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Ozaukee
County Attractions
Discover
a treasury of things to see, do, and enjoy in historic, gracious
urban and rustic Ozaukee County, Wisconsin's grand east coast
adventure destination.
From the shores
of Lake Michigan, where North America's first man-made harbor
was dug at "Wisconsin City," now Port Washington, to
the pristine pre-historic Cedarburg Bog on the west, travelers
will find great attractions and adventures in Ozaukee County.
From the Grasslyn Nature Preserve in the south to the village
of Belgium and the Luxemburg Heritage Museum in the north, visitors
to Ozaukee County will find living remnants of a bog where dinosaurs
once stopped to graze, artifacts of pre-Columbian native American
cultures, 300 year-old European exploration sites, towns and villages
founded in the early and mid-19th century by European immigrants.
In the countryside there are picturesque and prosperous farms
carved out of the big woods and hand-cleared by pioneering German
and Belgian farm families 150 years ago, log-constructed workshops,
19th century mills, factories, hotels, and commercial buildings,
a romantic covered bridge, a spectacular light house, and the
Stony Hill School, birthplace of the Nation's flag day celebration.
Nature lovers
and outdoor enthusiasts enjoy a wide range of recreational activities
in Ozaukee County. There's boating, sailing and sport-fishing
the waters of Lake Michigan, canoeing and kayaking or dropping
a line in the great Milwaukee River, and paddling through lushly
wooded Cedar Creek. For land lovers, there's hiking or bicycling
along the converted inter-urban trolley line that runs the north
to south along the entire eastern length of the county, exploring
the natural wonders of ancient woods and wetlands, discovering
and rediscovering the plants, birds and animals living in the
county's many nature preserves. The whole family can also enjoy
swimming in the area's lakes, picnicking on the rivers' banks,
lounging in a wooded glen or playing one of the area's top-flight,
scenic golf courses.
Ozaukee County's
parks offer summer and winter recreational opportunities for the
entire family. Park nature trails provide cross-country skiing
in winter and hiking paths that wind through a variety of spectacular
ecosystems in summer. Ice skating and sledding are cold weather
park favorites, while boating and fishing provide summertime fun
for all.
Treasure and bargain
hunters enjoy shopping Ozaukee County's factory outlets, antique,
collectible, art, craft and specialty gift outlets. Here, shoppers
may browse through a winery and more than 30 shops, studios, galleries
and restaurants located in a circa 1864 woolen mill or meander
through collections of unique antique and contemporary gifts,
artwork, jewelry, music boxes, and home furnishings housed in
an 1839 landmark building. Shop for Christmas in July or find
a great spring shoe bargain at one of the nation's premier shoe
manufacturer's factory outlet in November. Ozaukee County retailers
offer extraordinarily fine products and big city selection in
relaxed settings with friendly, small town service.
Ozaukee County
has an abundance of some of the finest - and most popular - dining
establishments in all of Wisconsin. A wide variety of locally
owned and operated restaurants, cafes, indoor and outdoor beer
gardens, sports bars, delicatessens, and a world renowned seafood
emporium offer menus to suit every diner's taste and budget. From
fish fresh from the waters of Lake Michigan, and dairy products,
fruits and vegetables fresh from the farm to award-winning pizza
and delicious vegetarian entrees, the choices are nearly endless.
Whether your favorite is Italian, Chinese, or a down-home pub
burger and fries, you are sure to enjoy the best of its kind in
Ozaukee County.
At day's end,
visitors will find superb lodging facilities located throughout
the county, including historic, luxurious bed and breakfast inns,
full-service hotels offering housekeeping suites, concierge services
and more, and top-rated budget-friendly motels.
Located just minutes
north of Milwaukee, less than 2 hours from Chicago, on the way
north to Green Bay and Door County along U.S. Interstate 43, Ozaukee
County is easy to find and hard to leave. Back to top
Museums and Historical
Sites
Cedarburg General
Store Museum
262-377-5856
This newly restored building, originally constructed in the 1860s,
houses a collection of antique advertising art and packaging displayed
to recreate a typical general store.
Cedarburg Cultural
Center
W62 N546 Washington, Cedarburg
262-375-3676
This center features permanent and seasonal exhibitions exploring
the community's history, heritage, and contemporary culture. An
historic walking tour is also available through the center.
