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Sissy stands before the Chalet, 20 feet tall and proud.  She is identical to Chatty Belle in Clark County, minus the voice box.

A giant mouse wielding cheese stands o'er the store.

  4494 Lake Circle
Windsor, WI  53598
(608) 846-4455

  (on west side of Interstate Highway 90/94 at exit 126)
6155 US Highway 51
Deforest, WI  53532
(608) 249-9294

Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce
(608) 837-4547

Several trolls, carved out of wood, are scattered around downtown Mount Horeb, each bearing their own personality.  Check out the official website for a complete field guide.

The Museum is a showplace for the history of this popular condiment.  It also sells quite a few varieties of the yellow stuff for your personal consumption along with many mustard-related novelties.

2008 UPDATE:  It appears that the museum will be moving to 15 miles away to Middleton in October 2009.  The new location will be at corner of Hubbard Avenue and Parmenter Street in downtown Middleton.

  100 W. Main Street
Mount Horeb, WI  53572
(608) 437-3986 or (800) 438-687

hours:
(daily)  10am – 5pm

"Little Norway is an outstanding and unique collection of Norse antiques and culture, housed in a number of cabins and buildings that are nestled in a tiny wooded valley in the foothills of Blue Mounds. The original cabins were built in 1856 and the "Norway Building" built in 1893 is representative of ancient Norse church architecture."
- section from Explore Wisconsin website

  3576 County Road JG North
Blue Mounds, WI  53517
(608) 437-8211

hours:
 • May thru June  (daily)  9am – 5pm
• July thru Aug  (daily)  9am – 7pm
• Sept thru Oct  (daily)  9am – 5pm

Buzzed Into Little Norway

double-click to enlarge video

"When he moved to the new location he had made a promise to not let the new business become an eyesore to those entering the village. So, Larry took it upon himself to give the shop a Bavarian theme to reflect his German heritage. He also added a park on the south side called, “Kappel Park” after the chapel in the back corner. The chapel was a replica of the chapel his great-grandfather, John Endres, had built in the town of Berry, WI."
- section from the official site

Wauktoberfest 2008

double-click to enlarge video

The American Breeders Service's billboard has a rotating selection of creative farm-related prose entertaining travelers on I-90, changed on a regular basis.

The Tin Man may have gotten a choice spot near the road, but Peg Leg the Pirate rules over the lawn.  Creator Wally Keller has a good write-up about him in the book "Miracles of The Spirit: Folk, Art, and Stories from Wisconsin".

2009 UPDATE:  Wallace "Wally" Keller passed away on August 4, 2009, due to an accident on his tractor.  Thanks for the years of making a lot of folks smile, Wally.

"At Indian Lake Park, off Highway 19 near the town of Berry, you can work up an appetite on eight miles of scenic trails. Then head uphill for a picnic near the chapel, built by John Endres in 1857 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary after his children were spared the ravages of diphtheria."
- section from Trails Media website

  Highway 14 & Mills Street (Highway 78 S)
Black Earth, WI  53515
(608) 767-3447

hours:
(Mon - Fri)  9am – 8pm
(Saturdays)  9am – 5pm  /  (Sundays) 10am – 5pm

If every day could be just like Christmas...well, it is here at this rural store, complete with two giant toy soldiers at the entrance.

UPDATE:  It looks like Christmas is finally over at Sparby's.

  east of Belleville on Highway D

A classic American amusement park with a roller coaster that runs over the corn fields and inside a silo.

"Of course, while home, they took a minute to rest and help themselves to a cup of coffee from the pot always hot on the stove. With this simple habit, the coffee break began - a brief time to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee before heading back to work."
- section from Stoughton Chamber of Commerce website

There is a mention in the book "Self-Made Worlds" about this creation of Gilman Mikelson.  No other information is available.  Please email this website if you are aware of any details.

  (north of the town of Riley)
3184 County Road J
Verona, WI  53593

In the book "Strange Wisconsin", author Linda Godfrey tells of some distinctive markers in Sun Prairie Cemetery.

