​Hello everyone

I hope your summer is going well. Have you done any fun trips to historic sites in your area? 

On July 4th I went with my wife and friends to Old World Wisconsin to celebrate Wisconsin History. For some time now this Wisconsin Historic Spot celebrates the 4th of July with a Parade, recitations and speeches of patriotic nature for all to hear in the Village Grove section of the site. Some of the items we witnessed on the day were the reading of the Declaration of Independence and reflections on 1776. 

During our visit we also spent the day visiting with a Judge from the 1860s and playing a game of early baseball with gentlemen of the era right after the Civil War. Baseball 150 years ago was played in farm fields with the pitcher throwing underhand.  No fast pitch then.

Our party interested in the German area so we visited three German farms, Schulz Family 1860 Immigrant Farm, Schottler Family 1870 Immigrant Farm and the Koepsell Family 1880 Immigrant Farm. Close by was the Kruza Family 1900 Polish Home. On the way to this area is an area called Pleasant Ridge African-American exhibits, originally west of Lancaster, near present-day Beetown in Grant County, Wisconsin, a community of African American farmers (former slaves freed by their Virginia owner ) settled in Wisconsin 1840s and farmed. 

Prior to leaving we spent time at a newer exhibit called Catch Wheel Fever, where we learned and road some of the first designed bikes from the 1870s, with big front High-Wheel models.

I hope your summer is going well and you also have fun adventures that include history and genealogy.