1977: Pinecrest Dedication Realized

Pinecrest Village Band on the "Pine crest" at the dedication of the site.  Left to right: Harley Metzger, Francis E. Pivonke, Leonard Hanse, James Pankratz, Thomas Williams, Leonard Coombs, Mary Beth Schmidt, Forrest Leider, Kenneth Schmidt, Alvin Nichels.  The Kunze Cabin is in the background. MCHS 91.3.82.

Today, our Manitowoc County Historical Society are stewards of 60 acres of natural habitat and green space along with over 30 historic structures. Through our community efforts, ecology preservation, public education, and restoration efforts, our outdoor living history museum allows us to learn, explore, play, and inspire curiosity.

As the first buildings were moved to our museum in 1970, the dream of creating a historical village seemed like a far reach. But it would only be a few years later, in 1977, that the museum was dedicated as “Pinecrest Historical Village.”

Historical Village Open, Dream Partly Fulfilled
Sunday, June 26, 1977
Excerpts taken from Manitowoc Herald-Times Reporter Article

The line seemed never ending to view the Sorenson house on Dedication Day.  MCHS 96.93.66. 

“Someone had a dream and today we see partial fulfillment of that dream,” declared Armand Kueter in opening remarks of Sunday’s dedication of Pinecrest Historical Society on Highway JJ, at the junction of Pine Crest Road, west of Manitowoc.

The man who had that dream was the late Joseph J. Rappel, who had been a Manitowoc school teacher. And when Mrs. Hugo Vetting and her husband wanted her girlhood home preserved, she and her husband donated the 40-acre site to the Manitowoc County Historical Society for the village.

Kueter said “this village is dedicated to the citizens of Manitowoc County”.  Representatives in the throngs of people who listened to the dedication program and walked around the site during the afternoon were kin of the German, Norwegian, Irish and Bohemian residents of the county who have donated buildings and articles to make up the site.

Sitting on a knoll beneath stately pine trees, the view is reminiscent of neighbors and relatives gathering in olden times for a festival. Present Sunday were third and even fourth generations of some of Manitowoc Country’s pioneers.

Entering the grounds along a scenic route, the first view of the village is a complex of buildings on a hill, the Soo Line depot and in front of it a Soo Line engine and tender refurbished by the Manitowoc Railroaders. Next your eyes are focused on the Brennan building, a former office for the Valders Limestone Co. Next is the blacksmith shop where Lloyd Witt of Manitowoc was demonstrating the work of a black smithy. Tony Witt Jr. was explaining the aspects of forging. Walking alongside a path you came to the Niles Community Presbyterian Church.

Accoutrements are a hanging cross on the wall, a clergyman’s podium, a piano and an operating pump organ. After Sunday’s dedicatory program, visitors to the church joined in singing hymns and patriotic selections. All pews were filled and there was little standing room as men, women and children blended their voices in praising the Lord. Milton Detjen accompanied on the piano, Walter Ahrens led the singing, and Howard Wilsmann pumped the organ and played the resonant chords on the antique musical instrument. Interspersing the singalong were selections offered by the Senior Warblers.

Traversing westwards you come upon the Shadyside School, where school was in session. Miss Berniece Benedict, a retired teacher was conducting classes.

Just a short distance to the north is the Sorenson home, which has been returned to its original state. Cookies were being baked in a wood-fired stove, and sold outdoors, the proceeds going to the historical village.

There are more buildings in the 40-acre site, and because of lack of funds at the present, work of restorations has been postponed.

The dedication began with flag raising at the school and in front of the knoll by Girl Scout Troop 201 of St. Boniface and Boy Scout Troop 934. Al Kadow was bugler.

Recognition of building sponsors was by Kueter, who called on family representatives or individuals from sponsoring organizations. The building sponsors were for the Sorenson home, the 20 Gardeners building, Collins depot and locomotive, Niles Community Presbyterian Church, Thompson Cabin, Brennan building, the blacksmith shop, Shadyside school and Luebke cabin.

Edward Ehlert,of the Historical Society, gave a resume of “Where Do We Go From Here?”

“Some months ago many of you received a letter in which the 1977 summer work program at the village was outlined. As you walk around this afternoon you will notice some of the things mentioned have been accomplished. Money and volunteer labor is needed to further any program, and up to this point we have had both,” Elhert said.

“We have spent all but $54 of the amount contributed in the last several months to further  the program to make the Village as you see it today,” he added.

“Where do we go from here?” he asked. “That all depends on the money we receive so we can harness enthusiasm, the will and the spirit of many who want to set up a village which will be another of Manitowoc County’s many attractions,” Ehlert remarked.

“What do we have on our work program for the rest of this summer?” he queried. “I shall name just a few that should be furthered if at all possible. We need a power line into the village so we can use power tools as we work on specific buildings and projects. You can see the poles and we have the wire…we need the wires on those poles,” he said. We need a large storage building… possibly as large as 40 x 80 feet. We have artifacts in storage in several places, and many others are offered for which we have no storage space. We need a place where men work to refinish furniture, to repair equipment and materials,” Ehlert added.

“The school has a woodshed. It needs a floor, and when we have this, two needs will be met. We will have a room in which we can have a small school museum. A number of exhibits were received when the Manitowoc County Teachers College was closed. These should be preserved and put on display. We need storage space for tables, chairs, and things like that. This would be off from the meeting room in the basement of the school,” he concluded.

Statements by Manitowoc Mayor Anthony Dufek and Dale Bolle, chairmen of the Manitowoc County Board were of praise for the undertaking and the foresight of all the individuals involved. 

As one strolled through the village there was a beautiful panorama of the Manitowoc County landscape. The Village is open for public inspection, and is an ideal place for families to spend an afternoon viewing the history of Manitowoc and learning how Manitowoc County has grown from a tiny hamlet to an industrial metropolis with excellent educational facilities.