Free Family Fridays at Heritage Park
Family Fridays is a free hands-on summer series filled with engaging themes, interactive activities, and educational fun for the whole family! Each week highlights a different aspect of history, offering a unique opportunity to explore, learn, and play together at the Portage County Historical Society.
June 26 – Early Occupations
Discover the jobs and trades that helped build Portage County, including blacksmiths, farmers, and lumber workers.
July 10 – Communication
Explore how people shared news and stayed connected before computers and the internet.
July 17 – Early Settlers
Learn about the lives, challenges, and experiences of the early settlers who made Portage County their home.
July 24 – Travel
Step into the past and see how people traveled by foot, wagon, railroad, and other early forms of transportation.
July 31 – Historic Skills
Try hands-on activities and discover the practical skills people once used in their daily lives.
August 7 – Agriculture
Find out how farming shaped Portage County and explore the tools, techniques, and traditions of early agriculture.
August 14 – Home Crafts
Experience the creativity and resourcefulness of the past through traditional crafts made in the home.
August 21 – Business
Learn how local stores, services, and entrepreneurs helped communities grow and thrive.
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August 28 – Celebrations
Discover how residents celebrated important milestones in the past.
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Portage County Pioneers: History Exploration Camp
Step back in time and discover the people, cultures, and traditions that helped shape Portage County!
Portage County Pioneers: History Exploration Camp is a four-day immersive summer camp for youth ages 7–12 that brings local history to life through hands-on activities, demonstrations, crafts, games, and traditional foods. Held at Heritage Park in Plover, this unique program explores the diverse communities whose knowledge, skills, and traditions contributed to the development of central Wisconsin.
Throughout the week, campers will explore the experiences of the people who lived and worked in early Portage County, from the fur trade era through the arrival of German, Norwegian, and Polish immigrants who established farms, businesses, and communities throughout the region.
Each day features engaging activities connected to a different cultural tradition, including butter churning, carving, calligraphy, folk art crafts, and historic games. Campers will also sample cultural foods and learn how traditions, skills, and customs were adapted to life in Wisconsin.
By exploring the stories of the many people who helped build our region, participants will gain a deeper understanding of cultural exchange, immigration, and community building while having fun, making new friends, and creating memories that will last long after camp ends.
Camp Schedule (1:00–4:00 PM Daily at Heritage Park, Plover)
Day 1: Fur Trade and Forestry
Day 2: German Immigration and Trades
Day 3: Norwegian Cultural Traditions
Day 4: Polish Immigration and Folk Traditions
Join us for four afternoons of hands-on history, cultural discovery, and pioneer adventure as we explore the people and traditions that shaped Portage County!
*Depending on interest, we may offer the camp on additional weeks