Manitowoc County

Anchored by the City of Manitowoc, "Wisconsin's Maritime Capitol," on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Manitowoc County features a varied heritage of agriculture, ship building and maritime attractions, and the natural beauty of forest, lakes and beautiful beaches.

The county's agricultural establishments proudly display their heritage along with their products. Area dairies, cheese factories and commercial bakeries invite visitors to observe cheese and butter-making, bread, roll and muffin baking, and packaging operations; and to sample their quality dairy products, fresh from the source and baked goods warm from the oven.

Local museums bring Manitowoc County's agricultural past to life with wheat-grinding and flour-milling demonstrations, antique tractor displays, wheat-harvesting exhibits, agricultural implements, blacksmith shops, tools, and demonstrations. Pinecrest Historical Village features 25 historic buildings and exhibits that interpret farm and village life in 19th and early 20th Century Manitowoc County

Launched in 1847 with the first sailing ships constructed of local timber, Manitowoc's ship building industry has produced tall ships, warships and pleasure boats, schooners, clippers, steamers, fishing boats, submarines, tankers and landing craft. Today, Manitowoc is recognized worldwide as the premier manufacturer of "yachts for kings". The area's maritime history is preserved and retold at the Wisconsin Maritime museum, the largest of its kind in the Midwest, where visitors are welcome to board, explore and scan the harbor through the periscope of the U.S.S. Cobia, one of many submarines built here during W.W.II.

Manitowoc is the sole Wisconsin port for the SS Badger, the only luxury passenger vessel still sailing the Great Lakes. It is also home port for a sport fishing fleet, and a full-service marina rated "the finest marina on Lake Michigan" by the Chicago Tribune. Its sheltered, deep water harbor and marina make Manitowoc a major destination and port of call for day sailors, inter-lake sailing ships, yachts and power boats plying Lake Michigan waters. Manitowoc's boating sales, rental and repair services, launching, fueling and docking facilities, expert outfitters guides and charter captains offer docking facilities, expert outfitters, guides and charter captains offer everything needed to tap the excitement of sport fishing in Lake Michigan.

Inland, Manitowoc County's lakes and streams invite anglers and fly casters to catch their limit of trout, bass, northern and delectable panfish. In spring, the annual smelt run yields nets full of silvery finger fish, prompting a frenzy of home freezing and storage activity, and smelt harvesting festivals throughout the county.

Manitowoc County's parks and trail-ways offer a variety of outdoor activities for the whole family year-round, including hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing, swimming, fishing, picnicking, and camping. Point Beach State Forest, provides six miles of sandy shoreline; the perfect place to catch a wave, watch the seagulls and shorebirds, observe the passing of great ships over the edge of the horizon, or simply take a walk in the sand.

In Manitowoc County, golfers have a variety of beautiful and challenging courses to play, trail riders have acres and miles of trail to explore, bowlers have a number of top-notch bowling centers and tennis buffs have many indoor and outdoor courts to experience.

Fine art, historic artifacts and the performing arts are all preserved, housed and displayed in Manitowoc County's historic architectural treasures including a 19th Century mansion, a renovated 1922 County Teachers College, a vintage restored 1921 vaudeville house, a 1905 school building, a warm 1850 hotel with saloon, and a dignified convent built in 1900. In these and other area museums and gallery visitors will find artworks by ancient and modern masters including Norman Rockwell and Georgia O'Keefe, sculpture gardens, pre-historic artifacts, touring artists, Broadway shows, theatre, dance and music, rare historic murals, and flower gardens.

From pioneer log homes to grand 19th and early 20th Century Mansions, the architectural past is on display throughout Manitowoc County. In Historic Downtown Manitowoc, visitors will find one entire block of unique historic structures housing antique and gift shops, restaurants, theaters, museums and more.

Antique, collectible, artwork, craft, doll, souvenir and gadget hunters enjoy shopping Manitowoc county's specialty malls, gift and antique shops and galleries. From one-of-a-kind heirloom jewelry, unique gift items and out-of-print music books and recordings, to the latest "must-have" kitchen gadgets found in the nation's largest kitchen store, there's a lot to be discovered shopping in Manitowoc County.

Diners will find a delightful variety of restaurants in Manitowoc County, including gracious lakeside hotel dining rooms, family style home cooking emporiums, authentic bistros, coffee houses, spectacular Door County Fish Boils, traditional Friday night fish fries, Swedish smorgasbords, and Asian, Italian, Polish and Bohemian specialties.

Manitowoc County also offers travelers an excellent selection of accommodations, from award-winning hotels and full-service conference centers to rustic log homes, historic bed & breakfast inns, family operated motels and wooded campsites.

