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Neillsville

map provided by Delorme mapping software

 

 

attractions & oddities

resources

 

 

1

Chatty Belle
the World's Largest Talking Cow

 

location:  Neillsville
record holder / roadside oddity

   


This 16-foot-high fiberglass talking cow used to stand next to her smaller-in-stature 'son' named Bullet.  Local hoodlums damaged Bullet, which was the reason he was removed from the site.  Chatty Belle is alone now, so pay her a visit.

UPDATE:  Rumormongers claim that a new incarnation of Bullet will eventually return to Chatty Belle's side.

  (next to WCCN Pavilion on Highway 10 east of Highway 73)
1201 Division St.
Neillsville, WI  54456

I used to have a boss with eyes like these.
Roadside America
www.roadsideamerica.com

World's Largest Things
www.worldslargestthings.com

World's Largest Roadside Attractions
www.wlra.us/wl/wltlkcow.htm

Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com

Twine Tour
www.twinetour.com

Thom.org
www.thom.org

Journal Sentinel Online
article "World's largest . . . has home somewhere" or (here)

book:
"Roadside America"
by Mike Wilkins & Ken Smith & Doug Kirby
Fireside / Simon & Schuster (2nd ed., 1992)
page 144
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004)  pages 42 - 43

(3rd ed., 2009)
  page 36
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Midwest Marvels"
by Eric Dregni
UofM Press (2006)
pages 390 - 392
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 48 - 49

buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

2

World's Largest Replica Cheese
at the World's Fair Pavilion

   

 

location:  Neillsville
record holder / roadside oddity

    

Here stands the 1964 World's Fair Pavilion, which now houses a radio station, cheese store & gift shop.

The replica of a giant cheese block from the 1964 World's Fair was housed in its original trailer from the Fair, next to the WCCN Wisconsin Pavilion, which still holds a collection of souvenirs, posters and models of the World's Fair.  The trailer has been sold.


  1201 Division St.
Neillsville, WI  54456

                   

WCCN's Wisconsin Pavilion
hours:
(Mon - Fri)  8am – 5pm
(Sat - Sun)  9am – 5pm

Neillsville Online
www.neillsvilleonline.net

Roadside America
www.roadsideamerica.com

Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com

World's Largest Things
1. www.worldslargestthings.com
2. www.worldslargestthings.com

Thom.org
www.thom.org

The Pavilion at the New York World's Fair 1964
www.nywf64.com

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004)  pages 42 - 43

(3rd ed., 2009)
  page 36
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Roadside America"
by Mike Wilkins & Ken Smith & Doug Kirby
Fireside / Simon & Schuster (2nd ed., 1992)
page 144
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com
 

 

3

HOG Corners

 

location:  Neillsville & Christie
roadside oddity

A coincidental coming-together of three highways spell out the word "HOG" on the road signs.  A perfect place to take a picture with the Harley.

  Take Highway 73 north from Christie and turn left (west) on County Road H.  Continue for 3 miles to intersection.

(magazine clip-out)
Hog Corners

 

 

4

Church-shaped Mailbox

 

location:  Neillsville
roadside oddity

This apropos mail receptacle belongs to Rev. Daniel Cole of the nearby Immanuel Lutheran church.

  6455 County Highway G
Neillsville, WI  54456

 

 

5

Large Steel Globe

 

location:  Neillsville
roadside oddity

   

Here in front of Dave & Donna's bar & restaurant stands a reminder of the now-vanished town of Globe, which was once a bustling community in this area.

  Dave & Donna's
N5903 County Road G
Neillsville, WI  54456

Clark County Library Project
wvls.lib.wi.us

 

6

Giant Ice Cream Cone
in front of Hawkeye Dairy

 

location:  Abbotsford
roadside oddity

What goes better with strawberry ice cream than a hunk of cheddar cheese?

