Saukville Historical Society

The Saukville Historical Society is thrilled to announce the return of the Crossroads Rendezvous this May 20-22, 2022 at Peninsula Park in Saukville.  After two successful events in 2018 and 2019, in which reenactors from across the Midwest, representing various people of the Fur Trade Era in Wisconsin from 1750-1840, gathered to create a “Living History Experience” for all ages, organizers were forced to cancel the event in 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic.  

The Saukville Historical Society ran the popular event from 1991 – 2006; then, in 2018, the event was brought back to the community by new organizers and fellow historical reenactors, Mary Boyle and Sara Dahmen of Port Washington.  In 2019, over 500 area students participated in the Friday School Day and over 2,000 visitors attended throughout the weekend, making for a very successful event that raised over $2,600 for the Saukville Historical Society.  

Mary Boyle, Crossroads Organizer, said, “The Crossroads Rendezvous was mine and my husband’s first reenactment, as well as our daughter’s, who was introduced to the hobby at the tender age of 5 months, so it really meant something to us.  Parents in the community who visited the event with their schools as kids often tell us they’re returning with their own children, which is great to see.  We’re thrilled to bring it back.”

Several historical reenactments across the country did not survive the pandemic, often due to lack of funding; however, the Crossroads Rendezvous received a substantial donation from an anonymous donor at the beginning of the year and that funding, along with a Tourism Grant of $6,500 from the Saukville Chamber of Commerce made it possible for organizers to move forward with the event.  

The Crossroads Rendezvous is hosted by the Saukville Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) organization.  Friday, May 20, is a School Day for area students, and runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.  Saturday, May 21, the event is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, May 22, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Visitors are encouraged to take the free shuttle from U-Haul, located at 835 Green Bay Ave. in Saukville, as parking at Peninsula Park is extremely limited.

The Saukville Historical Society/Crossroads Rendezvous & Riveredge Nature Center/Community Rivers Program invites the community to RIVER HISTORY DAY on Saturday, October 16th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. for a celebration of the Milwaukee River, past and present, and how it has impacted the community of Saukville. The event will feature fun for the whole family, including:

• River Songs by local folk musician, David HB Drake at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Mountain Man’s Music with original Crossroads Rendezvous Founder, Randy Miller
• Native American stories and crafts with Wisconsin author Karen Hartman
• Target casting with the Community Rivers Program
• Visit the Society’s 1937 Fire Engine & 1912 Pumper
• Dan Helm of the Saukville DPW on Storm Drains and the Milwaukee River
• Shoreline Cleanup and Learning Demonstrations with Riveredge Nature Center
• 100 Years on the Milwaukee River Photo Slideshow
• Submit your ideas for the Saukville Historical Society’s Outdoor Mural
• Fry Bread by the Saukville Historical Society
• Buffalo Burgers & Hot Dogs by the Saukville Moose Lodge

We hope you will join us at the Crossroads Museum, located at 200 N. Mill Street in Saukville, and learn more about the Milwaukee River and what the Saukville Historical Society and Riveredge Nature Center are doing to preserve and protect it for generations to come.

Street parking is available or park at Saukville Elementary School, located across the street and north of the Crossroads Museum.

For more information, please contact Mary Boyle at info@CrossroadsRendezvous.org

The Saukville Area Historical Society will host the Ozaukee County Historical Society Co-op Meeting on Saturday, January 25th at the Crossroads Museum, located at 200 N. Mill St. in Saukville. The public is invited to hear the special guest speaker, Jean Steinke, President of the OCHS, talk about “Downsizing Your Treasures” at noon, followed by the opportunity to sample recipes made from the “Tried and True Recipes” cookbook, which was published by the Port Washington Herald in the 1930’s. The SAHS will also announce the winner of the Quilt Raffle. Visitors will have one more opportunity to enter the raffle for the quilt, which was made by SAHS members as a fundraiser for the 15th Annual Crossroads Rendezvous and was recently returned to the SAHS to raffle off again, right up until the drawing. SAHS Members are welcome to arrive at 11 a.m. to participate in the Ozaukee County Historical Society Co-op Meeting.

Be sure to join the Saukville Area Historical Society for their 16th Annual Holiday Bake Sale & Gift Bazaar on Saturday, November 23rd from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. The event is the place to purchase homemade baked goods for the holidays, as well as all of your gift-wrapping needs and other holiday items!

Society members may drop off baked goods on Friday, November 22nd from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Volunteers to help at the event are always appreciated.

New this year: Visit the Crossroads Museum again on Saturday, December 7th from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., during the Saukville Legion’s annual Christmas at the Legion, when the Holiday Shop will reopen for a second time! Sorry, but there will be no bakery during this event.

Turn your Father’s Day shopping into a force for good. Shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/39-1646182 and Amazon donates to Saukville Area Historical Society, Inc..

The Crossroads Museum has historical, story-telling items that have been donated throughout the years to preserve our history, and it is time to have these items cleaned, organized and archived for preservation.  We are requesting your help Thursday mornings during the month of June from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Many hands make work light! We hope you will consider coming to the Crossroads Museum to help out. 

The Ozaukee County Historical Society has their annual WWII event at Pioneer Village the same weekend as the SAHS Crossroads Rendezvous but, rather than looking at this as a conflict, organizers have collaborated in order to get history enthusiasts to visit both events.

This year, programs at both events will feature a coupon for $1.00 off the other event, along with joint promotion on each organization’s website and social media pages.

This offer will only be good for the Saturday and Sunday for this year; however, should this initial offer be successful, organizers hope to collaborate on the School Day for both events in 2019.

SAHS Volunteers Needed!

After a successful inaugural event in 2018, the Crossroads Rendezvous Historical Reenactment will return the third weekend in May to Peninsula Park. Last year’s event raised over $2,600.00 for the Society, and Co-Organizers and SAHS members, Mary Boyle and Sara Dahmen, expect a larger event this year.

The theme of the event continues to be the Fur Trade in Wisconsin from 1750-1840, which the Crossroads played a very important part in. Participants are expected to double from last year, and over 500 school children are already registered for the School Day on Friday.

Last year, Society members managed the gate for the event, as well as selling fry bread and merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, and the book Memories From A Rural Ethnic Community at “the crossroads” – The Saukville, Wisconsin Area, by John Boatman), and we will be doing it again this year. Volunteers are still needed to help run the gate. If you are interested, please contact Mary at info@CrossroadsRendezvous.org.