Experience Kenosha County – Where Past Meets Present

Wisconsin has an astonishing, rich history, which lives on in a flourishing, vibrant community–Kenosha County. Since the beginning of Kenosha County, the community has continued to take pride in its roots, remembering and reviving the past into the present. Join us, as we embark on an uncharted quest, where past meets present. Whether it’s sports, museums, or community history, we’re discovering ALL the exciting, emerging experiences in Kenosha County. 

Kenosha Comets – Past Meets Present

What better way to begin our quest of Kenosha County’s emerging experiences than with the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). 

Past

The AAGPBL emerged from Philip K. Wrigley, long-time owner of the Chicago Cubs. During the Second World War, he wanted to find a way for the sport to stay alive, creating the first-ever women’s baseball league. In 1942, the Kenosha Comets joined the league, alongside four other teams–the Rockford Peaches, the South Bend Blue Sox, and the Racine Belles. 

To these women, it stemmed deeper than baseball. They became the symbol of determination, passion, and progress in women’s sports. Because of these four beginning teams, girls today have been inspired to follow their passions, including playing the game of baseball. 

Present

Established in 2004, the Women’s USA National Team fostered girls with a passion for baseball to a national level. Later, in 2019, American Girls Baseball–an affiliate of the AAGPBL–joined the spotlight, in an effort to keep the legacy and purpose alive from this historic league.

Recently, in 2023, the AAGPBL celebrated its 80th reunion, where players within the four original teams came together in Kenosha County. The all-star players from the first women’s league returned to the historic Simmons Field–a pillar in baseball–to watch the Women’s USA National Team and American Girls Baseball team compete.

With a deep history in women’s sports, Kenosha County continues to honor these women with County Executive Samantha Kerkman’s proclamation of Kenosha Comets & AAGPBL Days, which took place from August 3-5, 2023. It’s an experience open to one and all. Stop by Simmons Field and immerse yourself in its profound history and living legacy.

See the living legacy by watching the Uniquely Wisconsin episode, ‘Field of Dreams: AAGPBL 80th Reunion’ here.

Kenosha Museums

From the historic Simmons Field to the countless museums, we’re discovering more emerging experiences in Kenosha County.

Kenosha Public Museum

Speaking of discovery, did you know that Kenosha County rediscovered mammoths? In 1964, local workers set out on a mission to dig a drain tile in a field, in the rural Town of Paris. During an ordinary day’s work, they discovered a mammoth bone! 

Following this momentous discovery, excavation began by an archaeology team, which later became known as the Schaefer Dig. Shortly thereafter, an even-more-complete set of remains was excavated nearby and became known as the Hebior mammoth. At the Kenosha Public Museum, a replica of this grand excavation is put on display for visitors to travel back in time and experience this event in the present day. 

Dinosaur Discovery Museum – Carthage College 

Kenosha not only became recognized for archaeology, but also paleontology. Located in Kenosha County, Carthage College has established the Carthage Institute of Paleontology, dedicated to scientific excavation of dinosaurs.

The Carthage Institute of Paleontology is recognized to date as the largest undergraduate program of vertebrate paleontology, not only in North America, but also the United Kingdom! It consists of all three elements needed to open opportunities for graduate school–original research, field work, and lab work. Together, these elements guide today’s students to unearth the treasures of our past. 

For students and paleontologists in the field, finding fossils unlocks a profound sense of time and space. They provide an innate connection to life, no matter how far into the past. Dedicated to showcasing student research collections, the Dinosaur Discovery Museum is a true marvel.

Making it their mission to talk about and interpret the evolution of dinosaurs, the museum has historical encounters for all ages. Science is for everyone and a part of our heritage. Explore this living institution, FULL of active archives for yourself.

Want a sneak peak? Watch here as the archives come to life.

Kenosha’s Historic Lakefront – Past Meets Present

Whether it’s on the field or underground, Kenosha County has marvels scattered throughout the community. At the heart of the community, history is honored and is the foundation of the future. Let’s dive into Kenosha’s historic lakefront, where more emerging experiences await!

Past

Throughout the years, Kenosha County has shifted focus, originally starting as an agrarian town, centered on agriculture, and forming into an industrialized city. Amidst industrialization, with factories flourishing and businesses booming, many job opportunities opened, putting Kenosha on the map because it offered both a better life and a steady income.

Go back in time, when industrialization peaked at the Kenosha History Center. Discover the endless products Kenosha produced and distributed around and out of this world. To note, in the early 1850s, The Bain Wagon Company gained traction, as a Kenosha-made product. Later, Kenosha factories produced instruments, bed mattresses, wire rope, fire trucks, and most noteworthy, cars.

In 1902, Kenosha was home to one of the first mass produced cars–the Rambler–made by Thomas B. Jeffery Company. This company would later evolve into American Motors Corporation, the fourth largest automaker in the country! Honoring this industry, the Kenosha History Center displays some of the last engines ever made in the city–signed by factory workers. 

Kenosha County’s car industry eventually crashed, shifting the city’s focus once again, deindustrializing and redefining the community. What used to be a massive factory is now a beautiful lakefront with endless recreational experiences. 

Present

This initial vision, deconstructing factories and reconstructing the surrounding shoreline of Lake Michigan, has supported the entire community for the last 40 years. Naturally, people are drawn to water. Building on the lake’s beauty and attraction, the community has created public spaces for one and all, where a plethora of experiences have emerged.

From seeing Lake Michigan and exploring the shore paths to dining at restaurants and coffee shops, there’s a space for everyone to enjoy. With the seascape in every backdrop, Kenosha County has set the lakefront at the heart of the community. 

The lakefront gives the community a sense of pride, place, and abundant gratitude toward those who originally envisioned it. By honoring their history, Kenosha County has a firm foundation for the future to come.

Tune into Uniquely Wisconsin’s, ‘Revitalization of our Community : Past, Present, and Beyond’ here to see Kenosha County’s journey unfold.

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Don’t let these emerging experiences in Kenosha County slip by…Explore where past meets present, within women’s sports, local museums, and community history. This unique quest is one you’ll never forget. 

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Hailey Rose: Writer for Discover Mediaworks. A born & bred Wisconsinite with a love for fishing, hunting, and enjoying the great outdoors.