Old World Wisconsin, the largest outdoor museum of rural life in the United States of America, is located near Eagle, Wisconsin, 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Milwaukee, in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Opened in 1976, this open-air museum encompasses nearly 600 acres (2.4 km²) of rolling wooded hills and contains over 60 historic structures. These range from ethnic farmsteads with furnished houses and rural outbuildings to a crossroads village. In addition, a restaurant and conference space are located in the octagonal Clausing Barn, along with a gift shop. Trams run between the Scandinavian and German, African American, and Crossroads Villages.
Farmsteads and settlements that represent various ethnic groups include:
"Yankee Village" also contains the non-Yankee buildings showing the integration of other European settlers to Wisconsin in the 19th century:
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On the evening of June 21, 2010, the museum was hit by a tornado which leveled acres of trees on the grounds.[1] The "Old World 4th of July" event was canceled due to the anticipation of ongoing clean-up hi efforts.