"Over 6,000 baseball cards cover the walls of the men's room, and autographed memorabilia covers nearly every other square inch of the restaurant and bar, floor to ceiling. Owner Steve Schmitt, also owner of The Shoe Box and the Madison Mallards baseball team, has filled Rookies with his passion for sports in the form of the best collection of sports memorabilia this side of Cooperstown. Much of the memorabilia was donated and autographed by Steve's personal friends. You won't believe the collection until you see it."
- section from the official site

  2173 State Road 19
Sun Prairie, WI  53590

  "located on Highway 19 in northeastern Dane County heading westbound towards Madison"

  is/was at: 400 N Morris St.
Stoughton, WI  53589

On September 18, 2005, a unique event took place behind the historic Roxbury Tavern.  The old barroom piano was set ablaze, drawing a crowd that enjoyed an evening of music, food, drinks and, of course, the flickering flames emanating from the top of an E.P Johnson upright piano.

The construction of the bar itself may be an even more interesting story.  The back bar was stolen from a paddleboat that had run aground in the Wisconsin River in 1893.  No fooling.

Also, this place offers chocolate-covered bacon.

"Commonly referred to as the 'jewel box' of America’s major caves, for the variety and delicacy of its formations, Cave of the Mounds is recognized by the Chicago Academy of Sciences as 'the significant cave of the upper Midwest'."
- section from the Official Site

  2975 Cave of the Mounds Road
Blue Mounds, WI  53517
(608) 437-3038

tour hours:
hours vary...call for tour times

Farmer Watches Object Flying Across Fields   (1987)

"Kahl described the lights as appearing to be about three feet in diameter, 'and they moved, although (the object) sat right there.' "
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Lake Waubesa Sea Monster   (1920's)

A creature "sixty to seventy feet in length" was spotted sunning in the lake.

Dragon Sightings in Lake Kegonsa   (1920's)

An ill-tempered beast causes wreckage.

Four Lights in a Row   (2004)

"It then came down very steeply and I though it was going to crash in the woods next to the highway.  In!stead (sic) the lights dropped in intensity until it looked about the size of a flashlight.  It then winked out and appeared to land on the shoulder of the road directly to our right.  When it winked out it was the size of a computer keyboard and appeared to fly into the woods next to the road."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Sun Prairie UFO Sightings

"There were two "headlights" or beams of white light coming from the front of the craft. They were straight out from the craft, not directed at the ground. There was a reddish light on the bottom center of the craft."
- section from UFO Wisconsin 11-27-02 report

Crop Circles in Verona  (1999)

Springfield Hill

Reports of paranormal activity observed at site of an accident.

Calf Mutilated / Priest Slain  (1998)

Devil's Chimney  (pillar of rock)

The Weird Wisconsin website ponders the multitude of Devil-related place names in Wisconsin

"Elvers' Goblin"

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a playful, rubber-faced being that delighted in surprising the locals.

Friends Out Walking at Night Encounter Object   (1993)

"What I could see was pretty much an equilateral triangle cruising at what couldn't have been more than 60 mph or so. The lights were nothing outrageous in brightness but I do remember the colors. Red and white."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Oregon UFO Sightings

Semi Driver Has Direct Encounter   (2004)

"There appeared to be a greeninsh (sic) floodlight of sort shining down on me.  It felt mysteriously warm and tingly.   The craft although hard to see because of the blinding light but seemed to be atleast (sic) 50 feet across.  I blacked out after staring into the light."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFOs in Formation   (2002)

"The lights stayed in a formation that looked like the five side of a dice . . and turned counter clockwise in a circle."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Waunakee UFO Sightings

"There were no flashing lights. I am very sure that the back end was straight across--I could not see a 'tail' like you would on a jet. It appeared to be hovering where it was."
- section from UFO Wisconsin 11-27-02 report

Kengosa State Park Encounter   (2002)

"It was sort of a roundish oval metal object like nothing I've ever seen before. It was so strange. There wasn't really any light coming from it, just the moonlight illuminating the silhouette."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Transparent, Triangular Object   (2001)

"The body of the craft fluctuated, acting as if it were floating atop the waves in the ocean. The lights all appeared to be fixed to the craft, and moved in unison with body. The craft appeared to be bigger than a full moon in size."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

"The Voice of Wisconsin Heights"

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of the voice of an Indian which is heard throughout the region surrounding the site of the 1832 Battle of Wisconsin Heights.

non-paranormal related link:

book:
"Dennis McCann Takes You For A Ride"
by Dennis McCann
The Guest Cottage Incorporated (1999)
pages 89 - 91
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Blue Mounds Watcher

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a ghost seen around the area of old Fort Blue Mounds.

