Historic Dinner Series
Winter Dinner at the Meeme House
Saturday, November 14 at 11:30 am
Experience a meal you’ll never forget! Join our historical cooks as they serve a historic meal in the Meeme House, located in our Historic Village. Guests will play parlor games, be served a family style meal (prepared by a local restaurant), and enjoy a choice of historically-inspired beverages.
A Thanksgiving-inspired menu
To Start: Pounded cheese with dried fruit
Main Entrée: Chicken pie
On the Side: Pork and beans, applesauce, green beans, and rolls
In Addition: Onion soup
For Dessert: Cranberry tart with whipped cream
To Drink: Cider, Coffee, Tea
About the Menu
Thanksgiving in the late 1800s looked a little different from the holiday menu many of us know today. It was not recognized as a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it in 1863, encouraged by writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale, who had spent years campaigning for a day of reflection and gratitude.
Across the 19th century, families marked the occasion in their own ways with foods that reflected the season, their region, and what they had on hand. At our final Historic Dining event of the year, guests will enjoy a menu inspired by dishes you might have found on a Wisconsin table in that era. Pounded cheese with dried fruit, onion soup, chicken pie, pork and beans, turnip sauce, applesauce, pickled green beans, yeast rolls, and a cranberry tart with whipped cream make for a meal full of familiar and not so familiar flavors.
It is always special to share these dishes at the end of our season. They serve as quiet reminders of how food connects us across time and how traditions continue to grow and change.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Historic Dinner programs are much more than a meal. You’ll be transported back in time to experience an intimate snack, tea, or supper sampler gathered around the wood stove and learn about life in the past from your cook and dinner hosts. In order to plan for this special experience, the Manitowoc County Historical Society relies on advanced tickets for each program. Since this experience is so different from a simple restaurant reservation, we are unable to provide a full refund for last minute cancellations.
Where do I check in for a historic dinner?
A MCHS representative will check you in at the McAllister House Welcome Center and you will make your way to the historic Meeme House. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes before dinner time.
How should I dress?
Please feel free to dress however makes you most comfortable! Guests are encouraged to dress to the occasion if they like, coordinate with their party. Please note: Historic structures can be drafty during chilly times of year. If you get cold easily, we recommend wearing something warm.
Allergy Concerns
Our meals are catered and prepared in the style of the historic period and served family style. We generally cannot alter recipes without impacting other guests at the table. Most of our recipes contain butter, margarine, eggs, chicken or beef stock, flour, and other gluten containing ingredients. If you have questions about a food allergy, please contact us at least two weeks prior to your program at (920) 684-4445 or send an email to programs@ManitowocCountyHistory.org.
Advanced Registration
Advanced registration is required. Your Ticket also includes general admission for the day at our Holiday Open House.
Museum Members: 15% discount
Attendees: $50
Check in at the McAllister House Welcome Center 15 minutes before the program begins. Your fee also includes general admission for the day! Registration is required at least 10 days prior to the dinner.