For many Milwaukee-area kids, this week is the last hurrah before schools reopen next week.
That – plus the lure of free admission for kids 12 and under from Wednesday to Sunday, Aug. 9 through 13 – makes a trip to Old World Wisconsin a great option for families.
Admission for that age group is normally $13. Kids 4 and under are always free.
Old World Wisconsin, W372 S9727 Hwy. 67 in Eagle, is less than an hour west of Milwaukee but it’s like traveling back in time to the Wisconsin of our 19th century forebears.
The recreated pioneer settlement – operated by Wisconsin Historical Society – is occupied almost entirely by original structures moved to the site from around the state and costumed and knowledgeable interpreters bring history alive in a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, Main Street shops, a brewhouse, farmsteads with live animals and much more.
The church at Old World Wisconsin was moved from Milwaukee, where it was the first Catholic church.
A shuttle takes you from place to place or you can choose to walk.
Old World Wisconsin is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, through Aug 27.
Beginning Sept. 2, autumn hours kick in and OWW is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10-4. It closes on Sept. 25 for the season and returns again next May.
For details on ticket prices, booking tickets online and more, visit oldworldwisconsin.wisconsinhistory.org. Free parking is available on site.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He can be heard weekly on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories.
