Kohler’s American Club a place to unwind
Visiting Kohler, Wisconsin, is like taking a trip to one of the most unusual, richly historic but beautifully modern “company towns” on the planet.
The hallmark of the area is The American Club, which turns 100 this year,
Close to Lake Michigan, The American Club is a microcosm of Wisconsin history, a magical, 21st-century playground for serious unwinding.
There’s a lot to take in, like the unparalleled Whistling Straits Golf Course, Kohler Waters Spa, and fine dining, especially The Immigrant Restaurant & Winery Bar.
Lesser known stops around Kohler and Sheboygan include children’s museums and storybook gardens, which have their own power of persuasion to pull you back time and again.
Let’s start with the American Club, the granddaddy of luxury resorts with a timeless feel.
If you were standing outside the gracious resort today, you can’t miss its distinctive 100-year-old link to its roots.
That 100-foot tall flagpole flying the American flag is in the same spot where it was placed in 1918.
A good idea is born
Just west of Sheboygan is a pocket of pleasure of American industriousness. This is Kohler and the five-star, five-diamond hotel, The American Club, known for its considerable contributions to American culture.
Founder John Michael Kohler, an immigrant from Austria, came here and prospered in the 19th century. When Walter J. Kohler, third son of the founder (and 27th governor of Wisconsin from 1919 to 1931) dedicated The American Club, on June 23, 1918, he noted, “The worker deserves not only wages but roses as well.”
The club began as a rooming house where immigrants who worked for Kohler industries were taught how to succeed in their new land. The name was chosen because Walter Kohler felt it personified the high standard of living offered to those working in their adopted country.
But Kohler didn’t stop there. He hoped The American Club would inspire great love for this country. He was deeply interested in the Americanization of its residents from faraway places like Austria, Holland, Germany and Russia, and so he promoted an atmosphere of education. Rooms were converted to classrooms, and workers were taught to speak, read and write English.
An American flag hung at the end of the dining hall (now The Wisconsin Room). While residents ate hearty food, Sousa marches played on the Victrola.
The American Club has several modern accommodations on the resort’s property. The Carriage House has 55 rooms and is also the site of the Kohler Waters Spa, one of only 48 five-star spas in the world (per Forbes Travel Guides).
Grand scale golfing
Whistling Straits has two courses showcasing vibrant scenery and unique challenges.
As you stand on a tee box you might see blackface sheep grazing in the rough as if they were home in the British Isle. Endless mounds and hilly curves also command your attention.
This is the drama and beauty that is Whistling Straits.
Kohler Design Center
Dazzling displays of kitchen and bathroom designs by Kohler. Take a factory tour and prepare to be wowed.
Several events are planned for fall, including a Food & Wine Experience Weekend, Oct. 18-21. Browse the extensive schedule of tastings and demonstrations, which includes free events Oct. 19 and 20.
Tubs & Treats takes places from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 27. The free Halloween event includes trick-or-treating, science experiments and cookie decorating.
Bookworms wanted
Several years ago Sandy Livermore had an idea. The Sheboygan woman wanted to bring children’s books alive through a combined concept of gardens and children’s literature.
The result has become botanical gardens that enrich the minds of kids of all ages including their parents. Bookworm Gardens, 1415 Campus Drive, Sheboygan, provides learning activities such as classes and field trips, and of course playing and exploring over 65 gardens. Each garden was inspired by a children’s book: www.bookwormgardens .org/.
Check the website for October dates when the annual Happily Haunted Gardens is in full swing with live characters from well-known books.
Going Above & Beyond with science
When you’re in downtown Sheboygan, it’s nearly impossible to miss the Above & Beyond Children’s Museum, 902 N. 8th St. It’s easy to think, “What in the world is that?” This towering fanciful looking architectural giant is three floors tall with 10,000 feet of space for trying out hands-on exhibits: www.abkids.org.
If your child loves science, this is your place.
On Thursdays through Dec. 6, the museum offers the Science Minors Club, a program of hands-on activities designed by Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry for children 8 through 12 years old, will be going strong at 4 p.m.
On Oct. 13, the Wisconsin Science Festival offers hands-on activities from 1-3 p.m.
BBQ Sheboygan-style
Admittedly, the first time I stopped here I was lost. But my first hickorysmoked BBQ sandwich at this huge chuckwagon-like restaurant hooked me fast. Parker Johns BBQ & Pizza’s twolevel dining room at 705 Riverfront Drive, along the Sheboygan River, has earned many intentional return visits even when I’m not near Sheboygan: www.parkerjohns.com.
Driving down the highway getting near this place, I already know what I’ll order. Sconnie fries, pulled pork, and a side of frickles (battered and fried pickles). The latter you have to acquire a taste for, but when you do, you’ll be back for more.