Wisconsinosity! - Iowa County

House on the Rock

location: south of Spring Green (Sauk County)

the Mother of all Roadside Attractions

photo courtesy of official site

Click the links below for MORE PHOTOS:

page 1: the House & Millhouse
page 2: the Streets of Yesterday
page 3: Heritage of the Sea
page 4: Transportation Building & Music of Yesterday
page 5: the Carousel
page 6: Pipe Organs, Dolls & Circuses
page 7: Armor, Weapons & the Orient

There's not enough room on this webpage for an adequate amount of photos. HOTR is a five-hour walking tour that takes you through the most amazing and bizarre collection of relics from yesteryear. Massive coinolas, immense carousels, halls of weaponry, enormous pipe organs, circus memorabilia galore, 200-foot-long sea monsters, suits of armor, and much, much, much, much, much more.

(From Spring Green, head south on Highway 23. After you cross into Iowa County, continue on for 6 miles. The entrance to House on the Rock will be on your right.)

5754 Highway 23
Spring Green, WI 53533
(608) 935-3639

hours:
• mid-March thru Memorial Weekend (daily) 9am – 5pm
• Memorial Weekend thru June (daily) 9am – 6pm
• July thru mid-August (daily) 9am – 7pm
• mid-Aug thru early Sept (daily) 9am – 6pm
• Labor Day Weekend thru Early Nov (daily) 9am – 5 pm
• Christmas Holiday CHECK TIMES

Official Site
www.thehouseontherock.com

Roadside America
www.roadsideamerica.com

Spring Green Chamber of Commerce
www.springgreen.com

Galen Frysinger
www.galenfrysinger.com

Commonplace Book
www.commonplacebook.com

Jeffrey Sward's H.O.T.R. Tribute
www.jeffreysward.com

The Urinals of House on the Rock
www.urinal.net

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
pages 185 - 187
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Weird U.S."
by Mark Sceurman & Mark Moran
Barnes & Noble Books (2004)
page 180
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004) pages 226 - 228
(3rd ed., 2009) pages 219 - 220
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 137 - 138
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)
pages 246 - 249
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Roadside Americana"
by Eric Peterson
Publications International, Ltd. (2004)
page 77
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Eccentric America"
by Jan Friedman
Globe Pequot Press (2nd ed., 2004.)
pages 82 - 83
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Weird Wonderful America"
by Laura A. Bergheim
Collier Books (1988)
pages 204 - 206
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Midwest Marvels"
by Eric Dregni
UofM Press (2006)
pages 407 - 412
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Don Q Inn FantaSuite Motel

Boeing 377 Stratofreighter

location: Dodgeville

hotel with character

photo contributed by Jeff Dallas

photos courtesy of official site

A full-service hotel that offers special theme rooms such as: Sherwood Forest, Casino Royale, Arabian Nights, a moon base room, a hot air balloon room, and many others. Outside the hotels sits a Boeing Stratofreighter, which visitors are welcome to climb inside for a look into the past. Underneath the hotel is a 200-foot rough-hewn tunnel that leads to a neighboring restaurant.

3658 State Road 23 North
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-2321 or (800) 666-7848

Official Site
www.fantasuite.com

Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce
www.dodgeville.com

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
pages 88 - 89
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004) pages 200 - 201
(3rd ed., 2009) pages 190 - 191
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 105 - 106
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 274
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Eccentric America"
by Jan Friedman
Globe Pequot Press (2nd ed., 2004)
page 92
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Underground"
by Doris Green
Trails Media Group, Inc. (2000)
pages 131 - 132
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Nick Engelbert's Grandview Folk Art Environment

location: Hollandale

outdoor attraction / yard art

photos contributed by Jeff Dallas

photo contributed by Jeff Dallas

Click here for MORE PHOTOS

"In 1937, after his children were grown, Nick Engelbert began to build an elaborate arched porch of concrete around the front entrance of his farmhouse, ultimately covering every inch of the outside surface of the house with concrete inlaid with shards of china, glass, beads, buttons, and sea shells. Over the next 15 years, Nick created more than 40 concrete sculptures in his yard, combining patriotic themes with imagery from history, fairy tales, mythology and his own imagination."
- section from the Official Site

