Caledonia Historical Society

YOUTH VOLUNTEER CORPS

Members of the Youth Volunteer Corps will be volunteering at the Caledonia Historical Village on April 6th from 9 am to 3 pm.  They will help scrape the 1927 Caboose to get it ready for painting in the original colors of Green and Yellow.  They will also help get the buildings ready for the first open house on May 19th, and they will help with a landscaping project.  CHS appreciates their willingness to help.

OPEN HOUSES

The first open house of the season is May 19th from 12 pm until 4 pm.  The open houses are held the third Sunday of the month from May through October, except for September.  All of the buildings are open with docents.

MURDER AT THE BOTTING SHED

A Disreputable Stagecoach Gathering

The CHS will be presenting a Murder Mystery Dinner on June 8th from 5 pm until 9 pm at the Caledonia Historic Village in the Botting Shed .    The presentation includes dinner, a cash bar, and a murder mystery.  Cost will be $40 per person or $75 per couple.  Tickets will be available to the public after April 12th.  More information will be forthcoming.

BARN DANCE

The CHS will be presenting a Dinner and Barn Dance on July 20th from 5 pm until 9 pm at the Caledonia Historic Village in the Botting Shed.  There will be live music by Sweet Sheiks.  Tickets include traditional barn dance food, a cash bar, and live music for dancing.  Tickets will be $30.  More information will be forthcoming.

CAR SHOW

Mark your calendars for the third annual car show to be held at the Caledonia Historic Village on September 7th from 10 am to 4 pm.  Lunch food, drinks, and baked goods will be available.

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS.

The CHS meets monthly from April through October on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm.  The April 18th meeting will be held at the Franksville Park, 9614 Hwy K.  The May through October meetings are held in the Botting Shed at the Caledonia Historic Village, just east of Hwy 38 on 5 Mile Rd.  Watch for news on the CHS Facebook page for information on guest speakers.

Raised Bed Gardens

There are two raised bed gardens at the Caledonia Historical Village.  If anyone is interested in growing fresh produce, contact the CHS through this website.  The first year of rent is free, water is provided, and assistance from a master gardener is available.

MEMBERSHIP FORMS AND DONATIONS

The link for the membership form and donation information can be found on the ABOUT page.  You need to scroll down the page.  You can donate by either mailing a check or online.  The CHS is a 501(c)3.

VISIT THE BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS OF THE CALEDONIA HISTORICAL VILLAGE

The grounds are open from dawn to dusk.  If you use the grounds for special event photography, please make a donation.  The CHV is owned and operated by the volunteers of the Caledonia Historical Society with funding from membership dues, donations, grants and fund raising activities. There is no funding from a governmental source.

CHS GUEST SPEAKER AT THE NOVEBMER 16TH MEETING

The Caledonia Historical Society (CHS) October meeting will be held Thursday, November 16^th at 6:30 pm at the Caledonia/Mt. Pleasant Park, 9614 Hwy K, Franksville. The public is invited to join the CHS in welcoming guest speaker, Chuck Miles, who will speak on “The January Harvest.”  He will explain what and how the January harvest was accomplished in the 1800’s.

Mr. Miles is a past President of the CHS and has volunteered in many capacities since moving to Caledonia forty-five years ago.  He enjoyed working with local youth in the Boy Scouts and the Youth Conservation Corps.  He has provided motorcycle safety training and was the lead motorcycle trainer throughout Wisconsin.  He also conducted driver safety courses for AARP.  He is a veteran and was an electronic technician while in service.

This opportunity to hear Mr. Miles speak is free of charge, but donations are welcome to enable the CHS to maintain the Caledonia Historical Village located east of Hwy 38 on 5 Mile Rd.

CHS CHRISTMAS BAKE SALE AND ARTIST SHERRY LOU CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE

 The Caledonia Historical Society is holding a Christmas Bake Sale on December 1st from 4 pm to 7 pm, December 2nd from Noon to 4 pm, and December 3^rd from Noon to 3 pm at the Caledonia Historical Village located at 7330 5 Mile Rd, Racine, just east of Hwy 38.

The Christmas Bake sale will be held in the 1877 Town Hall.  Cookies available will be molasses cookies, chocolate cashew cookies, decorated sugar wafers, cherry chocolate chip, sugar cookies, coconut bars, cutout cookies, and peanut butter blossoms as well as divinity, cinnamon rolls, scones, and breads.   There will also be hand craft items such as wreaths and door hangings.

