New stewards of the Commandant’s House

WAUPACA – At the April 21 city council meeting, Tracey Behrendt, Director of the Waupaca Historical Society, said the group will be signing an agreement in May with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs to take over the preservation and care of the Commandant’s House at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King.
“This is the first time the state has entered into an agreement like this through a community preservation effort,” Behrendt said.
Behrendt said the society has a committee formed to plan for restorations, public access and more moving into the future for the Commandant’s House.
She also informed the council there will be a historical marker added to Oakwood Park on County Highway Q towards the end of summer to commemorate the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.
Behrendt said the society also launched a Waupaca County Barn Survey as an effort to document and preserve historic farmsteads.

“As these structures continue to disappear, this project ensures their historical and cultural significance is recorded for future generations,” she said.
Participation in the project is free and educational.
She also noted that 6,000 visitors were welcomed across three of the Waupaca Historical Society’s sites in 2025, with an additional thousand people attending special programs and events. The three buildings that saw those visitors were the Hutchinson House, the Depot and the Holly House.
“The Waupaca Historical Society’s mission is to preserve the history of the Waupaca area and to share that history with others,” said Behrendt.
More information on hours and special projects for the Waupaca Historical Society can be found at www.waupacahistoricalsociety.org.