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  • Visitors are welcome to wander the grounds at their leisure.

    Visitors are welcome to wander the grounds at their leisure.

  • The Saal - the largest room in the Waelderhaus.

    The Saal - the largest room in the Waelderhaus.

  • In the werkzimmer, visitors can view a Kachelofen - an enamel tile stove.

    In the werkzimmer, visitors can view a Kachelofen - an enamel tile stove.

  • The stube has a bregenzerwald style stove.

    The stube has a bregenzerwald style stove.

  • These traditional Austrian rooms represent a house similar to the one John Michael Kohler grew up in before traveling to America.

    These traditional Austrian rooms represent a house similar to the one John Michael Kohler grew up in before traveling to America.

  • The kuche is a preparatory kitchen with an open hearth.

    The kuche is a preparatory kitchen with an open hearth.

  • The Baden Powell Room contains a stained glass window featuring representations of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

    The Baden Powell Room contains a stained glass window featuring representations of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

  • The Baden-Powell Room contains a tapestry of Joan of Arc.

    The Baden-Powell Room contains a tapestry of Joan of Arc.

  • During the tour, guests will walk through the upper balcony of the Saal, offering a unique view of the room and of the Sheboygan River outside.

    During the tour, guests will walk through the upper balcony of the Saal, offering a unique view of the room and of the Sheboygan River outside.

  • The Saal contains beautiful stained glass windows mostly featuring alpine flowers like the thistle and rose.

    The Saal contains beautiful stained glass windows mostly featuring alpine flowers like the thistle and rose.

  • Waelderhaus in Winter

    Waelderhaus in Winter

Waelderhaus

Guten Tag! Willkommen im Waelderhaus!

 

Plan Your Visit - Call 920.453.2851 or email jen.balge@kohler.com

 

Tours are offered free of charge at 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 4:00 pm.

View stained glass, wrought-iron craftsmanship and woodwork in the Austrian style of the Bregenzerwald region

Reservations encouraged for groups larger than 10 people, walk-ins welcome!  

  

 

Waelderhaus,  a rich history . . .

Situated among the trees on a high bluff overlooking the winding Sheboygan River, The Waelderhaus stands as a tribute to the tradition of Bregenzerwald (forest of Bregenz) Province of Vorarlberg, Austria. This picturesque mountain valley on the western border of Austria was the ancestral homeland of the Kohler family.

Located in Kohler, Wisconsin, Waelderhaus, or "a house in the woods," is a tribute to the architecture of this Alpine area, and stands as a museum of artistry and superb craftsmanship. Kaspar Albrecht, a talented sculptor and architect from Munich, spent two years designing and directing the building of The Waelderhaus. He also created the carvings, woodcuts, reliefs, and iron and pewter work that enhance the building, and personally designed and supervised all phases of decor, from maps and tapestries to curtains and rods.

The Waelderhaus is managed by Kohler Foundation, Inc. It is located at 1100 W. Riverside Dr. in Kohler, and is open daily (except holidays) to the public for guided tours at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tours are offered free of charge.

For information or to make a reservation, please contact the Waelderhaus manager at: Jen. Balge@kohler.com or  (920) 453-2851.

 

Girl Scounts 1931 aac44384 Copy

The Waelderhaus Dedication Ceremony on July 26, 1931. Marie Christine Kohler (left side of photo, wearing white hat) stands in front of Waelderhaus with the girl scouts of Kohler Village. 

Marie Kohler1931 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Marie Christine, Kaspar Albrecht and the workers that helped build the Waelderhaus: From left: Theodore P. Baumgartner, Herbert Henning, Frank Wolf, John Multer, Marie Christine Kohler, Kaspar Albrecht, Martin Meves, Otto Jacobs, John G. Kaiser, and L.A. Heck. 

 

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