Visiting Lorine Niedecker: Museum Collections, Archives, Property and Gravesite
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin – 45 min. from Madison; 90 min. from Milwaukee; 2 hours from Chicago
The Friends of Lorine Niedecker work with several partners to facilitate visitors, scholars and researchers. Each has its own set of guidelines.
Museum Collections
The Hoard Historical Museum hosts the Lorine Niedecker archives. It includes papers, letters, pictures and ephemera. Much is digitized and available in partnership with the Digital Public Library of America on their web site.
The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
There is a Niedecker Exhibit that is open to the public including her desk and cedar chest where she kept her papers. Also exhibits about Lake Koshkonong and its history which influenced Lorine’s poetry.
Viewing archival collections is available by appointment only. Visitor requests should be made as soon as possible even if specific dates are yet to be identified. A list of requested materials must be submitted two weeks in advance.
Lorine’s personal library is housed at the Museum. There are also books that support the archive including books and magazines of her contemporaries and those that published her work.
Property on Blackhawk Island
The Blackhawk Island property is privately owned. Access to the cabin and walk to the river is available by appointment only through the Friends of Lorine Niedecker. Three weeks’ notice is required. It is on the National and State Registries of Historic Places. There is a historical marker and the property may be viewed from the road without an appointment.
Gravesite
Lorine’s gravesite is a short 7 minutes away from her cabin on Blackhawk Island, in Union Cemetery on Highway J. Make a left at the top of Blackhawk Island Road, right on Hwy J. As you enter the cemetery, go to the top of the hill and do a U-turn. Park by the white gate on the right. Her grave is just inside the gate.
There is no fee for tours or archive access but we ask for a donation to the Friends of Lorine Niedecker.
Recommended
We highly recommend visiting the exploring our website to become familiar with the resources available. That said, there is much to be said for an in-person visit! A prepared visit will be more robust.
On the web, there are past issues of the biannual newsletter, the “Solitary Plover,” that is published twice a year, winter and summer. Sign up for a free online subscription and for news and events.
We look forward to seeing you. Anyone interested in Lorine will be changed by a visit here.
Details for lodging and restaurants are available on request.