May 20, 2015 at 3:48 p.m.
Pioneer Park Historical Complex ready for 2015 season
Pioneer Park Historical Complex ready for 2015 season
By Kayla Thomason-
Approximately 10 volunteers, not including those working on the depot, grabbed rags, brooms and window cleaner and set off to make the windows spotless, brush the cobwebs away, sweeping up the floors and tidying the landscape.
Tarp that was protecting the antiques over the winter was pulled back.
"We almost dust on a daily basis but today is when we do a really, really good cleaning because it's been sitting all winter and it smells like it's a 100-year-old building," said Aprelle Rawski, coordinator.
The volunteers started in the Civilian Conservation Corps building, which was built in 1979, and then worked their way to the other buildings.
"We start out in the CCC building because that's where we work during the summer and then we just help out in the other buildings," said Cheryl Westbrook, CCC tour guide. This is her fourth season with the museum.
The one-room schoolhouse had its windows cleaned, sheets pulled back from the desks and a good dusting. The schoolhouse was transferred to the museum in 1979.
The logging museum has been in its current location since 1954-56, but the original museum opened in 1932.
"The original building was over by the paper mill and they needed their property back - they were expanding - so they had to move the museum," Rawski said.
The logs on the original building were old and starting to rot, so the current one was built to reflect what a logging camp looked like in the 1800s.
There is an old water tank which, when horses were pulling logs along snow-covered trails, would spray water on the ruts before the horses so they had good footing while the sled had less friction, making the horses' job a bit easier.
A building erected in 2009 - with assistance from Rotary and other organizations - houses the Red Marquardt Sawmill museum, which was a family-run business.
"Everything that's in there was what they used to run this sawmill, including the tractor that they used to power it," Rawski said.
There are big circular blades, wood that was cut lengthwise and tools necessary to get the job done.
Also in the historical complex is the fire barn, including antique fire trucks. There is another building with antique motors lining the walls and antique boats on display.
The blacksmith shop, which is part of the logging museum, is filled with old tools, nails and other things necessary for making repairs.
"They always had to have to fix the tools," Rawski said. "You're out here in the middle of the woods in the 1800s, you can't run to the (hardware store) and get a new tool, you have to fix them, so they always had a blacksmith on hand."
Also on the property is the original train depot, which was built in the 1890s.
The engine is from 1925 and the caboose and center car (business car) are from the 1890s.
For one of the volunteers, this year's spring cleaning is his last at the museum.
Terry Urbonya has been with the museum for 15 years.
"I really enjoyed it here, the people that come in here are from all over the world believe it or not," Urbonya said.
He likes telling the children about the Hodag, the city of Rhinelander's mascot.
"(The children) get a real big thrill out of it," he said.
The museum complex will open May 23 at 10 a.m. and will stay open through Labor Day. The complex will be closed Mondays except for holidays. The schedule is also adjusted during the county fair.
In September, the complex will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last day of the season will be Sept. 26.
Donations are appreciated and go toward the upkeep of the buildings.
"There's so much here, and it's free," Rawski said.
"If anybody that lives in Rhinelander has never been here it's really something to see, they should come down and go through the whole museum, see what's here," Westbrook added.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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