In this day and age, we tend to take for granted things like heating, lighting and indoor toilets. We sometimes forget that at one point in time these items were not the norm. To get the feel for a simpler time, take a break from a day on your ATV rental and visit the Hearthstone Historic House Museum, the country’s first hydroelectric central power station.

The Hearthstone Museum In Appleton, WI

The Hearthstone Historic House Museum is located at 625 W. Prospect Ave in Appleton, WI. Construction of this station, using the Edison central hydroelectric system, was started back on September 30, 1882, and today the original light wiring and fixtures are still in their original location. The generator was in the beater room of the Appleton Paper and Pulp Company in Wisconsin. At this time there were three different buildings lighted on this strip including the Appleton Paper and Pulp Company, Hearthstone, and Kimberly & Clark’s Vulcan Paper Mill.

The Hearthstone Historic House Museum Designer & Residents

William Waters, a man who gained national recognition for this act, designed the original Hearthstone house. Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. and Cremora Rogers and their daughter Kitty lived in this home for over 11 years before leaving in 1893. It changed hands many times and was even a public restaurant in the 1930s.

Visiting this Appleton, WI Museum

Hours Of Operation The Hearthstone Historic House Museum is open Tuesday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Admission Adult’s admission is $6.00, children ages 5-17 are $3.00, and those under 5 are free. Tours Tours begin every half hour with the first tour starting when the place opens. Along with your tour of historic rooms, you can also learn about electricity while experimenting with hands-on activities. You can see how electricity is generated from a water wheel and how you can use electricity to power an electric trolley model. The Gift Shop Check out the Hearthstone gift shop for a chance to purchase Victorian-style merchandise like lamps, light bulbs, and jewelry. Your kids are sure to like their Victorian games, electricity experiment kits, and the creative light bulb pencil sharpener. After spending the day learning about early electrical options at the Hearthstone Historic House Museum, contact Power Sports Rental Network for a day of fun on an ATV rental. All of our ATV rentals have 4-wheel drive, automatic transmission, a 4-stroke rental, include a trailer if necessary, and are comparable to the Yamaha Grizzly ATV Rentals. Call 920-428-4111 and get out on the trails with an ATV rental today.