Discover Grantsburg: History and Nature

Grantsburg offers a historic focus in town and nature destinations in the wider travel region. The self-guided walking tour takes you through historic Grantsburg; Fish Lake Wildlife Area is about 3 miles south. This lets you focus your trip more on local history, wildlife watching, or both.

Historic Grantsburg on Foot

The Grantsburg Area Historical Society created the self-guided walking tour through historic Grantsburg; it opened on September 6, 2026. It includes Wedin House, the Abstract Building, and the Big Gust statue. The self-guided format gives you the opportunity to explore Grantsburg’s history through named locations. The tour is designed as a permanent visitor offering, making it a distinct focus for trip planning rather than just a one-time event.

Church and Jail as Historical Reference Points

The Grantsburg Area Historical Society Museum was originally the Norwegian Methodist Church, built in 1897. Another historical reference point is the original Burnett County Jail, built in 1870 and included on the walking tour. The two dates offer a simple chronological comparison. The jail was built before the church, which later served as a museum. Visitors interested in local history will find concrete buildings and names here to connect with these dates.

Nature Areas in the Travel Region

Fish Lake Wildlife Area covers 14,000 acres of wetlands, pine and oak barrens, and forests in a gently rolling landscape. Most visitors come to watch wildlife. The area is about 3 miles south of Grantsburg and can be reached via Highway 87, Fish Lake Road, Shogren Road, and County Road O. The approximate distance and the named roads provide orientation if wildlife watching is an important part of your stay.

Further afield, in western Burnett County, lies Crex Meadows Wildlife Area. Its 30,000 acres include wetlands, pine and oak barrens, and forests in a gently rolling landscape. Its species counts reveal another facet of the area: More than 280 bird species live there; it also has 720 plant species and more than 96 butterfly species. Crex Meadows also has a 3-D archery course. This regional nature area therefore offers an additional activity alongside its landscapes.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Accommodation Search

When choosing a vacation rental, you can first consider which experiences you want to define your trip. If the self-guided walking tour is your main focus, Grantsburg is the right location to use as a reference for your search. For Fish Lake Wildlife Area, its approximate location south of town and the four access roads can help you get your bearings. Crex Meadows broadens the view of the travel region with another nature area in western Burnett County. This lets you orient your search around history in Grantsburg and nature destinations in the wider region without treating their different geographic focuses as the same.

Discover more destinations: Siren.

View the broader travel overview: Burnett.