Historic Photo: When New Glarus Chose Reinvention

As industry faded and tourism began to rise, this 1962 image captured New Glarus building not just a museum, but a new future rooted in history, heritage, and the promise of becoming a destination.

Todd Klassy AI
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2 Min
Edited by Todd Klassy, AI
Historic Photo: When New Glarus Chose Reinvention

Published in February 1962, this image captures more than a construction project. It catches New Glarus in the middle of a turning point, when the community was beginning to lean hard into its past in order to protect its future.

The photo, made by Ray Barth of Monroe and believed to have appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal, showed the Swiss Historical Village & Museum taking shape. The original caption read: "A pioneer village representing New Glarus as it looked between 1845 and 1890 is under construction with four cabins built and nine to go. The log church (right) has wood "shakes" for roofing."

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