Events
A Wade House Christmas
EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, December 14, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 15, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
COST
Adult (18-64): $15
Teen (13-17): $15
Senior (65+): $13
Child (5-12): $8
Child Under 5: Free
Society members receive a 10% discount, please verify your membership where prompted to receive discount at check out.
Overview
The sights, sounds, and smells of the historic Wade House Stagecoach Hotel will transport you back to the holidays of yesteryear, when the season held a stronger focus on family gatherings and time together. The halls of the picturesque inn will be decked out for the holidays, showcasing how the Wade family and their many visitors would have celebrated a classic 19th-century Yankee and German-influenced Christmas. Enjoy classic holiday treats, crafts, live music and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” at the inn. The festivities continue in the Wade House Visitor Center and Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, where seasonal décor, a scavenger hunt, live music, and children’s activities will add to the festive spirit.
About the Location
Wade House was constructed conveniently between the cities of Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, along a well-used stagecoach trail. This made the 27-room Greek Revival hotel a popular resting point for weary travelers. Three generations of the Wade family resided on the Wade House property, with the inn operating until around 1872. The Kohler family and the Kohler Foundation purchased Wade House in 1950 and began a top-to-bottom restoration. The site became property of the Wisconsin Historical Society and opened to the public in 1953. Here, visitors can journey back to the horse-powered world that existed before planes, cars, and trains. The site features the stagecoach hotel built and owned by Sylvanus and Betsey Wade, the first European settlers of Greenbush, as well as a blacksmith shop, sawmill, and the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses Wisconsin’s largest collection of carriages and wagons. Visitors can enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides from the visitor center to the historic core and back again.
Wade House
W7965 State Highway 23
Greenbush, WI 53026
Know Before You Go & Accessibility
- The museum store is open daily during business hours.
- Guests may exit and return throughout the day.
- Water is the only outside food/beverage allowed. Food/beverage are available for purchase.
- Restrooms and water fountains are available on site.
- The site will remain open rain or shine.
- Guests are encouraged to wear good walking shoes and to dress for the weather.
- No pets are allowed. Service animals are permitted.
- Because of the historic nature of the buildings, not all areas are ADA accessible.
- Guests with additional mobility needs are encouraged to contact the site directly at 920-526-3271 or wadehouse@wisconsinhistory.org.
Contact
For more information, please contact the box office at 608-264-4848 or boxoffice@wisconsinhistory.org.