Belleville UFO Sightings

The "UFO Capital of the World" has a series of unidentified flying objects visiting over the years.

Object in Sky Changes Colors   (2000)

"I noticed a strobing light in the South east sky. It sat motionless for about 1 hour flashing Red Green and Blue."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Roommates See Low-Flying Object on Top of Hill   (1994)

"It was black in color, triangular in shape and had red and white flashing lights on it. What really struck me is the silent hovering."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Seen By People in Several Communities  (1985)

"Keene was out walking his dog when he first noticed the ball of light. He recalls it was projecting a beam, which looked like a searchlight, and the beam was moving back and forth, as if scanning. At first it moved to the east, on a constant horizontal plane...then it dropped."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

Stoughton UFO Sightings

"The large, round, dark-gray object then appeared to drop sparks and flaming debris - a rare but not unknown UFO behavior. The object was about the size of a hot-air balloon, and was about as far away as "the top of a barn" might be when observed from a barnyard."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

The Horseman of Ghost Hill

A phantom horseman appeared at the stroke of midnight atop a hill in Burke Township for many years.

"The Hole in the Basement"

A township of Berry family is terrorized by a unknown entity that enters their home each night and digs a hole in the cellar floor.  It is said that the foundation of that house is still there today.

"The Phantom Father-in-law"

After a woman is married into a family who preferred her husband's first wife to her, the spirit of her disapproving father-in-law makes himself known through poltergeist-like activities in the home.

"The Ghost in the Library"

A librarian becomes aware of the ghost of a young woman who frequents the library for many years.

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

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.

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dane county haunted locations from the
Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)

The WIX website covers the entire state of Wisconsin, so understandably they have a nice section on Dane County's haunted locations.

ghost stories from
"Ghosts of Madison, WI"

These following haunted locations are exclusively from Sherry Strub's book "Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin".  As there are more stories than space on this page, they shall be included together here.  You can read the full stories in her book.

Elsing's Second Hand Shop

"Our building was built in 1891 as the Hanson House and then became the Grand Hotel, two years after it was built. We have always been told by many people that a little girl cries in the basement. In the 1920's, The Grand Hotel was known as a Brothel and the king-pin of bootlegging in Stoughton. The Chief of Police, they say, committed suicide, jumping out of one of the top windows in the building.
We have had things float off our shelves in from of some of our customers and Phil. We have also heard a lot of unexplained sounds like breaking glass, loud crashes, yet nothing is out of place."
- section from Vicky Elsing's "Grand Hotel Legacy" book synopsis

  421 E. Main St.
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-8997

"Something Scary on TV"

In the book "Ghostly Tales of Wisconsin", author Ryan Jacobson shares a disturbing tale of a television set frightening children.....and not because Rosie O'Donnell was on it.

"Originally built in 1858 as an Universalist Church this building was the first in Stoughton to be place on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum houses the implements and artifacts of everyday life in early Stoughton."
- section from the Explore Wisconsin website

  324 South Page Street
Stoughton, WI
(608) 873-4797

hours:
May thru September  (Sundays)  1pm – 4pm

"Currently, the permanent exhibit tells the stories of the seven main ethnic groups to settle the area: Ho-chunk, Norwegians, Swiss, Germans, Irish, Scottish, and Yankees."
- section from the Portal Wisconsin website

"Built in 1852, the Hauge Log Church was the first Norwegian Lutheran Church constructed in western Wisconsin...nearly a thousand visitors from around the world stop annually to enjoy the scenic solitude of the location and retreat from the busy modern world for a moment of quiet reflection."
- section from the official site

  From Mt. Horeb, head south on Highway 78 for 7-1/2 miles.  Turn right on County Road Z.  Church is 1/2 mile down road on left.

hours:
sunrise to sunset year round

Also listed in the Paranormal section above.