Gays Mills holds its heritage well with Log Cabin Heritage Park. While the town is also home to the Crawford County Fair, several charming and historic downtown buildings, and the state’s largest apple festival, the real history is in this park.
Log Cabin Heritage Park is basically an open-air architectural museum of log houses which was established to preserve the folk architecture of the Kickapoo Valley. Explore six log structures and other buildings along a spring fed creek and learn about building techniques and life in this area in the 19th century. The entire park is located on the site of a former sawmill.
Structures you can learn about include the Altenburg-Zweifel Corn Crib (unique in that it was a house built without nails), the Barker Log Cabin, the Matti Hen House, the McCann House, the Nederlo Granary, the Tucker-O’Brien Log Cabin, and the Wauzeka Ridge School House. Many were built around 1870-1880 and were shipped to the park when it was organized in 1996.
The park also offers two shelters, grills, restrooms, a volleyball court, horseshoe facilities, a swimming pool and a children’s playground.
You’ll find Log Cabin Heritage Park along Highway 131 in Gays Mills, next to the Crawford County Fairgrounds. Highway 171 intersects nearby. While in Gays Mills, you can also check out the Kickapoo River Museum and quite a few antique stores.
Log Cabin Heritage Park Address:
212 State Highway 131
Gays Mills, WI 54631
(608) 735-4341
Website
