pendarvis

One of the principal early attractions of Wisconsin and Iowa was lead mining. The village of Pendarvis really brings this early history to life. Be sure you take the tour as the stories about the life of the miners should not be missed. When you hear about the Cornish pasty remember that the modern day (cooked) version of this can be found in nearby Galena. It is sooo good! Visiting the homes of the miners and hearing about bath time frankly makes the entire visit worthwhile. Well worth the time...and don't remember to find a Cornish pasty for lunch or dinner.

I visited Cornwall several times while I lived in the UK, and it was so interesting to see it "transported" to the Upper Midwest. The US has so many histories, so many stories, and while not all of them make the history books, it is fun to learn them in an interesting place like Pendarvis.

As the reviews below this one point out a guided tour is the only way to appreciate Pendarvis. The buildings, the people and lead mining need to be explained. If you arrive in between the tours at 11, 2, and 3:15 I would recommend taking the short walk ( 2 minutes ) or drive (15 seconds ) to Shake Rag Alley and hang out at that interesting place. Pendarvis doesn't seem that interesting unless a passionate tour guide tells you the stories of the times when it was vital to SW Wisconsin. You will learn a lot from the guide such as the fact that the wives did not shake their rags to get their husbands to come home for dinner. Down in the mines it is unlikely the men could have heard rags being shaken. The "poor side of town" was referred to in different areas as the "shake rag district". Also, the reviews below me stated that they learned nothing about lead mining or that the tour concentrated solely on the two men that revitalized Pendarvis. Maybe a guide is the luck of the draw but I learned that lead mining's process of smelting was very harmful to the local environment, the expert miners who came from Cornwall, England and that the two men were just part of the story here. If you don't hear what you came to learn ask questions as I am sure the guides have the answers. The tour lasts about an hour which will give you plenty of time to explore Mineral Point and their fine restaurants, shops and attractions. If you are interested in Wisconsin history of the mid 19th century, mining, Cornwall, England, food and fine dining, or just want to learn something new this is an excellent place to visit. The admission fee of $10 is well justified when a guide is involved and spend some time browsing at the visitor center as it is interesting in more ways than just mining and early Wisconsin life.

Having arrived when the first guided tour was half completed we were left witht he option of taking a self-guided tour or waiting over 2 hours for the next escorted one (they are only offered at 11:00, 2:00 and 3:15). We chose the self-guided but felt that the price for the tour was high especially when it was not guided. We were disappointed to find that the buildings in this Cornish mining town were not original to the site. Without a guide it was difficult to gain the background information on the miners or the mining operation. The pamphlet provided for the self-guided tour contained more information about the creation of "Pendarvis" as a restored village than about the original occupants and their lifestyle. We did not feel this was a worthwhile stop.

The guided tour is very interesting and informative. It really makes the unique history of the area come alive. It is a wonderful reason to visit lovely Mineral Point.

Based on the Pendarvis website, and our general knowledge of Wisconsin history, we expected to learn about the mining industry and its impact on the community, economy, and environment. Instead the tour guide focused entirely on two men who bought the old buildings and refurbished them into restaurants.

We arrived between tour times and decided to come back a short while later for the tour. It was a good decision as the docent/tour guide was very informative and the tour was very well organized. The narration by the guide enhanced the sequence of movement between the rooms and buildings. Questions were answered seamlessly with the presentation. The guided tour and visiting Pendarvis was a great way to learn about the history of the area, the town, and the site.

Historical sites are sometimes artificial "recreations", sometimes the mansions of the rich (if not always famous). It is not often you get a site which offers a slice of working class history, in this case the houses of Cornish lead and zinc miners. This is a fascinating glimpse of miners' life in the nineteenth century, We came too late for a guided tour, but you can easily find your way on a self-guided visit. We came on the first day it was open this season, and were surprised that we were the only visitors that day (a Wednesday in May -- not high season!). I hope it gets more traffic in the summer, as it certainly deserves.

You can get the real feel of the early mining days and how the people lived in such small homes. You really appreciate our lifestyle now....much easier

We did the self guided tour which took just about an hour. You can aso do a guided tour for the same price. Our tour included a booklet that describes each of the buildings so you go at your own pace. I must admit to limited knowledge about mining so I found it pretty interesting. The buildings are well restored and the story of Mineral Point is well told. Worth the $10.00 admission.

We liked how they renovated all those building and it gave us insight on how people lived back in the mining days. Thank youHellum and Neal for preserving the past

We discovered the History Lover membership for the Wisconsin Historical Society this year and are making an effort to visit all of the sites. We have not been disappointed. We really enjoyed Pendarvis and the staff were especially helpful and knowledgeable. It has been rewarding to discover Wisconsin's historical sites.

Interesting little place. The grounds were nice and the buildings are pretty neat. I know they are old and therefore they are going to be a little musty, but I was having a hard time with the smell. They are a neat place to check out though.

the old white frame building is the visitor center which is free. that's where you can purchase tour tickets for pendarvis. the lady there was so friendly and informative. we loved the whole town...lots of stone buildings on hillsides downtown and big old mansions uptown. the original stone/log cottages are still so strong. you need to plan a half day to see enough of the town. residents keep beautiful grounds and homes. it's in a great area for motorcycling.

There is a lot of history in Pendarvis and I am happy to have taken the tour. Being a history buff, I enjoyed my time in Pendarvis and highly recommend sight seeing in the area.