Historic Locations
Every Place Has A Story
The Wisconsin Historical Society connects you to comprehensive databases of historic sites through our State Historic Preservation Office and Outreach team. Explore everything from iconic buildings and vibrant districts to sunken shipwrecks and culturally significant landmarks. We're preserving the locations and stories that shape our communities so you can dive in, learn, and connect with the diverse heritage that makes Wisconsin home.
Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks
The Maritime Trails initiative encourages divers, snorkelers, boaters, maritime enthusiasts, and tourists to visit and enjoy Wisconsin's diverse collection of maritime resources. A collaborative effort between the Wisconsin Historical Society and the UW-Madison Sea Grant Institute, the Maritime Trails initiative seeks to document, preserve, and protect the state's submerged archaeological sites in Lakes Superior & Michigan.
Explore ShipwrecksWhat's the Difference?
What's the difference between the Architecture & History Inventory
and the National & State Register of Historic Places?
Registers of Historic Places
- Listed on the National Register means that the property meets at least one National Register Criterion for significance.
- Listing is largely an honorific distinction for private property.
- A formal National Register nomination has been submitted to WI SHPO, nominated by the WI Historic Preservation Review Board, and approved by the National Park Service.
Architecture & History Inventory
- Has been recorded in the Architecture and History Inventory, possibly through a survey, an owner inquiry, or a preservation project.
- May or may not have received or be eligible for a listing in State Register or National Register of Historic Places.
- Not every entry in the AHI has a historic designation
506 W. Edgewater St.
338 N. Main St.
900 University Bay Dr.
3995 Shawn Trail
Mendota State Hospital
Off STH 42
Address Restricted
919 Charles St.
205 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Chicago and Main Sts.
The Official list
of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
Search the Registers
731 3RD ST S
W3248 STEVENSON RD (AKA TOWN HALL RD 1.1 MI FROM COUNTY HIGHWAY H)
"BROOKDALE VILLAGE" OFF COUNTY HIGHWAY ZZ . 3 M S OF COUNTY HIGHWAY D
"BROOKDALE VILLAGE" OFF COUNTY HIGHWAY ZZ .3 M S OF COUNTY HIGHWAY D
"BROOKDALE VILLAGE" OFF COUNTY HIGHWAY ZZ .3 M S OF COUNTY HIGHWAY D
"OLD 87" TOWN RD
(7373 BRADLEY ROAD), SOUTH SIDE OF BRADLEY ROAD, 1.2 MILE WEST OF COUNTY HIGHWAY F
(ORIGINAL LOCATION E SIDE OF PRICE RD .5 MI S OF IOWA RD)
. 3 M N OF CNR OF MATHEWSON RD AND STATE HIGHWAY 78
.1 MI FROM COUNTY HIGHWAY K NEAR CNR W/ COUNTY HIGHWAY N
Explore our Inventory of
Historic Properties
The Architecture & History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information about historic buildings, structures, and objects throughout Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Search AHI
Community Members with Milwaukee Chinese Laundry Era Marker
Wisconsin State Historical Markers
Wisconsin State Historical Markers tell the stories about events, individuals, buildings, or sites of local, state, or national significance that contribute to our state's rich historical heritage. There are more than 600 official state markers in Wisconsin.
Explore MarkersStep Back In Time
More than databases and plaques the Society offers the opportunity to explore history through interactive experiences at our attractions and historic sites & museums! Located across the state we have history for every interest from former state government to every day settlers surviving in a new land and circus history to Victorian wealth.
Plan Your Visit
Old World Wisconsin
Old World Wisconsin
Set against the backdrop of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and 600 acres of picturesque woodlands, prairie, and wetlands, Old World Wisconsin is a one-of-a kind-place where the modern world fades away to reveal over a century of history. The site includes 60 authentically restored historic homes, farms, stores, and workshops. Along your journey from the 1840s to the 1910s, costumed ambassadors will invite you to get hands on with history. You’ll meet furry friends on the farms, enjoy an old-fashioned soda water in the general store, see sparks fly in the blacksmith shop, see how beer is made, and so much more!
