Settle into the Walnut Room, located in Wade House’s Visitor Center on Highway 23, and prepare to learn, discuss and engage with captivating stories from celebrated authors and historians alike. From a deep-dive on Indigenous watercraft to a history of Wisconsin’s iconic bar and brewery culture to the stories behind famous - and strange - early Badger State recipes, our state history is rife with little-known facts, untold secrets and astonishing revelations—revelations you won’t want to miss out on.  

Every Timeless Tales Talk at Wade House includes a special presentation, a live question-and-answer segment and, often, an opportunity to purchase a book signed by the presenting author or authors. Learn more about each speaker and presentation dates below.  

Saturday, February 1, 2025 | From Wood to Watercraft: Dugout Canoes of Wisconsin 

The Wisconsin First Peoples were no strangers to utilizing their environment in innovative ways—a notion the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project remains committed to highlighting through the preservation of artifacts and the documentation of Indigenous cultural traditions still practiced today. Join Sissel Schroeder, professor of archaeology in the Anthropology Department at UW-Madison, as she explores the history of Indigenous watercraft— including the discovery of a well-preserved dugout canoe found in Lake Geneva in 1929—and the intersectional nature of transportation, social power and relationships within Wisconsin First Peoples communities. Schroeder is a contributor to the larger Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project, which highlights the persistence of cultural traditions and technological ingenuity among Indigenous groups through time.   

Sissel Schroeder received her PhD from The Pennsylvania State University and is currently a Professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is also an affiliate of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, the Center for Culture, History, and the Environment, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, and the Material Culture Studies Program. Her current research is focused on issues of sociopolitical complexity, climate change impacts, and historical ecology among ancient Native American societies of the southeastern and midwestern United States.

All dates: 

Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. | From Wood to Watercraft: Dugout Canoes of Wisconsin 

Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries

Sunday, May 4, 2025 | 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Extra! Extra!  Eat All About It!  Recipes and Culinary Curiosities from Historic Wisconsin Newspapers

Cost

Adults (18-64): $8 

Teens (13-17): $8 

Seniors (65+): $6 

Children (5-12): $6 

Children under 5: Free