For exact dates and for info about events that require advance RSVPs, such as the Mothers’ Day tea and the murder mysteries, use the links below.
Larson House Museum: Facebook page / upcoming events
McFarland Historical Society: Facebook page / upcoming events
Meeting is at 7:00 pm at the Larson House. Current and future volunteers are all welcome!
The 2026 McFarland Historical Society Annual Meeting takes place April 12, 2026 from 1 to 3 pm, in the Training Room at the McFarland Municipal Building at 5915 Milwaukee Street. All are welcome–you do not need to be a MHS member! The Annual Meeting features a guest speaker on a topic related to local history, as well as the presentation of our annual Volunteer of the Year award. Refreshments will also be served.
This year, UW-Madison professor emeritus Calvin B. DeWitt will be the guest speaker. Cal was part of the Nelson Institute where through teaching, research and public service he profoundly influenced ecological integrity and sustainability. He was awarded the National Wildlife Federation’s Connie Award for conservation in 2015. He has contributed actively to conservation and environmental stewardship at the local, state, national and international levels. Cal was elected to the Town of Dunn Board of Supervisors and became the Town Chairman in 1977 where he promoted land use planning and the protection of natural areas. Cal often invited his college students to visit his home on the edge of the Lake Waubesa wetlands. He inculcated environmental stewardship in untold numbers of young and not-so-young people locally and through seminars in foreign lands.
The annual meeting will also include a summary of the McFarland Historical Society’s activities and a salute to our Volunteer of the Year, Carol Torgeson. Carol has volunteered her time at the Larson House Museum from the beginning of the restoration process by painting, oiling woodwork, cleaning and assisting with various fundraisers. Her kindness and generous spirit are especially evident as she gives tours of this house museum for our many visitors. A special PowerPoint of Carol’s activities will be presented.
Questions? Please contact Jane Licht at 608-234-2504 or licht.jane@gmail.com.
Meeting is at 1:00 pm at the Larson House. All current hosts and new volunteers interested in finding out about hosting, please come! We will offer tours with experienced guides. We will explain hosting. It isn’t all about being a “docent.” There are opportunities to be a greeter with a friendly McFarland face.
Starting at 9 am, we will do spring cleaning inside and outside at the Larson House. New volunteers who would like to help out with this community project are welcome!
The always-sold-out Larson House teas will be held in 2026 on Sunday, May 3, and Saturday, May 9, both from 1-3 pm at the Larson House Museum at 6003 Exchange St, McFarland, WI. Both these dates are now full. If we get enough names on the waiting list, we’ll add a third tea at a later date. Please email Gail at gtaaroen@hotmail.com to express your interest.
The fascinating history of tea and tea parties will be explained as participants partake of tea, lemonade and sweet and savory treats in the elegant ambiance of this beautiful Victorian home. Those attending are encouraged to wear their Sunday best clothing and fancy hats. We have a wide selection of period appropriate hats on site for you to borrow for the event.
The fee is $25, a real bargain for this unique experience. All proceeds benefit the McFarland Historical Society.
We are still in need of volunteers to bake one of the confections to be served at the teas. Volunteers will be assigned a traditional recipe from the Society’s “Taking Time for Tea” book edited by Judy St. Clair. Contact Gail Aaroen at gtaaroen@hotmail.com for information.
To raise funds for the Larson House Museum gardens, gardener Gail Aaroen and a team of volunteers dig extra perennials from the garden. After washing off the soil, they replant in sterilized potting soil and sell the plants from the LHM driveway. This is a hugely popular plant sale that you won’t want to miss!
Plants include flowering and non-flowering plants suitable for full-sun to part-shade. Many Wisconsin native species are available.
We will be open 9-6 each day except we’ll close temporarily if it’s raining.
Come to the Larson House from 1-3 to celebrate Thelma’s special birthday! Thelma (photo: on the right) lives next door and was the founder of the beautiful gardens at both properties. She is also famous for her beautiful gourd art that she has donated for many years to benefit the Larson House Museum.