Cedar
Creek Settlement
N70 W6340 Bridge St., Cedarburg
262-377-8020
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this former
woolen mill built in 1864 now houses dozens of specialty shops,
galleries, restaurants and a winery.
Eghart Victorian
House
224 W. Pierron St., Port Washington
262-284-2674
Located in downtown Port Washington, this delightful Victorian
cottage has been lovingly restored and furnished to its original
condition.
Trinity Evangelical
Lutheran Church-Freistadt
10729 W. Freistadt Rd., Mequon
262-242-2045
Built in 1840s by Pomeranian (German) immigrants in the small
community of Freistadt, Trinity Evangelical is the oldest Lutheran
church in Wisconsin.
Green Bay Ethnic
Trail
Ozaukee County
414-961-2110
The Milwaukee-Green Bay segment of the Wisconsin Ethnic Settlement
Trail served as the principal transportation route between the
earliest settlements in Eastern Wisconsin. In Ozaukee County,
travelers along this historic route are rewarded with views of
the past; historic inns, stagecoach stops, bridges, fences, windrows
and farmsteads still standing where they were constructed 100-150
years ago.
Interurban Bridge
Downtown Cedarburg
262-377-5856
Constructed in 1907 for the electric inter-urban train line between
Milwaukee and Sheboygan, the bridge spanning Cedar Creek in downtown
Cedarburg now carries only pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
Historic Hamilton
Hamilton Rd. Cedarburg
262-377-5856
Located on Hamilton Rd. along the banks of Cedar Creek, the reconstructed
and restored homes and buildings of this 1840s settlement have
secured Hamilton's listing on the National Register of Historic
Places.
Kuhefuss
House
Cedarburg
262-377-5856
Constructed in 1849, the restored Kuhefuss House is one the oldest
homes in historic Cedarburg.
Lighthouse Museum
St. Mary's Hill, Port Washington
262-284-0900
The Lighthouse Museum built atop St. Mary's Hill in Port Washington,
is an historic coast guard station lighthouse that now houses
the local historical society collection.
Luxemburg Heritage
Museum
Cty. Rd. K, Dacada
Located in the St. Nicholas School building in the town of Dacada,
just a few miles north of the Village of Belgium, the Luxemburg
Heritage Museum tells the story of immigrant pioneers from the
Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, ceded in the 19th century to become
part of Belgium.
Historic Belgium
1-43, Cty. Hwy. D, Ozaukee County
The Town and Village of Belgium are graced by dozens of historic
buildings constructed in the mid-19th century, including two dozen
carefully preserved, occupied and charming stone homes built between
1850 and 1880, St. Mary's and Lake Church built by the Luxemburgers
in 1846, and nearby Luxemburg parishes at Holy Cross and Dacada
built in 1845 and 1846 respectively.
National Flag
Day Americanism Center and Stoney Hill School
Cty. Rd. I and Fredonia-Kohler Dr., Waubeka
262-692-9111
The Americanism Center Museum in Waubeka displays artifacts that
tell the stories of Robert Cooley, Balthaser Meyer and the Cigrand
family and their achievements. On the Museum's Avenue of Flags,
visitors can walk through history, past each of the Nation's flags
from the first 13 star banner to the present day 50 star flag.
On Cty. Rd. 1, just north of Waubeka is Stoney Hill School, where
in 1885 a 19 year-old teacher, Bernard J. Cigrand, began his 31year
campaign for a national holiday to honor "Old Glory."
The school where it began has been restored to serve as a living
tribute to the man, his mission and the ensign of the land.
Ozaukee County
Pioneer Village
4880 Cty. Hwy. 1, Saukville
262-377-4510
In this Village, visitors don't read history or watch it unfold
on a screen. Here, history wraps itself around everyone who passes
through. Located in Hawthorne Hills County Park on a hill overlooking
the Milwaukee River, the Village is a collection of twenty log,
stone and frame buildings that represent construction methods
used in the mid to late nineteenth century. The buildings are
furnished with every day items typical of the period. Rope beds,
spinning wheels, candle molds, wood stoves, china, crockery, trunks,
tools and implements used by area pioneers. A tour of the Village
is mostly self-guided with special interpretive guides and tradespeople
working in several of the buildings to further explain and answer
questions. The area's heritage also comes alive in Village reenactments
of the Revolutionary and Civil- Wars, the Wild West reenactment,
pioneer handicraft demonstrations and an Old Time Fiddlers Contest.
