Israel isn’t the only place in the world called “The Holy Land”. Wisconsin has a “Holyland” of its own and it’s an area rich in history. Located east of the southern end of Lake Winnebago, the Wisconsin Holyland is comprised of various local communities.
The Wisconsin Holyland extends through northeastern Fond du Lac County, southern Calumet County, and northwest Sheboygan County. Communities included in the Holyland are: Taycheedah, Calumet, Marshfield, Brothertown, Calvary, Charlesburg, Jericho, Johnsburg, Marytown, Mount Calvary, St. Anna, St. Cloud, St. Joe, and St. Peter. Eden, Wisconsin is often sometimes included as part of the Holyland as well. One can walk Peebles Trail in Fond du Lac to the Holyland area. It is a beautiful area along “the ledge” overlooking Lake Winnebago’s eastern shore.
The Holyland area is deep-rooted in Roman Catholicism. Father Casper Rehrl founded several Roman Catholic churches in the area. Between 1841 and 870, eleven parishes were established and eventually grew into communities. Most Germans immigrated to the United States in search of better economic conditions, arriving in New York and sailing the Great Lakes to Sheboygan. They then traveled to the Holyland on foot or via the once-popular Sheboygan-Fond du Lac railroad.
For those interested in learning more about the history of Wisconsin’s Holyland, visit the Malone Area Heritage Museum in Malone, Wisconsin. The museum is comprised of two buildings, one of which was the train depot for the community. Malone was originally named St. John, but was later renamed after H.T. Malone, a railroad official.
Although the history and churches landmark this area, it is the people who make the Holyland. It is in the Holyland where you will find honesty and integrity of the highest regard. It is a place where an old-fashioned handshake seals a deal. Here neighbors know each other and care for each other. Say good-bye to city life and hello to small town America with a Little House on the Prairie comradery.
If the Wisconsin Holyland sounds like the right place for you and your family, there aremany communities to search for the perfect home. Visit the Klapperich property search page to browse available homes and land for sale in the Wisconsin Holyland. Then, reach out to a Klapperich Real Estate agent to schedule your showings.
** Photo by User Royalbroil via Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository, available under Public Liceanse, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic License. File:StAnnChurchStAnnaWisconsin.jpg.
Image URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StAnnChurchStAnnaWisconsin.jpg
