Lori and I were fortunate enough to make time to visit Hearthstone Historic House Museum for their ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating their latest restoration - the Kitchen!  We also took some time to tour the main floor of the house and talk with some of the volunteers.  What a beautifully restored Victorian Home celebrating the progressive heritage of Appleton and the Fox Cities.  The tour guides were very knowledgeable, professional, and personable while attending to the array of locals and travelers who joined us for the tour.

Hearthstone was the first house lighted by hydroelectricity using a Thomas Edison system, and the second fully electric house in the United States.  Mr. Henry Rogers was a very forward thinking entrepeneur to build the grand estate on a hill above the Fox River in Appleton in 1882.  He hired  Wisconsin architect William Waters to design Hearthstone, one of several Waters' buildings now on the state and national historic registers.

Although Hearthstone has been open and providing tours since the 1990's, you can be one of the early viewers of the recently opened kitchen.  You can also support Hearthstone by attending the 20th Annual Appleton Antique Show and Sale on Saturday April 8 & Sunday, April 9 at the Tri-County Ice Arena just minutes from Hearthstone; proceeds from the Antique Show will benefit Hearthstone Museum.  There are still a couple of vacancies at the Franklin Street inn Bed and Breakfast those nights, why not make it a Victorian Home and Antique get-away weekend?

For more information you can contact us or the Hearthstone Museum directly:

Hearthstone Historic House Museum "Illuminating Our Heritage"

Web:  www.hearthstonemuseum.org

Ph: 920.730.8204

Email: hearthvolunteer@att.net

Tour Booking: hearthtours@att.net