(½ mile west of Hollandale on Highway 39)
Hollandale, WI 53544
(608) 967-2140

Official Site
www.nicksgrandview.com

Roadside America
www.roadsideamerica.com

New Low
www.newlow.org

Wisconsin Natural Resources
www.wnrmag.com

Kohler Foundation
www.kohlerfoundation.org

Narrow Larry
narrowlarry.com

Journal Sentinel Online
1. article "Outside Art Adds Ambience" or (here)
2. article "Back road bonanza" or (here)

Detour Art Atlas
detour.webdatabases.net

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
pages 172 - 173
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004) pages 208 - 209
(3rd ed., 2009) pages 199 - 200
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 112 - 113
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations"
by Randy Mason, Mike Murphy, and Don Mayberger
Kansas City Star Books (2002)
page 50
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Eccentric America"
by Jan Friedman
Globe Pequot Press (2nd ed., 2004)
page 83
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Midwest Marvels"
by Eric Dregni
UofM Press (2006)
pages 374 - 374
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book
"Sacred Spaces and Other Places"
by Lisa Stone and Jim Zanzi
School of Art Institute of Chicago Press (1993)
pages 64 - 69
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Miracles of The Spirit: Folk, Art, and Stories from Wisconsin"
by Don Krug & Ann Parker
University Press of Mississippi (2005)
page 170
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Concretion Museum
"Nothing Like It In New York!"

location: Arena

museum

Unfortunately, the museum was closed when we visited.

photos contributed by Jeff Dallas

Byron Buckeridge has collected these amazing examples of naturally-formed clay formations from the shores of Lake Superior. His collection is housed in his son's construction office, having been moved from near Saxon in Iron County.

(on Highway 14 west of Arena)
Buckeridge Construction, LLC
7571 US Highway 14
Arena, WI 53503
(608) 753-9117 or (608)206-6447 or (608)206-6457

I'm also getting word that the office has relocated to:

409 Dalogasa Dr.
Arena, WI 53503

An investigation will commence.

UW-Madison News
"Clay formations rival artistic masterpieces"
www.news.wisc.edu or (here)

Clay Art Mini Gallery
members.tripod.com

The Daily Press
article "Concretion hunter seeks permanent home for unique collection" or (here)

Minneapolis Star Tribune
article "Rocks with soul/Wisconsin gallery displays nature's sculptures"

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
pages 184 - 185
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Weird U. S.: The Oddyssey Continues"
by Mark Moran, Mark Scuerman, Matt Lake
Sterling Pub Co Inc (2008)
page 223
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Folklore"
edited by James P. Leary
Univ. of Wisconsin Press (1988)
page 128
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Raised Antique Tractor

location: Arena

roadside oddity

A beautiful old Farmall T-40 stands in front of the General Museum. I cannot find any information on what the General Museum is or if it is still open.

6560 US Highway 14
Arena, WI 53503
(608) 588-2598

photo contributed by Jeff Dallas

Giant Jack-o-Lantern

Giant Ear of Corn & Watermelons

Acrobatic Pygmy Goats
at Peck's Farm Market

location: south of Spring Green (Sauk County)

roadside oddities


photos contributed by Jeff Dallas

photos contributed by Jeff Dallas

Not your average roadside fruit & vegetable stand. Peck's offers a mini-zoo including goats that climb steep ramps for a bit of food.