  118 S 4th St.
Abbotsford, WI  54405
(715) 223-6358

Official Site
www.hawkeyedairy.com

Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 1
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

7

The Highground
Veterans' Memorial Park

 

location:  Neillsville
war memorial

    


"The Highground is a 140-acre Veterans Memorial Park. Visitors experience tributes that vary in significance from national (Native American Vietnam Veterans Memorial) to historical (WWII Globe) to contemporary (Legacy Stones). From the point of the plaza one can see one-half million acres of spectacular woodland scenery and glacial moraine."
- section from the Official Site


  4 miles west of Neillsville and 30 miles east of Osseo from the junction of I-94 on US Highway 10
(715) 743-4224

               

hours:
Grounds open 24 hours. Building open daily 9am – 5pm.
Extended summer hours.


Also listed in the Paranormal section below.

Official Site
www.thehighground.org

Neillsville Online
www.neillsvilleonline.net

Views From The HighGround
Part 1 Of 4 Parts

double-click to enlarge video

 

8

The Lone Grave of Young Blanche Grimes

 

location:  Neillsville
lone grave

In what was once the bustling 19th-century town of Columbia, the single marked grave of a young girl is all that remains of the settlers who were forced to move elsewhere.  Check out the link at right for the full story.


Also listed in the Paranormal section below.

  Head west out of Neillsville on Highway 10 for about 7 miles.  Turn left onto County Road B.  After 2-1/2 miles, as B curves to the west, turn left onto Bachelors Avenue, then left onto Sand Road.  As the road curves to the south, it becomes Fischer Avenue.  Look for the intersection with Poertner Road, across from which is where the grave is located.

Clark County Internet Library Project
wvls.lib.wi.us/ClarkCounty

 

9

A&W Root Bear Statue

 

location:  Neillsville
roadside oddity

The Roadside Architecture website includes this smiling bruin mascot in its list of roadside animals icons.

  501 E Division St
Neillsville, WI  54456
(715) 743-7900

Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com

Official A&W Site
www.awrootbeer.com

 

10

Silver Dome Ballroom

 

location:  Neillsville
unique architecture

"Located 5 miles west of Neillsville on Hwy. 10, the Silver Dome Ballroom is listed in the National and State Registers of Historic Places for its unique architecture and its rich entertainment history. Built during the Great Depression and operating since 1933, the Silver Dome features many original or long-time decorations and fixtures, a floating, maple dance floor, and a beautiful, arching Lamella truss design. Many famous entertainers have appeared at the Silver Dome, including: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, The Grassroots, Tommy James & The Shondells, Herman’s Hermits, George Jones, Pee Wee King, Johnny Paycheck and Six Fat Dutchman."
- section from    website

  W7670 US Hwy. 10
Neillsville, WI  54456
(715) 743-7774

Neillsville Online
www.neillsvilleonline.net

Wisconsin Valley Library Service
wvls.lib.wi.us/ClarkCounty/

Clark County Official Site
(click on "museums" for PDF file)
www.clark-cty-wi.org

 

 

 

sighting  /  phenomenon  /  morbid curiosity

resources

 

 

1

Bigfoot Crosses Road  (2000)

 
bigfoot
location:  Granton

"Mr. Hughes said that it was covered with fur, even the face area, except for two darker spots that were where the eyes would have been. It had large, honey colored patches of fur all over it."
- section from BFRO incident report

  From Granton, go north on Highway K.
Follow 6 miles until reaching Highway H.
Turn left (west) and you will be in the general area where the creature was spotted, moving south off the road.

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

Weird Wisconsin
1. interview
2. Fortean Times article
3. Bigfoot Times letter

Unexplained Research
www.unexplainedresearch.com

BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization)
1. www.bfro.net
2. www.bfro.net
3. www.bfro.net

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press  
(2nd ed., 2004)  pages 28 - 29
(
3rd ed., 2009)  pages 26 - 27
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 192
buy it at
Amazon.com
buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

 

2

Greenwood UFO Sightings

 
UFO
location:  Greenwood

"...but when it did we seen the stars through the triangle and knew it was not one craft but three separate objects."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

3

Cigar-Shaped UFO Seen Over Three Counties  (1980)

 
UFO
location:  Withee / Chippewa Falls (Chippewa County) / Bloomer (Chippewa County) / Rice Lake (Barron County)

"One eyewitness who lives west of Withee near Riverside Cemetery, reported seeing a bright pinkish disk like object, that she thought was going to come right into her front room window."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

4

Spencer UFO Sightings

 
UFO
location:  Spencer (Marathon County)

"It seemed to go in one direction, but then it came back. Almost like it was looking for something."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 137
buy it at
Amazon.com
buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

 

5

Charlotte Mills Bridge

 
ghost
location:  Christie

The ghost of a suicide victim walks the bridge on October nights.

