The Pioneer Park Historical Complex in Wisconsin is a large open-air museum designed to show what life was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Instead of one single display, it’s a collection of buildings and exhibits arranged like a small historic village. Visitors walk through different structures, each focused on a specific part of early community life.
Main features of the complex include:
Logging Museum (core exhibit)
– Recreates a lumber camp with bunkhouses, tools, and artifacts from the Northwoods logging era—one of the region’s most important industries.
Historic buildings
– Includes a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and other restored structures that show how people lived, worked, and learned in the past.
Railroad and industry exhibits
– Features an old train depot, logging locomotive, and displays about railroads and the local paper mill industry.
Specialized collections
– Exhibits on firefighting equipment, antique boat motors, and Civilian Conservation Corps camps from the 1930s.
Outdoor displays
– Logging equipment, canoes, and machinery spread across the grounds help illustrate daily work and transportation.
Local folklore (Hodag exhibit)
– A fun section dedicated to the legendary Hodag creature, which is part of local culture and history.
Hours
Regular Season Hours
Open Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend
PLUS Weekends in September!
Tuesday–Saturday: 10am–5pm
Sunday: noon–4pm
Closed Mondays & Holidays
Fall Hours (Weekends in September Only)
Saturday: 10am–5pm
Sunday: noon–4pm
Admission
FREE!
Address
Martin Lynch Dr, Rhinelander, WI 54501