One of the greatest dangers to folk art is vandalism — but neglect is what invites it. After Modern Woodmen activities ended and Camp 6190 was deactivated in 1929, the building now known as Wood Hall passed down the Gibeault family tree.

For nearly forty years it stood unlocked and unharmed, protected not by alarms or glass, but by a community that used it, loved it, and looked after it. Oral histories tell of roller-skating parties, wedding receptions, and town gatherings beneath Hüpeden’s painted walls and ceiling.

Mother Nature and Father Time, however, were less kind. Seasonal temperature shifts caused the painted plaster ceiling to fail and fall. That artwork is believed lost — but hope springs eternal — and perhaps it survives in family photographs taken during those celebrations.

These images show the names of couples who held their wedding receptions in Wood Hall. Do you recognize any of the names?

Community protected this building.

Community can help restore its story.