Stepping Back in Time at Heritage Hill: A Dad’s Perspective

Last spring, my son and I joined his class for a school field trip to Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay. If you’ve never been there, imagine a place where history doesn’t just sit quietly in glass cases—it walks around in costume, tends to the fires, and might even hand you a piece of fabric that took hours to create. That’s Heritage Hill.

As a dad, I’m used to juggling the chaos of getting kids ready for school, making sure water bottles are packed, and trying to remember whether today is the day I was supposed to sign that permission slip. But when I had an opportunity to tag along at a historical site, not only was it a chance to hang out with my boy outside the usual routines, but I also knew Heritage Hill would be a field trip worth remembering.

And let me tell you: it didn’t disappoint.

First Impressions of Heritage Hill

Heritage Hill covers 56 acres, and as soon as you step inside, you feel like you’ve crossed some invisible line between modern Wisconsin and life 150 years ago. We even joked around, pretending that when we ran underneath a bridge, it was a time portal that took us back in time. Instead of glassy high-rise buildings or highways, you see dirt paths winding between old wooden structures, barns, and even a church with a steeple that seems to reach right out of a history book.

The park is divided into different “villages,” each representing a specific time period. There’s the fur trade era, a frontier farm, a growing town, and a military fort. Each area has buildings you can step inside, with costumed interpreters ready to explain how people lived back then. And when I say “explain,” I don’t mean rattling off dates like in a classroom. They spin wool into yarn, and fire up blacksmith forges right in front of you.

Meeting History Face-to-Face

The part that stuck with me the most was the people. The costumed interpreters aren’t just employees—they’re living, breathing history lessons. We met a blacksmith who showed the kids how wall hooks were made. The man’s storytelling was impressive. He explained that a blacksmith was like the “handyman of the 1800s,” because if something broke—wagon wheels, tools, even cooking pots—you took it to him.

We also visited a schoolhouse. Inside, the kids sat at little wooden desks and took turns pretending to teach a quick lesson on the chalkboard. I got a kick out of imagining what it would be like to live in that world.

For me, standing in that one-room schoolhouse, I couldn’t help thinking about how different childhood was back then. No cell phones, no buses, no Google searches. Just a chalkboard, a book, and maybe a slate if you were lucky. And yet, you could see the sparkle in the kids’ eyes as they realized they were sitting in the same kind of desk that Wisconsin kids sat in 150 years ago.

A Dad’s Favorite Moments

When you’re on a school field trip, you don’t just watch your own kid—you watch the whole crew. And let me tell you, kids have fun at places like this.

The highlight for me was the old military fort. My son and his friends were running around, putting each other in "jail," checking out the many exhibit items, and exploring like kids were meant to explore. I, on the other hand, was silently thankful I live in a time where the biggest daily battle I face is traffic on the way to work.

Lunch on the Hill

Every good field trip has a lunch break, and at Heritage Hill, you eat picnic-style. We sat under the tents, unwrapped our sandwiches, and compared snacks. There’s something about eating outside, surrounded by history, that makes even a PB&J taste better.

For me, it was a chance to just sit with my son, laugh with him, and enjoy the day. At home, it’s easy to get caught up in the grind of homework, sports practices, and endless dishes. But out there, it was just us—father and son (and hundreds of other kids), having a moment that didn’t need to be photographed or posted anywhere. It just mattered to us.

Heading Home

On the ride back, my son opted to drive home with me instead of going on the bus back to Wausau. He leaned against the window, quiet for once, just watching the world go by, quietly eating the old fashioned candy we purchased at the gift shop. When I asked him his favorite part, he thought for a moment and said, “The blacksmith. Because he actually made something.”

I liked that answer. In a world full of screens, likes, and subscriptions, there’s something refreshing about watching someone create something real with their hands.

Why Heritage Hill Matters

As a dad, I want my kids to understand where they come from—not just the city they live in, but the people and stories that shaped Wisconsin. Heritage Hill makes that possible. It turns history into something you can touch, taste, and experience.

Sure, we could have read about fur traders and farmers in a book. But walking through those buildings, hearing the squeak of wooden floors, and smelling the smoke in those fireplaces from the 1800s—that’s the stuff that sticks.

And honestly, it’s not just for kids. I learned things I didn’t know about my own state, and I walked away with a new appreciation for the simple things: water from a well, shoes made by hand, and a school day that fit into one small room.

Final Thoughts

That field trip with my son reminded me that history isn’t boring—it’s alive, especially when you find the right place to explore it. Heritage Hill is one of those places. If you’ve never been there, I highly recommend it. Bring your kids, bring your curiosity, and be ready to step back in time.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll also come home with grass stains, a story about a chicken, and a kid who can’t stop talking about blacksmiths.

Because that’s the kind of history lesson you’ll never forget.