Peck's Farm Market East
6445 US Highway 14
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608) 588-7177

Peck's Farm Market West
E3217 U.S. Hwy 14 & 60
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608) 583-4977

hours:
April thru December (daily) 8am – 8pm

Official Site
www.pecksfarmmarketeast.com

Explore Wisconsin
www.explorewisconsin.com

Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com

Ohio Barns
www.ohiobarns.com

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
page 77
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
page 136
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Dennis McCann Takes You For A Ride"
by Dennis McCann
The Guest Cottage Incorporated (1999)
pages 100 - 103
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Zinc Dog Statue
above front door at Gundry & Gray

location: Mineral Point

roadside oddity

"Mineral Point's most famous and best loved dog is a zinc cast statue. The dog has overlooked more than 130 years of Mineral Point's history and local residents have made it known on several occasions that this dog is special and not to be tampered with or removed."
- section from Mineral Point official site

303 Commerce Street
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-3833

Official Site
www.historicgundryandgray.com

Mineral Point Official Site
www.mineralpoint.com

The Uplands
www.uplands.ws

Galen Frysinger photos
Mineral Point 2007
www.galenfrysinger.com

Taliesin

location: Spring Green (Sauk County)

historic structure

"Tour the home and architectural school of the world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The complex includes six Wright structures including Wright's home and Hillside School, and Visitor Center."
- section from Explore Wisconsin website

Also listed in the Paranormal section below.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center is located near the intersection of Highway 23 and County Road C, south of Spring Green.

Taliesin® Preservation, Inc.
5607 County Hwy C
Spring Green, WI 53588

hours:
May thru October (daily) 9am – 4:30pm

Official Site
www.taliesinpreservation.org

Frank Lloyd Wright Official Site
www.franklloydwright.org

Spring Green Official Site
www.springgreen.com

Wright in Wisconsin
www.wrightinwisconsin.org

Galen Frysinger photos
www.galenfrysinger.com

book:
"The Wisconsin Story: 150 Stories/150 Years"
by Dennis McCann
Journal Sentinel Inc (1998)
page 150
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Midwest Marvels"
by Eric Dregni
UofM Press (2006)
pages 413 - 416
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Mineral Point Toy Museum

location: Mineral Point

museum

Antique and collectible dollhouses and toys on display and for sale.

215 Commerce Street
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-3160

hours:
May thru October (Fri - Sun) 11am – 5pm

Galen Frysinger photos
Mineral Point 2007
www.galenfrysinger.com

Giant Mouse Statue
outside Arena Cheese

location: Arena

roadside oddity

photo contributed by Jeff Dallas

300 US Highway 14
Arena, WI 53503
(608) 753-2501

Official Site
www.arenacheese.com

Catsup Bottle
www.catsupbottle.com

Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com

Roadside Peek
www.roadsidepeek.com

Thom.org
www.thom.org

Ohio Barns
www.ohiobarns.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 183
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Mrs. Nyes' Yard Show

location: Mineral Point

yard art

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

location unknown

Detour Art Atlas
detour.webdatabases.net

book:
"Self-Made Worlds"
by Roger Manly & Mark Sloan
Aperture Foundation (1997)
page 119
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Empty Grave of Frank Lloyd Wright

Current Grave of Actress Anne Baxter

location: Spring Green (Sauk County)

notable graves

"The body was returned to his 1,600 acre estate at Spring Green, Wisconsin. After a service, a horse and wagon carried his body from Unity Chapel to where the graves of many members of the Wright family (his mother, his mistress Mamah and her two children) are interred. His first wife, Kitty had died at age 92 a few weeks before. However, after the death of Olgivanna Wright his last wife, his body was disinterred, his remains cremated and his ashes mixed with Olivanna's and then divided: some spread over the Arizona desert and the rest interred on the Wright estate."
- section from Find-A-Grave website

Lloyd-Jones Family Cemetery, Unity Chapel
County Road T, just east of Highway 23
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608) 588-9078

Find-A-Grave
1. Frank www.findagrave.com
2. Anne www.findagrave.com

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org

Galen Frysinger photos
www.galenfrysinger.com

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004) page 230
(3rd ed., 2009) pages 221 - 222
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
page 141
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"The Wisconsin Story: 150 Stories/150 Years"
by Dennis McCann
Journal Sentinel Inc (1998)
page 150
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Chapel in the Pines

location: Arena

unique religious structure


photo contributed by Jeff Dallas

The late Bill Akins built this small log chapel in 1982 to be a quiet place for the public to visit and pray, but only 15 may be seated at a time.

