“Haus” and Home: A Special Gemeinschaft Tour

Select Fridays (11:00 am) and Saturdays (2:00 pm)

June 13, 20 and July 11, 12, 18, 19

Just added…

August 8, 9, 15, 16 (tickets available soon)

September 12, 13, 19, 20 (tickets available soon)

In a very real sense, Hearthstone was a house divided. It was divided in terms of the family and the servant sides. This means it was divided in terms of architecture, with a fancy side, which was all about showing off wealth, and a functional side, which was all about simply getting the work done.

But it was also a house divided in terms of ethnicity, religion, and language… The Rogers family, builders of Hearthstone, were rich, English speakers and Protestant;. The servants in the house were, almost invariably, working class, German speakers, and Catholic. Together, the two sides make Hearthstone a “haus” and home.

This tour chronicles the compelling stories of the Mary Deimer, the German speaking cook, and Theresa Moder, the German speaking ladies maid. These women lead marvelous lives that make poignant counterpoints to life of Kitty Rogers, the spoiled daughter of the Rogers.

In a broader sense, the tour reflects the history of Appleton and Wisconsin and how people from diverse backgrounds come together to form a gemeinschaft… the German word for community.

Please note:

• Tickets for Haus and Home are $15 and are available on-line only using the link below.

• Tours are limited to just 12 guests per tour.

• Please allow for ninety minutes for completion of the tour.

• Tickets are available through July. Additional tours will be scheduled in August and September

Hearthstone's Nooks and Crannies: A Behind the Scenes Tour

May 21, 22, 24

June 25, 26, 28

July 23, 24, 26

August 20, 21, 23 (Tickets available soon)

September 17, 18, 20 (Tickets available soon)

In this behind the scenes, special limited tour, Hearthstone’s Curation Director Lynne Phillips will take you through the museum to peer, literally, into the nooks and crannies that make Hearthstone so special. Guests will visit the spaces normally not open to the public and hear stories about the restoration of the house as well as the interesting revelations that have been found in the process.

Lynne will open drawers, closets, whole rooms, and complete floors to reveal items not normally on display. Over the past 39 years, museum restoration teams have looked under moldings, peeled away canvas, torn down plaster, and stripped layers of paint to reveal the past. Lynne will relate how restoration is done professionally and, most importantly, how it helps provide an authentic view of the Victorian Era.

Wednesday tours start at 2:00 pm.

Thursday tours are an extraordinary evening edition, starting at 6:00 pm, that lets guests experience the museum as dusk falls. Flashlights will be provided.

Saturday tours start at 11:00 am

Please note:

• Tickets for the Nooks and Crannies Tour are $15 and are available on-line only.

• Tours are limited to just 12 guests per tour.

• Please allow for two hours for completion of the tour.

• Guests will be climbing four stories of stairs. 

Summer on the Veranda

May 2, June 6, July 11, August 8

5:00 - 7:00 pm

Relax in Victorian splendor as you stroll the veranda and the lavish first floor at Hearthstone with a cool drink in hand (parasol is totally optional!) while listening to performances on our 1875 square grand piano. This open-house event is about slowing down the pace of life and being immersed in the stunning surroundings of the wonderfully restored 1882 Queen Anne Style home.

Ladies are encouraged to wear their best Victorian hats. Beautiful hats were de rigueur for Victorian and Edwardian ladies. Gents can sport their own straw boater or a bowler. But if anyone does not have a hat, we would be glad to lend you one of our recreations from our collection.

Our docents will be dressed up as well playing the roles of hostesses or the Rogers’ servants as they welcome you into the home while serving complementary beverages.

Don’t feel like you need to dress up… but it does add to the fun.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door and include your choice (and refills) of lemonade, iced tea, white wine, or classic mint juleps.

Don’t Worry Your Pretty Little Head: Patriarchy, Paternalism, and Women’s Rights in Victorian America

August 14 (rescheduled from March)

Considering that Wisconsin’s current law banning abortion in most cases dates from 1849, a time when women were seldom free to exercise independent thought, let alone their individual rights, this topic has profound relevance today.

Join Hearthstone’s Executive Director and attorney George Schroeder as he leads an hour long presentation on the transformation of women’s rights in 19th century America. The presentation will overview the changes in martial and property rights, reproduction rights, and voting rights. It will feature illustrations in each area from the lives of Hearthstone’s Cremora and Florence Rogers.

This free event was originally scheduled for Women’s History Month.