Success and improvements have highlighted a big tourist season this year for the Holt and Balcom Logging Camp Museum in Lakewood.
“The Holt and Balcom Logging Camp Museum has concluded a very successful 2026,” said assistant museum director Mae Treptow, who conducts most of the Summer Saturday public tours. “Increasing our online presence really helped. Lots of visitors said that if it wasn’t for our new Facebook page, they would never have known we existed.”
Director Kathleen Marsh cited another key reason for attendance rising to its highest level since the pandemic.
“Thanks to the newly minted Nicolet Express,we again have a direct way to tell people about the oldest logging camp sitting on its original site in America,” Marsh said. “It’s made a huge difference.”
School field trips director Bob Brown reported that 120 fourth graders and chaperones from area schools enjoyed their annual field trip to the camp where they experienced a hands-on trip to explore their heritage.
“The excitement and enthusiasm of the kids is contagious,” Brown said. “It’s always a great experience for them and lots of fun for our dedicated volunteer staff.”
Brown oversaw some badly needed restoration work in August.
“As always, Schaut Carpentry under the leadership of Lloyd ‘Buddy’ Schaut did an excellent job,” he said. “An expert crew completed repair and replacement of a number of deteriorated outer wall logs.”
Camp manager Dave Zuleger completed minor repairs and much-needed painting in the early summer. He also managed to safely deter most of the resident bat population that uses the bunk house as a warm weather home.
Marsh said that while all the activity is a wonderful thing for the museum, it has resulted in funds being almost depleted, and so museum officials are working to restore funding to full capacity.
Checks made out to Holt and Balcom Logging Camp Museum may be mailed to Marsh at 16965 Nicolet Road, Townsend, WI 54175.