W372 S9727 WI-67
Eagle, WI 53119
Plan Your Visit
Circus World
Circus World
An incredible 64 acres showcasing the incredible history of the American Circus is yours to explore. From the world’s largest collection of restored historic circus wagons to seven National Historic Landmark structures that more than a century ago were the wintertime home to the Ringling Bros. Circus and are now filled with thousands of circus treasures, you’ll delight in this extraordinary, one-of-a-kind wonder.
550 Water Street
Baraboo, WI 53913
Plan Your Visit
Wisconsin History Center
Wisconsin History Center
The Wisconsin Historical Society is bringing a new, 21st-century history center and cultural attraction to the people of Wisconsin and beyond.
Designed to be a welcoming beacon of inspiration and exploration, the new center set on Wisconsin’s Capitol Square in Madison will reflect a modern approach to sharing history and connecting communities.
Learn More
Wade House
Wade House
Visiting Wade House historic site takes you on a journey through Wisconsin’s past with tours of the Wade House Stagecoach Inn, stops at the blacksmith shop & sawmill, and the exhibits of the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum & Visitor Center. This historic site is named for the inn built by the first European settlers of the town, Sylvanus and Betsey Wade. This stately stagecoach inn offers a fascinating glimpse into the long-ago era of horse-drawn travel, but it’s far from the only reason to hop in the car and venture to this historic site in the scenic northern Kettle Moraine. The beautifully preserved inn is just one of many interactive attractions exploring pioneer life in the 1800s that you will find on the site’s 280 acres.
W7965 WI-23
Greenbush, WI 53026
Plan Your Visit
Black Point Estate & Gardens
Black Point Estate & Gardens
Immerse yourself in Chicago beer baron Conrad Seipp’s grand lakeside retreat. A Gilded Age jewel, this opulent mansion and meticulously maintained gardens reveal the lavish lifestyle led by the late 19th century Victorian landed elite.
812 Wrigley Drive
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
Plan Your Visit
First Capitol
First Capitol
Near the picturesque hamlet of Belmont is First Capitol, the place where the first territorial legislature established Wisconsin’s government. Visit the site where these lawmakers built the framework that would evolve into the state of Wisconsin.
18904 County Highway G
Belmont, WI 53510
Plan Your Visit
H.H. Bennett Studio
H.H. Bennett Studio
The H.H. Bennett Studio & Museum explores Wisconsin Dells history through the man who helped transform it into a national tourist attraction. Visit the museum and take a tour that includes landscape photography, 1800s film equipment, and hands-on activities for guests of all ages.
215 Broadway
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Plan Your Visit
History Maker Space
History Maker Space
Learn, grow, and deepen your bond with history at this active, community-focused spaced that hosts exhibitions, events, and programs.
1 S Pinckney St
Madison, WI 53703
Plan Your Visit
Madeline Island Museum
Madeline Island Museum
Madeline Island Museum seeks to capture the rich, deep portrait of life on the Apostle Islands— from the Ojibwe and other tribes who called Madeline Island home hundreds of years before European contact, to its status as a hub for trading, commercial fishing, and travel.
226 Colonel Woods Ave
La Pointe, WI 54850
Plan Your Visit
Pendarvis
Pendarvis
Tucked in a scenic valley at the heart of historic Mineral Point, Pendarvis serves as a collection of 1800s limestone and log buildings that tell the incredible story of the very first Wisconsin “badgers.”
114 Shake Rag Street
Mineral Point, WI 53565
Plan Your Visit
Reed School
Reed School
Built in 1915, this historic Wisconsin one-room schoolhouse stands as living testament to how young learners acquired new skills without basic technologies or amenities. Explore the past of education through recordings, news volumes, and artifacts from the free school movement.
4326 US-10
Neillsville, WI 54456
Plan Your Visit
Stonefield
Stonefield
Early agrarian life in Wisconsin starts at Stonefield. Once the agricultural estate of Nelson Dewey, the first Wisconsin governor, this historic site teems with cropland, shops, and factories knit together by grassy roads and centuries of farming culture.
12195 County Hwy VV
Cassville, WI 53806
Plan Your Visit
Villa Louis
Villa Louis
When you walk through the wood-grained double doors of the Villa Louis residence, you step into the fascinating life of one of Wisconsin’s most historic families—the Dousmans. This beautiful Italianate-style mansion tells their story—and many others—in striking detail.
521 Villa Louis Road
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
Plan Your Visit