  Take Highway 73 north from Christie and turn left on County Road H.  The bridge is about a mile down H over the Black River.

Unexplained Research
www.unexplainedresearch.com

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

book:
"The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations"
by Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk
Research Publishing Co. (2004)
pages 4 - 6

buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

The Haunting Experiments
thehauntingexperiments.synthasite.com

Clark County Curiosities
by The Haunting Experiments

double-click to enlarge video

 

6

Explosion Over Colby

 
meteorite?
location:  Colby

Possible meteorite fragment lands afterward.

Weird Wisconsin
www.weird-wi.com

 

7

Vague Reports of UFOs  (1976)

 
UFO
location:  Loyal

"The subject of 'U.F.O.'s' has been the topic of discussion here within the past few days."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

8

Light Criss-Crosses Planes  (2001)

 
UFO
location:  Chili / Spencer (Marathon County)

"...we saw this light criss crossing the planes path and as they both met the light criss crossing the plane..."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

 

Hyena-Dogs?

 
mystery creature
location:  unknown

A recollection of an article about sighting from Strange Magazine.

Weird Wisconsin
www.weird-wi.com or archived (here)

 

10

Strange Lights Observed by Couple in Car  (2004)

 
UFO
location:  Stetsonville (Taylor County) / Abbotsford

"After about 2 seconds of noticing it there, a second one appeared to the right of it.  Then, a few seconds later, the first one disappeared and a third one appeared to the right of the second one."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

11

Flare-like Light in Sky  (2003)

 
UFO
location:  Abbotsford

"I watched it and it seemed to flare up then turn colors and seemed to move a little."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

12

"The Highground"

 

ghosts

location:  Neillsville

In the book "Northern Frights", author Dennis Boyer tells of the healing spirits that exist at the war memorial's grounds.


Also listed in the Attractions section above.

book:
"Northern Frights"
by Dennis Boyer
Badger Books (second ed., 2005)
pages 178 - 183

buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

13

Peculiar Light Over House  (2002)

 
UFO
location:   Spencer (Marathon County) / Marshfield (Wood County)

"I don't know what it was and I am telling the truth and it scared the dickens out of me. No other star did that I will always remember that thing whatever it was!"
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

14

Chili / Marshfield UFO Sightings

 
UFO
location:   Chili / Marshfield (Wood County)

" 'What the heck is going on in our airspace?!' "
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

15

The Lone Grave

 
    haunted cemetery
location:  Neillsville

The grave is listed on this paranormal website, but no reasons are given why it's believed to be haunted.


Also listed in the Attractions section above.

  Head west out of Neillsville on Highway 10 for about 7 miles.  Turn left onto County Road B.  After 2-1/2 miles, as B curves to the west, turn left onto Bachelors Avenue, then left onto Sand Road.  As the road curves to the south, it becomes Fischer Avenue.  Look for the intersection with Poertner Road, across from which is where the grave is located.

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

The Haunting Experiments
1. official site
2. YouTube video "Clark County Curiosities" (see #5 above)

 

 

"Ghosts of America" Haunted Location Reports
(take with a grain of salt)

 
ghosts
location:  statewide

The reports on this site are presumably fiction, using random Wisconsin place names in the stories listed there.  Even so, you might get a kick out of reading them.

"A form with a skeleton face having on murky robes came into sight reflecting by Cawley Creek. The appearance of the viewer terrified the phantom who then vanished. In any case, it's without a doubt a bloodcurdling phantom that any reasonable person wouldn't wish to meet."
- section from Ghosts of America website

Ghosts of America
www.ghostsofamerica.com

 

17

Large Biped Heard Outside of Camper

 
bigfoot
location:  north of Hatfield (Jackson County)

"While we never saw anything I really truly believe we had a bigfoot encounter. I know that the creature walked on two feet and had a long stride. It came back over and over again."
- section from BFRO report

BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization)
www.bfro.net

 

 