Pebble House
Port Washington
262-284-0900
Built in 1848, the year Wisconsin was admitted to statehood, this
stone house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This historic building also houses the Port Washington Visitors
Center. Back to top
Parks and Nature Centers
Cedarburg Bog
Hwy. 33, Saukville
Located west of Saukville, the Cedarburg Bog is a 2,000-acre wetland that
contains the southern-most string bog in the state.
Riveredge Nature
Center
4458 W. Hawthorne Dr., Newburg
262-375-2715
Take a hike, take a class or take a moment to discover Riveredge
Nature Center, a beautiful natural wildlife sanctuary and preserve
for discovering and learning about the area's native wonders.
Covered Bridge
County Park
Covered Bridge Rd., Cedarburg
262-284-8258
The last remaining covered bridge in Wisconsin is the centerpiece
of this park bordered by Cedar Creek. Picnic facilities, rest
rooms and great fishing make this a favorite destination for history
buffs, romantics and anglers, too.
Harrington Beach
State Park
Belgium
Located along the shore of Lake Michigan, just east of Belgium,
this 637 acre State Park offers spectacular scenery, picnicking,
volleyball, biking, nature study, fishing, a sandy beach, an inland
quarry lake, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Lime Kiln Park
S. Green Bay Rd., Grafton
262-377-1650
Located along the Green Bay Ethnic Trail, this beautiful park
features restored lime kiln chimneys and a picturesque dam.
Ozaukee County
Parks
Information 262-284-8258
Ozaukee County Parks offer year-round recreation for the entire
family. Activities and amenities include boat access, concessions,
camping, fishing, golfing (complete with pro shops), picnic sites
with grills, ice skating with rentals and lessons, locker rooms,
nature trails and areas, rest rooms, restaurants, a shelter, a
sledding hill, tennis courts and cross-country ski trails. For
information about the activities and amenities available in each,
call 262-377-1650. For park reservations, call the offices listed
below:
Virmond Park, Mequon 262-241-5868
Mee-Kwon Park, Mequon 262-242-1310
Ozaukee Ice/Carlton, Mequon 262-375-6851
Hawthorne Hills, Fredonia 262-692-2151
Waubedonia, Fredonia 262-692-2825
Cedar Creek Canoe
Trail
Ozaukee County
Paddle 5.5 miles of historic Cedar Creek from Covered Bridge County
Park to Boy Scout Park in downtown Cedarburg.
Interurban Bicycle
Trail
Ozaukee County
Ride the converted turn-of-the-century interurban (Milwaukee-Sheboygan)
electric railroad line from border-to-border through scenic coastal
Ozaukee County. Back to top
Special Things To
Do
Farmers
Markets
June-October -
Thiensville (Tuesdays) 262-512-9358
July-October - Grafton (Thursdays) 262-377-1650
July-October - Port Washington (Saturdays) 262-305-4220
Enjoy farm fresh produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, jams, jellies,
preserves, syrups, and more. In season, gardeners will find a
variety of bedding plants, annuals and perennials. Non-gardeners
will find fresh cut flowers and vegetables. Amidst the food, fun
and flowers market-goers may also find unusual art and craft items,
music and entertaining street performers.
Octagon Barns
Ozaukee County
In the 1890's, as Wisconsin's farm economy shifted from wheat
growing to dairy production, German immigrant farmers constructed
sturdy, new state-of-the-art octagonal barns throughout Ozaukee
County. Many are still standing and continue to serve as reminders
of their builders' contribution to the development of what remains
the state's number one agricultural enterprise.
Sport Fishing
Port Washington
Ozaukee County's great inland seaport, Port Washington, is a favorite
destination for beginners and veteran deep lake sport fishing
enthusiasts. The port's charter fleet provides everything needed
for a thrilling day on the waves of Lake Michigan where bait-hungry
salmon, lake trout and more are waiting to test your line.
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