1/4 mile south of Highway 14 on Reimann Road in Arena

hours:
always open

book:
"Dennis McCann Takes You For A Ride"
by Dennis McCann
The Guest Cottage Incorporated (1999)
pages 96 - 99
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Giant Wagon Wheel Tree Sculpture

location: Dodgeville

roadside oddity

Unfortunately, the sculpture collapsed due to perhaps rust or high winds or a combination of both.

"The famous Don Q Inn Wheel Tree is 67 feet tall is made of over 400 iron wagon wheels welded together forming an artistic sculpture."
- from the Don Q Inn

was at: 3658 State Road 23 North
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-2321 or (800) 666-7848

photo courtesy of the Don Q Inn

Official Site
www.fantasuite.com

"Legend of Knight Hollow: Beeps in
the Night"

unexplained

location: Arena

Odd sounds heard in the darkened field.

Knight Hollow Road extends between County Road H and County Road K 3 miles south of Arena

The W-Files
www.w-files.com

"Linden Mine Ghost"

ghost

location: Linden

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a murder victim who makes his presence known every now and then.

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 26 - 27
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

The Ridgeway Ghost
aka The Ridgeway Terror
aka The Ridgeway Phantom

ghost (s)

location: Ridgeway & Mineral Point

Perhaps Wisconsin's most famous specter, the Ridgeway Ghost has inspired countless stories since it was first encountered in the 1800's. Its disputed origins range from a death on the railroad tracks near Ridgeway to the murder scene of two young men at a poker game. In its heyday during the mid-nineteenth century, the ghost was known to be quite the trickster, milking cows dry in the field, chasing travelers, and pestering Welshmen.

"Welshmen and Cornishmen had the most adventures with him. One day at dusk a Welshman was trudging along the road just west of Ridgeway. This was in the 1840's. As he walked along the dusty road he noticed that he was being followed by someone. Taking a good look at this hazy person, the Welshman decided that it was the Ridgeway Ghost, and he quickened his pace. The apparition did likewise, always keeping the same distance behind. The Welshman, determined to lose this evil phantom, broke into a dog-trot. The Ghost did the same. The Welshman now became downright terrified and began to run, faster and faster. (And a frightened Welshman can travel mighty fast!) He ran so hard that he was soon out of breath. Finding a log by the side of the road, he sat down to rest on its far end. The Ghost, running close behind him, now came up and sat at the other end of the log. It was one of the few times when the Ghost uttered a word. He said, 'That was some good running you were doin'.'

'Yes,' the Welshman said, fighting for breath, 'and I'm goin' to be doin' some more in just a minute.' And he did."
- section from "Wisconsin Lore" by Robert E. Gard & L.G. Sorden

A small ghost is painted on one of Ridgeway's welcome signs. There is another on the water tower.

The W-Files
www.w-files.com

Wisconsin Historical Society
(scroll down to "The Ridgeway Ghost")
content.wisconsinhistory.org

Wisconsin State Journal
article "Legend of Ridgeway Ghost includes a death" or (here)

The Road Less Traveled
www.geocities.com/TheTropics

book:
"Wisconsin's Ridgeway Ghost"
by William Horner & Beth Schneider
Badger House (2001)
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Wisconsin Lore"
by Robert E. Gard & L.G. Sorden
Heartland Press (1962, 1987)
pages 13 - 23
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
page 124
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghost Stories of Wisconsin"
by A.S. Mott
Lone Pine Publishing International (2006)
pages 22 - 55
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 46 - 51
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"The Bookcase Ghost"
by Elizabeth Matson & Stuart Stotts
Midwest Traditions (1996)
pages 31 - 34, 51 - 53
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Odd Wisconsin"
by Erika Janik
Wisconsin Historical Society Press (2006)
pages 154 - 155
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Haunted Wisconsin"
by Michael Norman & Best Scott
Trails Books (revised ed., 2001)
pages 205 - 218
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd (2008)
pages 83 - 86
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Spooky Wisconsin"
by S. E. Schlosser
Globe Pequot Press (2008)
pages 29 - 34
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Badger Bars & Tavern Tales"
by Bill Moen, Doug Davis
The Guest Cottage Inc. (2003)
page 8
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghostly Tales of Wisconsin"
by Ryan Jacobson
Adventure Publications, Inc. (2009)
pages 52 - 54
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Haunted Mill Creek"

