To spot the History Museum at the Castle, look for a large, castle-like stone building with a tall square turret and arched wooden doors, just across from Lawrence University.
As you stand here, imagine the grand stone walls rising above you, built in 1923, when lodge members in tuxedos would sweep up these steps on mysterious Masonic business. Now, the secrets hidden within belong to the museum-home to some of the Fox River Valley’s greatest treasures. Inside, you’d find more drama than a detective novel: Appleton’s own Harry Houdini, the master escape artist, lent not just his name but his picks, locks, and even worn handcuffs to the collection. Can you picture the rattling keys and tinkling locks Houdini used as he astounded crowds? Right next to his magical tools, the museum shelves hold stories from Senator Joe McCarthy’s fiery politics and Edna Ferber’s literary journeys. Remarkably, the walls hold over 35,000 photographs-think of all those faces, frozen from 1857 onwards, who once strolled where you stand now. In 2018, this very place was awarded the top national honor for museums-no rabbit in a hat, just years of hard work and a bit of historical magic! And who knows? Maybe a ghost or two is hiding behind those ancient stone corridors, still practicing their disappearing tricks…
