Pinecrest Historical Village located west of the city of Manitowoc is turning 50 next year. A 40-acre farm was donated to the Manitowoc County Historical Society by the Hugo & Eleanor Vetting family on January 11th, 1970. It has grown into many historical buildings that were donated and relocated there over the years. Pinecrest Executive Director, Amy Meyer, says their newest project is the Meeme House, an 1800’s era Stagecoach Inn which was moved to the village from the Town of Meeme. Meyer explains it’s slowly being restored to the way it was in 1915. She said “This building is amazing…This is where a group of men met to join into the civil war, it was a voting location, everything that this building has experienced. Prohibition, wars.”
As for the number of visitors that come to Pinecrest Historical Village Amy Meyer says, “We have about 11,000-12,000 people that come out to the museum each year for a variety of programs.”
The executive director says they educate over 3,000 school children, including those from all over Manitowoc County, the Fox Valley, Green Bay, and even the Milwaukee area. New this year is an old farm windmill outside the McAllister House Welcome Center. Meyer explained the windmill, which is part of the MCHS logo, came from a farm near Reifs Mills.
