Elroy Area Museum opens Memorial Day weekend

Contributed by the Elroy Area Museum

The Elroy Area Museum, located on Main Street in Elroy, will open Memorial Day weekend. 

The museum will be open for tours on Saturdays and Sundays (plus extra days on Memorial and Labor Day weekends) from 1–4 p.m. 

The Elroy Area Museum opens Memorial Day weekend. (Contributed photo)

Since opening in 1990, through the dedication of numerous volunteers, the museum has become one of the finest displays of early central Wisconsin from the 1850s to current times. If you are interested in seeing what the Elroy area looked like in the 1850s and the many changes to the city once the railroad arrived in 1872, then stop in to enjoy the many displays.

Did you know?

• Elroy was developed in the 1870s because it was the midway point for the railroad between Chicago and Minneapolis.

• The railroad arrived in Elroy in 1872 and had 12 sets of tracks to allow switching of trains, along with a roundhouse that could service 22 railroad engines. Up to 30 trains per day passed through Elroy.

•  In 1885, Elroy had eight general stores and four hotels (primarily for railroad passengers).

•  The Bank of Elroy was started in 1932 by combining the assets of the State Bank of Elroy and Citizens Bank (which were both closed due to the Depression), in addition to local citizens buying stock. The Bank of Elroy moved to its new building on Main Street in 1980 and became Royal Bank in 1990.

•  The Elroy Public Library was built in 1907 through a $10,000 gift from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

• The Elroy Theatre was built in 1937 and has run continuously ever since. It is the only theatre in Juneau County.

•  A recent inventory at the museum has identified several thousand items on display or in the archives.

The Elroy Area Historical Society is looking for people interested in serving on the museum board, which meets monthly. In addition, the museum is looking for volunteers to help give tours of the museum on the weekends during the summer. 

If you are interested in serving on the museum board or helping out one or two weekends during the summer to give museum tours, please contact Holly Hinzpeter at (608) 462-7505 or holly_maplelawn@yahoo.com or Carol Zindorf at (608) 572-2827 or zind4119@gmail.com.

Comments are closed.

  • Easter egg hunts slated for Saturday

    March 25th, 2024
    by

    Local communities will host Easter egg hunts on Saturday.


    Highway 33 reconstruction from Ontario to Hillsboro slated to begin March 27

    March 19th, 2024
    by

    Gov. Tony Evers recently signed a $5.7 million contract to resurface Highway 33 between the Kickapoo River bridge in Ontario and the Hillsboro city limits in Vernon County. 


    Names released in fatal UTV crash

    March 18th, 2024
    by

    The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has released more information related to the UTV crash that occurred early Sunday morning, March 17, that left a local woman dead and a man injured.   


    One dead in UTV accident in town of Wells

    March 17th, 2024
    by

    A woman is dead and one man injured after a utility terrain vehicle rolled over early Sunday morning in rural Sparta. 


    Burn ban issued for Vernon County

    March 17th, 2024
    by

    Effective immediately, Vernon County Emergency Management and the Vernon County Fire Chiefs Association has issued a burn ban until further notice.


  • Window damaged at Norwalk Village Office

    March 8th, 2024
    by

    In an apparent act of vandalism, a rock resulted in a broken window at the Norwalk Village Office sometime between […]


    N-O-W construction project: A bird’s-eye view

    March 2nd, 2024
    by

    Construction at Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School Schools has resulted in a different landscape.


    Brookwood to present ‘Harry Potter’ parody

    February 26th, 2024
    by

    The Brookwood theatre program will present “Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone” on Saturday, March 2, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 3, at 2 p.m. 


    Combating tooth decay among children

    February 26th, 2024
    by

    During Children’s Dental Health Month, Scenic Bluffs raises awareness on the importance of dental sealants


    Vernon County reports shots fired in rural Ontario

    February 26th, 2024
    by

    UPDATE FROM THE VERNON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE “** UPDATE (1:15 PM): The situation is under control. A male, age 42, […]


    Royall concert slated for Monday

    February 21st, 2024
    by

    The Royall High School Music Department will present a Concert Festival Showcase Concert on Monday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. 


  • Archives