The Speaker Series is held the first Thursday of October. The Speaker Series offers to the public free of charge a presentation on a topic of local interest. Please plan to join us. Free cookies and beverages are available while you sit back and enjoy the presentation. Please check back on our website or follow us on Facebook for details regarding the presentation as the date approaches.
Please join us for this extremely popular annual event. This event includes the amazing portrayals of Oconto County residents laid to rest at both local cemeteries. The event is held three consecutive evenings in September (two at the cemetery and one at the Oconto High School Auditorium). You will be touched by the stories told by our talented performers of these local residents. Please check back on our website or follow us on Facebook for details as the date approaches.
The Speaker Series is held the first Thursday of September. The Speaker Series offers to the public free of charge a presentation on a topic of local interest. Please plan to join us. Free cookies and beverages are available while you sit back and enjoy the presentation. Please check back on our website or follow us on Facebook for details regarding the presentation as the date approaches.
Please come and enjoy a delicious piece of pie with ice cream at our Beyer Home and Carriage Museum on a relaxing Sunday afternoon. This special event occurs on the Sunday afternoon of Copperfest weekend which is celebrated annually in the City of Oconto. You will also enjoy shopping for that unique and special treasure in our Elegant Junque Sale. Please check back on our website or follow us on Facebook for details as the date approaches.
Please pack up your lawn chair and come to our Beyer Home Museum grounds and enjoy an evening of free music. Weekly live music is performed by local musicians from our Gazebo. It is truly a fun and relaxing evening. Please check back on our website or follow us on Facebook for the schedule of bands playing each Tuesday evening throughout the summer.
The Oconto County Historical Society proudly presents its annual Victorian Spring Tea and Luncheon to be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. at the historic Beyer Home & Carriage Museum, 915 Park Avenue, Oconto.
The pleasure of your company is requested to attend this Victorian Spring Tea event. Take a step back in time and enjoy a light fare and tea served on fine China, with tables covered in pressed linens. Traditional recipes will be used to make the light fare for our guests.
Our hostesses, dressed in period clothing, will greet guests, and serve the luncheon. A presentation during the Luncheon will be provided by several portrayers exhibiting women from Oconto’s past and share the history of three families who had lived in Frenchtown. A tour of the Beyer Home is offered following the presentation.
Please contact Lynn by May 1st for reservations: 920-835-4619. Attendees must be 12 years of age and older. The cost is $20 per person. Limited number of reservations available.
All three of our museums – Beyer Home & Carriage Museum, Copper Culture Museum, and Holt & Balcom Logging Camp Museum – are open for tours beginning Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day!!
OCHS Speaker Series: Cleaning Up the Oconto River
Thursday, April 3, 2025 | 6:30 PM
Beyer Home & Carriage Museum, 915 Park Ave, Oconto
Did you know the Oconto River faced major pollution challenges in the past? Learn how one of the biggest restoration projects in the region helped bring it back to life!
Join us as environmental expert Al Stranz shares the story of the Oconto River Restoration Project—how it started, the challenges faced, and what it means for our environment today.
FREE event | Light refreshments | Museum gift shop open
The Speaker Series is held the first Thursday of March. The Speaker Series offers to the public free of charge a presentation on a topic of local interest. Please plan to join us. Free cookies and beverages are available while you sit back and enjoy the presentation. Please check back on our website or follow us on Facebook for details regarding the presentation as the date approaches.
Explore Oconto’s Darker History at the OCHS Speaker Series!
Join the Oconto County Historical Society on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Beyer Home and Carriage Museum (915 Park Ave, Oconto) for an evening of mystery and intrigue.
Local historian Jay Merline will present The Dark Side of Oconto History, sharing strange, shocking, and little-known stories uncovered in old newspapers. From bizarre crimes to untold tragedies, this presentation will take you deep into Oconto’s past like never before.
Expect to hear about:
A thief caught altering a stolen suit
A brutal attack on a Native American band
The strangest hiding spot from police
The chilling tale of the Shaggy Phantom Hermit
A deadly Oconto High School field trip
…and many more eerie, forgotten stories!
FREE admission – all are welcome! Enjoy light refreshments and explore the Museum Gift Shop after the program. Don’t miss this fascinating look at Oconto’s hidden history!
Oconto County Historical Society to Host Engaging Speaker Series on WWII’s Red Arrow Division at Buna
Oconto, WI – History comes alive this February as the Oconto County Historical Society invites the community to a captivating evening honoring the bravery and sacrifice of local soldiers. The Speaker Series event, “The Red Arrow Division at Buna,” will delve into one of the most challenging and pivotal battles of World War II.
Join us on Thursday, February 6th, at 6:30 PM, at the Beyer Home & Carriage Museum, 915 Park Avenue, Oconto, for an unforgettable journey through history. Captain Florian L. Waitl, Command Historian of the Wisconsin National Guard, will provide a richly detailed presentation recounting the heroism of Oconto’s Company C, 127th Infantry, 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Division during the bloody Battle of Buna in New Guinea in 1942-43.
This engaging presentation will take you back in time through an immersive combination of photographs, aerial imagery, modern drone footage, virtual terrain maps, and firsthand soldier accounts. Captain Waitl will also share insights from members of today’s Wisconsin National Guard who visited Buna in September 2024, providing a unique connection between past and present.
The Battle of Buna was one of the most grueling campaigns of World War II, and its impact resonates deeply in our community. Seven soldiers from Oconto and Marinette Counties made the ultimate sacrifice in this campaign. This event offers a poignant opportunity to reflect on their courage and the enduring spirit of those who served.
Don’t miss this chance to connect with history, honor our local heroes, and gain a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made to preserve our freedoms. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply interested in learning more about the contributions of our community’s servicemen, this event promises to be a meaningful experience.