Artist Sherry Lou will be holding a Christmas Gift Boutique in the 1840 Cabin starting December 1^st from 4 pm to 7 pm, December 2^nd from Noon to 7 pm, and December 3^rd from Noon to 4 pm.  There will be quilts, jewelry, handmade greeting cards, wood crafts both indoor and outdoor, and much more.

All proceeds from the bake sale benefit the Caledonia Historical Society, and a percentage of the boutique sales will benefit the Caledonia Historical Society.

MEET TIM CRAWFORD

Tim is a life long resident of the Caledonia/Racine area other than when he was away for school.  He graduated from law school in 1972 and practiced in Racine until his retirement in 2017.

Tim grew up on the Crawford farm on 4 Mile Road.  His father and his brother both worked for the highway department.  His brother was influential in having the 39 acres near Hwy 32 and 4 Mile Rd donated to Caledonia.  The park that was built on the donated land was named Crawford Park upon his brother’s retirement.

Tim is an active member of the Caledonia Historical Society as a docent in the 1877 Town Hall during the CHS open houses.  Tim enjoys talking to the visitors and educating them on Caledonia History.  Tim is in the 1877 Town Hall in this picture.

MEMBERSHIP FORMS AND DONATIONS

The link for the membership form and donation information can be found on the ABOUT page.  You need to scroll down the page.  You can donate by either mailing a check or online.  The CHS is a 501(c)3.

VISIT THE BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS OF THE CALEDONIA HISTORICAL VILLAGE

The grounds are open from dawn to dusk.  If you use the grounds for special event photography, please make a donation.  The CHV is owned and operated by the volunteers of the Caledonia Historical Society with funding from membership dues, donations, grants and fund raising activities. There is no funding from a governmental source.

BREWTOWN CRUISERS 42ND ANNUAL CAR SHOW AT THE CHV

The Brewtown Cruisers will be holding their 42nd annual car show on September 9th from 10 am to 4 pm at the Caledonia Historical Village.  All makes, models and years are welcome.  The car registration fee is $15 with dash plaques given to the first 100 cars.  Cars 30 years and older will be judged.

Music will be by Slick Rick.  There will be a 50/50 raffle.  Visit the Botting Shed to find crafts, bake sale, food and drinks for purchase.

All of the historic buildings will be open with docents available to answer questions.  Admission is free.  A donation will be suggested for parking.  All funds raised by the CHS will be used to maintain the grounds and the buildings.

PLANTING BEDS CONSTRUCTED

Thanks to a grant from the Potpourri Garden Club, two raised garden beds were built at the Caledonia Historical Village for the purpose of providing a senior or disabled individual the opportunity to grow fresh vegetables.  The beds are 4′ wide x 8′ long x 30″ high.  If you are interested in planting the beds in 2024  contact [email protected] for more information.  The beds were planted by CHS volunteers (who are seniors) in 2023.

MORE CONSTRUCTION

The “mushy” flooring in the Town Hall has been replaced and all of the flooring has been painted.  The displays have also been updated.

The work crew volunteers are busy building a shed for storage of the lawn mowers.

TWENTIETH YEAR PICNIC

The Caledonia Historical Society(CHS) became official as a 501(c)3 in 2003.  The CHS has been striving for twenty years to preserve and disseminate local history.  The Caledonia Historical Village(CHV) started with the move of the 1877 Town Hall to the CHV.  The CHV now includes the 1902 Sturtevant Milwaukee  Road Depot, a 1927 Caboose, a 1840 Log Cabin, a 1900 Machine Shed, a Museum built on the grounds, and various small buildings and numerous artifacts.

In celebration a picnic was held at the CHV on Sunday, July 30th at 12:30 pm in the Botting Shed. There was great food and great fellowship.

OPEN HOUSES

The Caledonia Historical Society will be holding open houses at the Caledonia Historical Village on  August 20th and October 15th.  The open houses are from 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm.  All buildings are open with docents.

MEMBERSHIP FORMS AND DONATIONS

The link for the membership form and donation information can be found on the ABOUT page.  You need to scroll down the page.  You can donate by either mailing a check or online.  The CHS is a 501(c)3.

VISIT THE BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS OF THE CALEDONIA HISTORICAL VILLAGE

The grounds are open from dawn to dusk.  If you use the grounds for special event photography, please make a donation.  The CHV is owned and operated by the volunteers of the Caledonia Historical Society with funding from membership dues, donations, grants and fund raising activities. There is no funding from a governmental source. Continue reading →