A multi-year project at the Pinecrest Historical Village is nearly complete.
The historic Meeme House was purchased by the Manitowoc County Historical Society in 2013, and ever since, they have been working on restoring it to its original glory.
The structure was moved to Pinecrest Village in 2017, which was a massive undertaking.
The 160+ year old structure had to be taken in three parts 15 miles to the Village and then reassembled.
Ever since, the Historical Society has been raising money to restore the building, and Executive Director Amy Meyer tells SeehaferNews.com that the project is nearly done.
“We’re moving in furniture, walls are painted, floors are refinished. It is gorgeous,” she said with a big smile on her face.
After that furniture, including some massive pieces, Meyer says all that is left is the finishing touches.
However, those do require a lot of research.
“There are furnishing plans to ensure that we are historically interpreting the building correctly,” she explained. “Is the wallpaper representative of the era? Are the paint colors representative of the era? But then also the furniture that we’re selecting? Does it make sense for not only the time frame but the use of the structure?”
While historical accuracy is vitally important to Meyer and her team, they did have to make a few changes for accessibility and safety reasons.
“We did have to widen a few doorways,” Meyer noted. “We want this space to be accessible for as many people as possible, so making sure that this building is accessible for the first floor. We also did have to add in a second staircase if in need of an emergency.”
The second floor actually tells a very interesting story about the structure, specifically how the Meeme House transformed from a stagecoach inn to an entertainment hub after the railroad tracks were installed.
Part of that was the installation of a stage on the second floor, which has also been restored.
Meyer did confirm they plan on holding concerts, plays, and more on that stage, paying homage to that era of the Meeme House’s history.
As for when the project is expected to be complete, Meyer revealed to SeehaferNews.com, “We are unveiling the brand new chapter of the historic Mimi House late spring, early summer of 2025.”
While the donations they have received so far have gone a very long way, Meyer says the Historical Society is still around $400,000 short of what they need to complete the project.
Those who would like to contribute to the Meeme House restoration are encouraged to visit ManitowocCountyHistory.org.
