Historic marker unveiled at SDC landmark

July 24 was a monumental day at Silver Dollar City when a historic marker, placed in front of the City’s Wilderness Church was unveiled.

Longtime Silver Dollar City master candy maker June Ward relayed many of the details on how the Wilderness Church came to be a part of Silver Dollar City.

The church was initially constructed as Wilson School, a one-room schoolhouse, built in Stone County in 1849. Hugo Herschend, after reading about the building in National Geographic, purchased the schoolhouse in 1954. The building was dismantled, one log at a time, moved and stored at what would later become Silver Dollar City. Hugo passed away before his wife, Mary Herschend and two sons, Jack and Pete, opened Silver Dollar City in 1960.

Mary would later have the log school reconstructed and dedicated at the Wilderness Church.

On Friday, a historic marker recognizing the rich and deep history of the building, was unveiled.

Silver Dollar City’s Peter Herschend, Brad Thomas, June Ward, Terry Wayne Sanders and many other SDC citizens were on hand for the special event.