King Cottage
The King Cottage was moved to South Park (South Main Street, Waupaca) and placed behind the Hutchinson House in 1975. The Waupaca Historical Society, at the time, only operated the Hutchinson House and thus was looking for more room for storage. Working with the City of Waupaca, the Waupaca Historical Society moved the cottage from King to its current location and immediately utilized it for artifact and office storage.
A few years later, porches were added to the cottage, and the interior walls were removed to allow for use as a research library. From 1997 until 2001, it was filled with photographs, books, maps, and other research and genealogical materials.
In 2001, with the purchase of the historic Carnegie Library building, the offices and many of the collections and genealogical and research materials moved out of the King Cottage. It then reverted back to storage for the Hutchinson House collections.
The King Cottage is open to the public during open hours at the Hutchinson House Museum. Exhibits in cottage tells the story of the Chain O'Lakes (including Whispering Pines Park) and the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King.
Thank you for donating to the Waupaca Historical Society and helping us preserve Waupaca and Chain O'Lakes history!
Come visit us year-round at the Holly Center at 321 S. Main Street during our open hours:
Wednesday and Thursday:
10 am to 2 pm
Friday:
10 am to 4 pm
2nd Saturday of the Month (excluding April and December):
11:30 am to 2 pm
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What's Happening at the Waupaca Historical Society
- 2026: Holly Center now open until 4 pm on Fridays and the second Saturday of each month (excluding April and December) from 11:30 am to 2 pm!
- Thursday, May 21, 6 pm: "Waupaca's Lost Indigenous Mounds" with author Zachary Bishop
- Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend: Hutchinson House Museum open every weekend, 1-4pm; Depot open every weekend, 12-5pm.
- Thursday, May 28, 4pm at the Commandant's House, Wisconsin Veterans Home at King: Signing of agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs for the preservation and public access of the Commandant's House at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King (REFRESHMENTS & PROGRAM TO FOLLOW AT MARDEN MEMORIAL CENTER)
- Saturday, June 20, 9am-4pm: Crafts and Items for Sale at Strawberry Fest (downtown Waupaca, at the Bandstand)
- Monday, June 22, 6:30pm at the Waupaca High School Auditorium: "The National Native American Veterans Memorial: Honoring the Military Service of Native Americans" with Rachelle B. Pablo of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
- Wednesday, June 24, 5:30-6:30pm: Hutchinson House Museum open before the Summer Nights Concert in South Park
- JULY 4: CLOSED AT ALL BUILDINGS
- Wednesday, July 15, 5:30-6:30pm: Hutchinson House Museum open before the Summer Nights Concert in South Park
- Wednesday, July 22, 5:30-6:30pm:Hutchinson House Museum open before the Summer Nights Concert in South Park
- Thursday, August 6, 3-6 pm: Pie and Ice Cream Fundraiser at the Holly Center--Pie and ice cream for sale, all to support the Waupaca Historical Society!
- Saturday, August 8 (location and time to be announced): Parks and Rec Tour (with history of Waupaca's parks)
- Saturday, August 15, 9am-4pm: Crafts and Items for Sale at Arts on the Square (at the Arts Hub/Waupaca Rec Center)
Appointments outside of open hours at any WHS buildings can be made at least two weeks in advance by calling the Holly History and Genealogy Center at (715) 256-9980 or emailing
Tracy Behrendt at
