Wade House (US)
In 1844, Sylvanus Wade moved his family to the Greenbush area, where he purchased several hundred acres of land with the intent of building a town. A three-story wooden Greek Revival house was built between 1848 and 1851.
Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is part of the Wade House Historic Site, a historical museum operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Live historic interpreters, wearing period-style clothing, populate the park during summer operations.
The Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum was constructed and opened to the public in 1968. At the historic site one can also visit several reconstructed houses. Blacksmith shops (or smithies) kept carriages running and horses well-shoed. Reconstructed when the site opened in 1953, the Dockstader Blacksmith Shop is an accurate depiction of a trade vital to the times. The hot forge demands the blacksmith's constant attention. See a blacksmith hard at work, vigorously pounding hot iron into tools, horseshoes and other implements common in the 1860s. The blacksmith is happy to explain the tools and processes of his trade.
The Herrling Sawmill was operated by Theodore Herrling and soon became the source of lumber for the local settlement's needs. Following archaeological, documentary and image research, the mill was rebuilt in 2001 on its original site. Heavy draft horses and a sturdy wagon are needed to haul logs to the sawmill. On special occasions, visitors can enjoy an up-close view of the mill's belt-driven power train, seen within its lower level. Costumed mill workers demonstrate the up-and-down muley saw in action. The most distinctive feature is the water-powered muley saw, which was state of the art in the 1850s. Augers, drawknives, axes and hatchets were among the many tools of the sawyer's trade. The mill was, and still is, powered by the Mullet River. A millpond, created by a stone and earthen dam, provides a significant source of ready waterpower.
Text source: wisconsinhistory.org & wikipedia
Photo: the Sylvanus Wade House, by Royalbroil - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28162950