Prior to this past summer season, visitors to Historic White Pine Village walked among its buildings and artifacts without detailed signage to help them fully understand the people, work, and events that shaped Mason County. 

To make those connections more personal, the Mason County Historical Society installed 25 Heritage Trail markers, three wayfinding signs, and new interpretive signage in the Fire Barn and Blacksmith Shop, unveiling the completed trail during the Village’s 50th anniversary celebration on July 3, 2026, before more than 1,100 visitors. 

A grant from the Community Foundation for Mason County — made possible by the Gerald & Dorothy Heslipen Fund, Thomas W. Paine Charitable Fund, and Mason County Funds for the Community — supported 20 of the trail markers, while additional community partners helped complete the full project. 

“When people can see themselves in the stories being told, history becomes personal, memorable, and worth preserving,” said Rebecca Berringer, executive director of the Mason County Historical Society. 

Now serving more than 8,000 visitors each year, including approximately 3,500 students participating in History in Action Days, the Heritage Trail supports the Community Foundation’s Community Development: Recreation and Quality of Life priority by expanding access to an engaging arts and culture experience that celebrates Mason County’s identity.