Watertown
Historical Society
919 Charles Street
Watertown, Wisconsin 53094 [ map
]
Phone (920) 261-2796
Octagon
House & Museum, America’s First Kindergarten,
Plank
Road Pioneer Barn and Visitor’s Center
HOURS
10:00
to 4:00 daily from day after Memorial Day through Labor Day
11:00
to 3:00 after Labor Day to October 31
then
closed for the season Nov 1 to April 30
11:00
to 3:00 from May 1st to Memorial Day
Tours
are fully guided every hour on the hour in an air-conditioned museum.
ADMISSION
$7.00
for adults
$6.00 for senior citizens
and AAA members
$4.00
for children
6 to 17 years of age
School groups, 20 or more, $3.50 each
Contributions of Historical Information are
always appreciated.
The Society can assist you in digitizing your records so to
archive and preserve the treasures
you have and at the same time share them with others while you retain the original
Your contribution can be added to this website and it can be easily
updated and corrected
if need be. In addition, it can
be linked to other related information on this site or elsewhere on the
internet
Items of interest (among many):
Stories, recollections and pictures of Watertown people and places
War remembrances
Civic celebrations
Class pictures
Family pictures as well as those of homes, businesses, churches, etc
VHS recordings of homes, businesses, graduations, parades, fires,
family reunions, etc
Copy VIDEOCASSETTE TO DVD: If you have videocassette tape
recordings relating to local history
and would like them copied onto DVDs the historical society will do so
for you
at no charge if a copy of the same can be retained by the society
Watertown History
Annual # 2
144
pages, $15.95 + $4 s/h if applicable
The Watertown Historical Society has
published the second edition of the “Watertown History Annual,” the most recent
of the society's Hometown Series of publications.
The 144-page magazine, published by the
Watertown Historical Society, is edited by William Jannke III and Ken
Riedl. It includes rare photos of the
city from private collections and stories written by local authors on
Watertown's oldest building, the interurban, artist Alex Hardie, St. Mary's
Hospital, Watertown's Company E in World War I, early Watertown photographers,
Checkered Flag Racing News and articles consisting of reflections upon previous
days.
All
proceeds derived from the sale of this book go to benefit the Watertown
Historical Society. Those wishing to
order copies, which make fine gifts, may do so either by means of a $19.95
credit card charge (includes mailing) through this
website or by sending their check of this amount to the Watertown
Historical Society, 919 Charles St., Watertown, WI 53094.
The Watertown Fire
Department: 1857-2007
492 pages,
$29.95 + $7 s/h if applicable
The
150 year history of the Watertown Fire Department is now available. This comprehensive reference book is filled
with images and details on the history of the department, fully indexed and
also documents the major fires that have occurred in the city.
All
proceeds derived from the sale of this book go to benefit the Watertown
Historical Society. Those wishing to
order copies, which make fine gifts, may do so either by means of a $36.95
credit card charge (includes mailing) through this
website or by sending their check of this amount to the Watertown
Historical Society, 919 Charles St., Watertown, WI 53094.
2004: 150th Anniversary of the Octagon House
2006: 150th Anniversary of the America’s First
Kindergarten
Nickels-Turner Family
Collection of Images
Set of
images from the Dr. Arnold Nichels family.
Dr. Nichels was a well-known physician in Watertown. There are also some images taken by his son,
Tommy. These images show, among other
things, A Ringling Brothers Circus parade on Main Street in 1916, the cyclone
that hit the city in 1914, and other interesting views of the city and parks.
Jones-Kreitzman
Family Collection of Negatives
The
Watertown Historical Society has acquired an irreplaceable set of over 200
glass plate negatives consisting of views of city businesses and events in
Watertown between 1881 and 1915.
Donations are solicited to assist in making this collection available to
the public.
Selected
additional sites for those interested in Watertown-Area History
The Dodge/Jefferson Counties
Genealogical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society
Webmaster:
Ken Riedl, whs@watertownhistory.org