A trip to Manitowoc County, for a short stay or a vacation, is a must for the entire family!
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Museums and Historic Sites

Wisconsin Maritime Museum
75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc
920-684-0218
Visitors to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum are invited to tour the U.S.S. COBIA, an authentic W.W.II submarine and a National Historic Landmark. While on board the U.S.S. COBIA, scan the harbor through a W.W.II periscope, and view two floors of fascinating exhibits including a model ship gallery and special displays of the great and small ships produced by Manitowoc shipbuilders since 1842. The largest maritime museum in the Midwest, with more than 100 years of Great Lakes Maritime history on display, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is an entertaining, educational adventure for the entire family. Open daily 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Memorial Day - Labor Day. In winter open Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Submarine tours year-round, weather permitting.

Capitol Civic Center
913 S. 8th St., Manitowoc
920-683-2184
Located in the heart of Historic Downtown Manitowoc, the Capitol Civic Center is a vintage 1921 vaudeville house. This fully restored theater is home to 14 local performing groups and hosts professional touring artists, orchestras, Broadway shows, dance companies and popular music groups. Tours arranged by appointment. Box office hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. - noon.

Manitowoc County Heritage Center
1701 Michigan Ave. Manitowoc
920-684-4445
Housed in a renovated 1922 County Teachers College, the Heritage Center features exhibits on local history, a research library, educational learning center, auditorium stage, gift shop and administrative offices of the Manitowoc County Historical Society.

Pine Crest Historical Village
County Highway JJ, Manitowoc
920-684-5110
Nestled on 60 acres of scenic Kettle Moraine woodlands, fields and rolling hills, Pinecrest Historical Village features 25 historic buildings and special exhibits interpreting Manitowoc County farm and village life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Village buildings include Norwegian, Bohemian and German log houses built in the 1840's and 1850's, a circa 1870 General Store, 1890's Cheese Factory and an 1850 Farm House. The village offers self-guided audio tours and hosts special annual events including GermanFest, Fall Harvest Festival and Christmas at Pinecrest. Visitors will also find colorful garden and quiet nature trails winding through the village grounds. Open May 1 through mid-October.

Historic Washington House
1622 Jefferson St., Two Rivers
920-793-2490
Operated by the Two Rivers Historical Society, this warm, restored 1850 hotel and saloon features rare murals in the second floor ballroom, historic artifacts, and an old-time soda fountain and ice-cream parlor. Open 365 days a year.

Two Rivers History Museum
1810 Jefferson St., Two Rivers
920-793-1103
Captivating historic and seasonal art displays highlight three floors of ethnic, social, civic and religious history exhibits displayed in this dignified, 1900 convent building. Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. May - October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November - April.

Rahr-West Art Museum
610 N. 8th St., Manitowoc
920-683-4501
From the parlors of the National Register Victorian mansion built in 1891 to the adjacent modern gallery wing, the Rahr-West Art Museum displays valuable collections of 19th and 20th century paintings, antique furnishings and dolls, Chinese ivory carvings, and an art and history library. Here visitors will find an important collection of works by modern masters, including Georgia O'Keefe, Jasper Johns, David Hockney, Stuart Davis, and Sam Francis, along with changing exhibits and special events. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The Old School
Norman Rockwell Center
315 Elizabeth St., Mishicot
920-755-4560
Housed in a 1905 schoolhouse, this center offers the country's largest collection of Norman Rockwell paintings, plates, sketches and other artwork. Open Mon. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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Parks and Nature Centers

Point Beach State Forest
9400 Cty. Hwy. O, Two Rivers
920-794-7480
Located on a point jutting into Lake Michigan, the forest's 6-mile beach is a great place to camp, catch a wave, walk in the sand, or hike through the forest.

West of the Lake Gardens
925 Memorial Drive, Manitowoc
920-684-6110
Created in 1934 along Lake Michigan's shoreline, this 6-acre estate of the late Ruth and John West features a Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Sunken Garden, Formal Garden and more than 900 feet of herbaceous borders filled with colorful annuals. Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in season.
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Special Things To Do

Lincoln Park Zoo
1200 N. 8th St., Manitowoc
920-683-4685
Visit birds and animals native to the North Woods thriving in the Lincoln Park Zoo's newly constructed natural habitats. The beautiful, wooded, 101-acre park also features private and public picnic areas, a children's playground, hiking trails and restrooms. The zoo is open daily, 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day, and 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. in winter.

Points of Interest

Historic Downtown Manitowoc
8th St., Manitowoc
920-683-4388/800-627-4876
Manitowoc's lakeshore downtown - a National Register Historic District - is at the heart of community activities. The recently renovated 8th St. and 8th St. Bridge provides a pleasant atmosphere to enjoy a walking tour of the restored historic commercial block now occupied by fine boutiques and specialty shops.