The Strawberry Shortcake Social will be held June 28th, 2026 from 1 to 5 pm at the the Larson House Museum (6003 Exchange Street, McFarland WI).
This event has been held annually since 2015 and features McFarland’s best strawberry shortcake. The strawberries are freshly picked and the shortcake is homemade. Hundreds of people come back year after year for family-friendly fun.
The social boasts a variety of live entertainment acts, lawn games and free tours of the Larson House. Beverages and hot dogs are also served with all proceeds benefiting the McFarland Historical Society.
The 2025 Strawberry Shortcake Social was cancelled due to a heat wave, but we still sold out of shortcake by selling it at McDaniel’s park a few days later. 😄 This year, keep your fingers crossed for our usual perfect weather at the Larson House Museum!
We are currently planning a gala historic fashion show to benefit the non-profit Larson House Museum and Gardens. This event will feature stunning and historically accurate costumes crafted by McFarland costume designer Dennis Schell, of “Costumes by Schell.”
From multi-layered Tudor court attire of the 1550 to the refined glamor of the 1920s, you will learn a little about each era and the evolution of fashion from one era to the next. Each garment is meticulously researched and constructed from undergarments to outer accessories to reflect historical accuracy and craftsmanship. Dennis often works for a solid year to create a single costume!
Other McFarland residents will be assisting Dennis with sewing the costumes, and will serve as makeup artists and models at the event. We will be selling tickets through this website beginning a couple of months before the event, which will take place at the McFarland High School on 5103 Farwell St in McFarland.
Would you like to become a patron or business sponsor of this event? Opportunities start at $100 and $250, respectively. Contact Gail Aaroen (gtaaroen@hotmail.com) for more information.
This Historic Fashion Show promises to be an unforgettable experience, and you won’t want to miss it. Mark your calendars now!
Every Tuesday in September and October – Join us indoors at the Larson House Museum at 1 pm and learn to crochet a lapghan (small afghan) or work on your own independent textile project (knitting, crocheting, etc.) For questions, contact Gail at gtaaroen@hotmail.com. This event debuted in 2025, and may be repeated in 2026. Check here for further info.
Every December Sunday from 1-4, our free Very Victorian Christmas event takes place at the Larson House Museum (LHM). Complimentary hot beverages and cookies are served in the kitchen after your tour. Enjoy a tour of house or sit and enjoy the music.
The Larson House Museum is a Queen Anne style Victorian home built in 1898 and furnished to represent the 1920’s when electricity first came to McFarland. It’s a great place to bring out-of-town guests that are visiting for the holidays. Take a guided tour and enjoy the unique trees and decorations in every room of this photogenic gingerbread house. Admission is always free and donations are welcomed. A Very Victorian Christmas is also a great opportunity to pick up some last-minute gifts, which often include succulent arrangements by Wes Licht, gourd Santa ornaments by Thelma Allen, t-shirts, wrapped gift baskets, and gift memberships to the McFarland Historical Society.
Starting in 2022, we have held a number of murder mystery evenings at the Larson House Museum. These events require a reservation and involve 8-20 costumed participants, in addition to a few volunteer servers and actors. Characters are assigned by the Murder Mystery Committee. Guests come up with appropriate costumes and arrive at the lovely Larson House at the date and time specified on their invitation. Costumes do not need to be elaborate and anything you need can easily be purchased at a thrift store.
During these mysteries, our “John Larson” manikin has suffered horrible deaths by poison in his champagne, an exploding chocolate Easter egg, a candlestick to the head, etc. Themes have involved various decades and countries (e.g., 1960s France), with food and background music to match. Guests enjoy elaborate and tasty food served to all in the dining room, champagne, wine, or non-alcoholic beverages and an evening of fun as everyone tries to solve the “who done” it mystery.
