Museums and More - Tomah Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention & Visitors Bureau

	Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center Cranberries have been grown commercially in Wisconsin for over 150 years. That's a lot of history for one tiny berry. During that time, cranberry growers have adapted their production methods to the environment, changes in agricultural technology and changes in the marketplace. In addition to developing new ways of growing cranberries, they have also created new ways of using the fruit. You’ll learn all about that – and more – during a visit to the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center. For more information you may call (608) 378 - 4878.
	Tomah Historical Society Museum Located at 1112 S. Superior Avenue in the heart of downtown Tomah, the History Museum catalogs the history of Tomah...including displays from Tomah native son Frank King, creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip "Gasoline Alley". Visitors will also find displays on early Tomah industries and businesses, including railroad and lumber years, agriculture and cranberry operations. Admission is free. The museum is open mid-May until October 1st Tuesday – Saturday 1 pm to 4 pm. Closed Sundays & Mondays. For more information call (608) 372-1880. Photo at left is picture of what was once Frank King's desk. When you are driving down Tomah's City Center on Superior Avenue, you are driving on "Gasoline Alley", a constant reminder of Comic Strip originator Frank King and the characters: Uncle Walt, Phyllis, Skeezix and all of the rest published in over 300 daily newspapers with a daily combined readership of over 27,000,000.
King was born to Carolyn and John King and raised on the ridge south of Tomah. The Kings operated a general store, where the Hardware Hank store in Tomah is now located. Frank graduated from Tomah High School in 1901. As a youth he won first prize in an art contest sponsored by the Butts Furniture Store. Kings pictures began to arouse a lot of interest. Ideas for a progressive comic strip and Gasoline Alley came to him many years later, when he was employed by the Chicago Tribune. Prior to that, he worked for a newspaper in Minneapolis as an illustrator. During World War I, he was overseas sketching scenes of the war for publication in United States newspapers. He also worked for the Chicago Examiner in his early days. King has been praised widely for his natural, wholesome credible characters. His drawings have been exhibited as "Distinctive American Art" in many places. He had a one-man show in Springfield, Illinois and Buffalo, New York. In 1959, the National Cartoonist Society named him cartoonist of the year, and the same group judged "Gasoline Alley" best of the year. King saw the plot of the feature as developing progressively further. Skeezix, as Dad Walt, will change from father to grandfather. Frank King died in 1969 at the age of 89 years and was buried beside his wife in Oak Grove Cemetery in Tomah. Frank King was, and continues to be, one of Tomah, Wisconsin's true keepsakes.

	Little Red Schoolhouse Museum A bit of the past comes alive when visitors enter the door of the Little Red Schoolhouse, located in Gillett Park on Tomah’s Superior Avenue, also know as Gasoline Alley. In December 1863, the voters of the district called a meeting for the purpose of building a schoolhouse. Two hundred dollars was set-aside for this purpose. Forty dollars was also set aside for the teacher’s wages and incidentals. The land was leased from the King Family and purchased from the Hartwell Estate in 1899.
Watermill School was built in 1864, on County Truck G, five miles northeast of Tomah. The name Watermill was given because of the locality of the school. It was built near Mill Creek, and a mill had been erected for the lumber industry. School was called to order twice a year, spring and fall sessions. The first teacher, Marie Nelson, was hired to teach for 3 months for $3.00 a week. Twenty-two days constituted a month in 1871. No scholar living outside the school district could attend without paying $1.50 tuition. The Watermill School was one of the first in the area to supply free textbooks, beginning in 1912. In 1914, an entry was added to the building, this is the only addition that occurred. The doors to Watermill School were closed in 1965. At this time, the city purchased the School and moved it to its present location. It was refurnished by the park board, painted red and set aside as a museum. In 1967, it was opened to visitors. An attendant is on duty to give a brief history of the school and to answer questions. Visitors are intrigued by its charm and enjoy a little history of yesteryears. The wood stove, desks, and other furnishings are all a part of the past. Many volumes of old books line the shelves. Maps and smaller items are on display in wall cases. The public is invited to stop Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend on Wednesday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, on Saturdays 7:00 am to Noon and on Sundays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center

Tomah Historical Society Museum

Little Red Schoolhouse Museum