Dan Hess
If you've been around OWW in the last 9 years, you may have seen Dan running around the site, driving a golf cart or tram, putting in a fence, or teaching a young guest about leather working. We are thrilled to re-introduce him to you as the Guest Experience and Events General Manager.
Dan's passion for public and living history began when his grandfather, Joe, introduced him to the pastime of Civil War re-enacting in childhood. Nearly 30 years later, Dan's commitment to keeping history alive and tangible for all people is clear. In his tenure he has:
- Built out the token experience in the Crossroads Village.
- Hand-reared a few sheep - including one that he temporarily kept in his apartment.
- Started the For Liberty and Union Civil War re-enactment on site.
- Set-up countless Yule Goats and Sorghum Mazes.
- Stood as the inspiration for artistic renderings of blacksmiths at least twice.
- Led school tours, driven trams, put in fences, and countless tasks that fall under "other duties as assigned" - always with a smile on his face and a great attitude.
Dan jumped into the role of General Manager right around the time he jumped into the role of new dad to his son, Ole. (Feel free to ask him for baby pictures next time you see him!) Dan's favorite part of working at OWW is getting to collaborate with other passionate staff, volunteers, donors, and guests.
In his new role, he's looking forward to working with his team to build out new and exciting opportunities for guests to get their hands on history. Dan is an expert on making history, particularly agricultural and industrial history, feel accessible and relevent for guests of all ages.
Next time you're on-site make sure you wave and say hello! Keep an eye out for the Sunset Soiree invitation, you might just see a familiar face smiling back at you.
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