Welcome to the National Historic Cheesemaking Center
and the Green County Welcome Center

The National Historic Cheesemaking Museum is located in the former Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Depot (see page header).  Built in 1888, the railroad depot was moved to its present location in 1993, through the tireless efforts of Historic Monroe, Inc. and Historic Cheesemaker.  After the move was complete, the building was restored by members and friends of the organization and dubbed the "Monroe Depot", and currently houses the National Historic Cheesemaking Museum, the Green County Welcome Center and the Milk House Gift Shop.  

We have opened for our 2012 season and will be staffed to assist the traveler through October, seven days a week, with information, directions, and direct you to what is available in Monroe, the Green County area, in addition to information for the entire state of Wisconsin.  Maps of the City, County and State are also available.  

At the National Historic Cheesemaking museum, get a glimpse of the manual labor of cheese making in the late 1800's and early 1900's, before automation which earned Monroe, Wisconsin, the title of the "Cheese Capital of the USA", at a time that cheese factories could be found on almost every crossroad.
 
During your visit, step inside the century old Imobersteg Cheese Factory which sat undiscovered for almost a century.  The wooden one-room factory was moved to and restored on the National Historic Cheesemaking Center's campus.

On Saturday, June 9, 2012, take a turn in stirrring the kettle as Master Cheesemakers assisted by retired cheesemakers make a 90 pound wheel of Swiss cheese, as it was done over 100 year ago, right before your very eyes. The milk will arrive approximately 9:00 a.m. and the day will continue through mid afternoon when a completed wheel of Swiss is on the press table. Treat yourself to one of our Master Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and top it off with a fresh baked Cream Puff with real whipped cream and beverages available throughout the day.  The museum will be open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.