 

taste of local history

resources

 

1

1897 Jail Museum

 

location:  Neillsville
museum

      


"One enters the museum into the sheriff's residence, which includes an old-fashioned parlor, a grand open stairway, and many rooms of display including a delightful children's room, an authentic jewelry store, and the Listeman Music Room, an old photo room with scenes of Neillsville. In the jail portion of the building, one views the cell blocks, sheriff's peek holes, military floor with artifacts and uniforms from the Civil War through Desert Storm, and many other rooms."
- section from the Clark County Official Site


  215 E State St.
Neillsville, WI  54456
(715) 743-6444

                     

hours:
Memorial Day thru September  (Sat and Sun)  1pm – 4pm

Clark County Official Site
(click on "museums" for PDF file)
www.clark-cty-wi.org

Neillsville Online
www.neillsvilleonline.net

 

2

Rural Arts Museum

 

location:  Colby
museum

"The museum consists of the original railroad depot from the City of Colby and a one-room country school. A log home that was used for almost a century has also been added. The museum is a collection of buildings that hold the stories, artifacts, and memories of middle Wisconsin. The history of the railroad is complemented by the historical memorabilia of the dairy industry as well as modes of transportation, machines of the written word and education."
- section from the Clark County Official Site


  107 S Second St.
Colby, WI  54421
(715) 223-2712 or (715) 223-2264

                    

hours:
Memorial Day thru Labor Day
(Sunday afternoons and by appointment)

Clark County Official Site
(click on "museums" for PDF file)
www.clark-cty-wi.org

 

3

Tufts Mansion & Museum

 

location:  Neillsville
museum

"Extensive remodeling has been ongoing at the Tuft's Mansion throughout its history. Built originally in 1885, the structure still contains the original plate glass windows with their etched, brilliant cut-glass borders, initialed "B" for Bruley."
- section from the Clark County Official Site


  26 Hewett St.
Neillsville, WI  54456
(715) 743-3346

                     

museum tours:
(Sundays)  1pm – 4pm or by appointment

Official Site
www.tuftsmansion.com

Clark County Official Site
(click on "museums" for PDF file)
www.clark-cty-wi.org

Neillsville Online
www.neillsvilleonline.net

 

4

Branstiter Museum

 

location:  Greenwood
museum

"Visitors to the museum will take a step back in time as they walk along wooden sidewalks passing 17 store fronts of early 1900 Greenwood businesses, along with a church entrance. On their stroll through memory lane, visitors will see a collection of over 400 items which include both tools and equipment used in the early dairying and lumbering days. Along one wall over 170 photographs of early Greenwood depict people, places, and events.  Visitors will enjoy an antique miniature car collection consisting of 38 cars and a coin collection with coins dating back to 1934. Another specialty includes a collection of 238 toy tractors from 11 different manufacturers. A stamp collection is also available for viewing."
- section from the  Clark County Official Site


  600 South Main Street
Greenwood, WI  54437
(715) 267-6368 or (715) 267-6205

                

hours:
• June thru Sept  (the first Saturday of the month)
 Noon – 3pm and by special appointment
• the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend from Noon – 3pm
• the Sunday of Greenwood's Dairy Days weekend, following the parade

Clark County Official Site
(click on "museums" for PDF file)
www.clark-cty-wi.org

 

5

USS Dorchester Monument

 

location:  Dorchester
memorial

"Visit the USS Dorchester Monument located in the Dorchester Park. The monument honors four chaplains who died in the North Atlantic in 1943. The four chaplains were aboard the U.S.S. Dorchester when the ship was hit by a torpedo. The four chaplains helped men into lifeboats and distributed life jackets, giving up their own as well. The last anyone saw of them, they were standing on the sinking ship, their arms entwined, with their heads bowed in prayer. Over 600 men died in WWII off the coast of New Foundland."
- section from the Clark County Official Site

  Dorchester Park
at Center Avenue (County Road A) & Park Drive
Dorchester, WI  54425

Clark County Official Site
(click on "museums" for PDF file)
www.clark-cty-wi.org

Wisconsin Central
www.wisconsincentral.net

 


updated 09-28-09  •  all images excluding those attributed to others are property of Wisconsinosity.com