Just over an hour’s drive from Devil’s Lake State Park, a small white unassuming building in the village of Valton hides a unique and completely improbable collection of murals. Between 1899 and 1902, Ernest Hupeden, a German folk painter, covered the complete interior of Valton’s Modern Woodmen of America meeting hall with vivid, strange, and mystical scenes representing the fraternal society. Some of the imagery, created over a century ago, may be considered problematic today.
The Painted Forest is now a museum maintained by the Upper Baraboo Valley Historical Society and is open to the public on Saturdays from 1:00-3:00 during June, July, and August. It is an inclusive destination that welcomes all visitors to explore the fascinating history and art of the region.
