christmas experience, a special 90-minute tour is available on select dates. Designed for students ages 5 to 12, this immersive program invites participants to step back in time and experience the wonder of a 19th-century Christmas at Wade House.
A Wade House Christmas Field Trip is offered Dec. 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, with sessions available from 9:30–11 a.m. or noon to 1:30 p.m. Each program accommodates up to60 students. The cost is $8 per student, free for teachers and school staff, and $15 per chaperone.
To book the field trip, call Wade House at 920-526-3271.
The Wade House is located at W7965 State Highway 23, Greenbush, Wisconsin 53026.
About Wade House
Wade House is one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums. Located in Greenbush, the site includes an 1850s stagecoach inn that was built to serve traffic along a plank road connecting Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. The site tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the 1850s and 1860s. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the Dockstader blacksmith shop and Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation. Wade House is also home to the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state’s largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons. For more information and a list of upcoming events call (920) 526-3271 or visit wadehouse.org. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free admission to this site during regular operating hours.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.