ghost

location: Ridgeway

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a Hermit's ghost seen along scenic Mill Creek.

seen around north end of Evans Quarry Road (west of Ridgeway south of County Road Y), near Hyde's Mill (5½ miles north of Ridgeway on Dam Mill Road off of County Road H), by Coon Rock (west of Arena on Coon Rock Road south of Highway 14), and by the shot tower at Tower Hill State Park (southeast of Spring Green on County Road C south of Highway 14).

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 40 - 46
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Cathy's Coon Rock Site
www.coonrock.com

Town of Ridgeway
www.townofridgeway.org

Iowa Barns
www.ohiobarns.com

Bigfoot Seen Along Highway 130 (1994)

bigfoot

location: Dodgeville

"I saw what I thought at first to be a man walking along the edge of the road in a brown jacket and pants until I got closer and saw that this was much too big to be a man."
- section from BFRO incident report

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

"Helena's Rowdy Ghosts"

haunted

location: Arena & Spring Green (Sauk County)

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a boisterous gathering of ghostly rowdies that have been seen in the rural area of Helena.

5 miles west of Arena off of Highway 14 near Helena Road

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 25 - 26
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

The Subway Ghost

ghost

location: Dodgeville

Ghostly activity reported at sandwich restaurant.

1400 State Road 23
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-5889

Unexplained Research
www.unexplainedresearch.com

book:
"The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations"
by Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk
Research Publishing Co. (2005)
pages 68 - 69
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd (2008)
pages 153 - 154
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Dodgeville UFO Sightings

UFO

location: Dodgeville

"He saw three dull lights traveling from west to east, in an irregular triangular pattern. They covered the west to east sky in less than 10 seconds before disappearing."
- section from UFO Wisconsin 03-04-02 report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

The Walker House

haunted

location: Mineral Point

The Walker House was in the middle of a renovation project at the time of these photos. It is open for business now.

"As Landon began work on the restoration of the building, strange incidents started to occur that seemed to have no explanation, including sounds of heavy breathing and mysterious footsteps."
- section from Prairie Ghosts article

"Sometime back in the 1800's, a man stole a horse from one of his neighbors. Mind you, this was a punishable by death in those days. After committing his crime he decided to go to the Walker House for a drink. The Walker House is a large restaurant/bar/hotel. While he was in the bar, a mob came, dragged him out of the bar and promptly hung him on a tree outside. Since then he has haunted the Walker House. Visitors and employees have seen floating heads, felt cold drafts, been locked in the walk-in freezers and several other mischievous things."
- section from The Shadowlands website

1 Water Street
Mineral Point, WI 53565

hours:
(daily) 11am – 9pm

Official Site
www.walkerhousemineralpoint.com

Prairie Ghosts
www.prairieghosts.com

The Shadowlands
www.theshadowlands.net

Journal Sentinel Online
article "A foreboding state" or (here)

book:
"The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations"
by Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk
Research Publishing Co. (2004)
pages 79 - 82
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
page 124
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Haunted Heartland"
by Beth Scott & Michael Norman
Warner Books (1985)
"The Return of the Hanged Man"
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghost Stories of Wisconsin"
by A.S. Mott
Lone Pine Publishing International (2006)
pages 191 - 197
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
pages 95 - 96
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd (2008)
pages 70 - 74
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghostly Tales of Wisconsin"
by Ryan Jacobson
Adventure Publications, Inc. (2009)
pages 74 - 76
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Winny BeauJeau: the Frenchman's Ghost"

ghost / spirit

location: all over Iowa County

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of the trickster spirit, known to the Indians as Wenebojo, that causes havoc and plays pranks throughout the region.

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 2 - 8
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Haunted Wisconsin"
by Michael Norman & Best Scott
Trails Books (revised ed., 2001)
pages 196 - 197
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Kangaroo Captured in Dodgeville (2005)

out-of-place animal

location: Dodgeville

It happened once before, back in 1978 in Waukesha County. Now Dodgeville has its own resident kangaroo, which was lured into a barn with apples and is currently living the life of Riley in the Henry Vilas Zoo. Less than a year later, another kangaroo is found in Juneau County.

now in zoo at: 702 South Randall Avenue
Madison, WI 53715
(608) 266-4733

hours:
(daily) 9:30am – 5pm

Journal Sentinel Online
1. article "'Roo in the zoo: Police corner, capture mysterious hopper in empty barn" or (here)
2. article "This time, prankster dodges kanga rap" or (here)

Cryptomundo
www.cryptomundo.com

WISC TV
1. story "Wayward Kangaroo Captured; See It To Believe It" or (here)
2. story "What's New With The Kangaroo?" or (here)

Henry Vilas Zoo
www.vilaszoo.org

"The Bethlehem Road Ghosts"

ghosts

location: Dodgeville

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of bachelor farmer spirits and grieving ghosts amongst other tales of this area.

4 miles west of Dodgeville off of Highway 18

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 15 - 24
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Hollandale Wagons"

ghosts

location: Hollandale

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a ghostly team of wagon-drivers seen along Highway 191.

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 32 - 39
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Haunted Taliesin

haunted

location: Spring Green (Sauk County)

"She is usually dressed in an long, white gown and while she is a peaceful presence, she is obviously restless and lost. It is also said that doors and windows open and close by themselves within the cottage and light sometimes turn on and off. Witnesses say that they sometimes close the place for the night, only to return the following day to find everything wide open."
- section from Prairie Ghosts article

The Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center is located near the intersection of Highway 23 and County Road C, south of Spring Green.

Taliesin® Preservation, Inc.
5607 County Hwy C
Spring Green, WI 53588

hours:
May thru October (daily) 9am – 4:30pm

Also listed in the Attractions section above.

Official Site
www.taliesinpreservation.org

Prairie Ghosts
www.prairieghosts.com

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

book:
"Death in a Prairie House : Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders"
by William R. Drennan
University of Wisc. Press (2007)
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 139 - 140
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghost Stories of Wisconsin"
by A.S. Mott
Lone Pine Publishing International (2006)
pages 56 - 61
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd (2008)
pages 26 - 30
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Spooky Wisconsin"
by S. E. Schlosser
Globe Pequot Press (2008)
pages 147 - 155
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghostly Tales of Wisconsin"
by Ryan Jacobson
Adventure Publications, Inc. (2009)
pages 55 - 57
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Pleasant Ridge Peddler"

ghost

location: northeast of Dodgeville

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of the ghost of a 19th-century businessman killed by bandits.

From Dodgeville, head east for a mile or so on County Road YZ. Turn left (north) on County Road Z. Follow for 5½ miles. Pleasant Ridge is at the intersection of County Roads Z & ZZ.
(Not to be confused with the Pleasant Ridge in Grant County.)

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 29 - 32
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Pecatonica Fisherman"

ghost

location: Mifflin, northeast of Rewey

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a spectral old-timer seen casting on the waterways around Mifflin, including the Pecatonica River.

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 14 - 15
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Car Struck by Mysterious Object (1991)

UFO? meteor?

location: Mineral Point

"Although the police went looking for it, and several neighbors and myself and son, no one could identify an object that could have done that much damage to the car."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

Haunted Mineral Point

haunted

location: Mineral Point

In the books listed at the right, stories are told of the different spirits that haunt the inns and streets of Mineral Point.

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 8 - 12
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Haunted Wisconsin"
by Michael Norman & Best Scott
Trails Books (revised ed., 2001)
pages 194
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd (2008)
pages 75 - 78
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Old Graveyard Ghosts of Dodgeville"

haunted

location: Dodgeville

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of trickster spooks that play jokes on the unsuspecting public.

reported at the corner of Clarence and Union Streets

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 28 - 29
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Wisconsin River Cliff Ghost"

ghost

location: Lone Rock (Sauk County)

In the book "Driftless Spirits", author Dennis Boyer tells of a grieving female ghost that had ended her life by leaping into the river.

on Highway 133 west of the bridge crossing the Wisconsin River south of Lone Rock (and many other places near this area)

book:
"Driftless Spirits"
by Dennis Boyer
Prairie Oak Press (1996)
pages 12 - 13
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Mineral Point Vampire
at Graceland Cemetery

urban legend

location: Mineral Point

A vampire was seen in the cemetery in 1981. A vampire...

From Highway 151 in Mineral Point, head west on Fair Street. Cemetery is on the left.

book:
"The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations"
by Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk
Research Publishing Co. (2004)
pages 77 - 78
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
page 211
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 93
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"The Portrait in Pendarvis"

haunted

location: Mineral Point

The removal of a painting of a Cornish couple leads to paranormal incidents.

Pendarvis is also listed in the History section below.

114 Shake Rag St.
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-2122

hours:
mid-May thru October (daily) 10am – 5pm
(last tour begins at 4pm)

book:
"The Bookcase Ghost"
by Elizabeth Matson & Stuart Stotts
Midwest Traditions (1996)
pages 24 - 26
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Strange Light Moves Erratically (1999)

UFO

location: Spring Green (Sauk County)

"Its movement was jagged in that it kind of oscillated back and forth but gained overall movement in one direction."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

"The Knocker"

spirit of folklore

location: Mineral Point

In the book "Spooky Wisconsin" is a story of a lead miner who encounters a Tommyknocker (think: Cornish leprechaun) which must be kept happy to prevent it from pulling pranks on the miners. In this case, keeping the diminutive creature content may have saved lives.

book:
"Spooky Wisconsin"
by S. E. Schlosser
Globe Pequot Press (2008)
pages 94 - 102
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

"Old City Cemetery Graveyard Gate"

unique cemetery

location: Mineral Point

Found in the book "Strange Wisconsin" is a look at Mineral Point's oldest cemetery and the condition it is currently in.

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 95
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Orchard Lawn / Gundry House Museum

location: Mineral Point

museum

"Stroll back through time in Victorian-era splendor. Built of local sandstone in 1868, this impressive Italianate-style mansion features period rooms as they would have appeared in the late 1800's and displays of Mineral Point's wide-ranging history."
- section from Explore Wisconsin website

234 Madison Street
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-2884

hours:
May thru October (Thu - Sun) 1pm – 5pm

Mineral Point Official Site
www.mineralpoint.com

Journal Sentinel Online
article "Mineral Point home has new mission" or (here)

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org

Iowa County Historical Museum

location: Dodgeville

museum

"In addition to rotating exhibits, the museum has on permanent display exhibits devoted to farm machinery, children's toys, WWI and WWII, mining., The museum also exhibits a replica of an old one-room schoolhouse."
- section from Portal Wisconsin website

(one block north of Hwy 23 and 18 intersection)
1301 N. Bequette Street
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-7694

hours:
May thru October (Mon - Fri) 10am – Noon & 1pm – 4pm

Iowa County Historical Society Official Site
www.iowacountyhistoricalsociety.org

Dodgeville Official Site
www.dodgeville.com

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org

Mineral Point 1856 Depot and Museum

location: Mineral Point

museum

"The first floor houses a recreation of the telegrapher's office, the display of an extensive RR lantern collection...The second floor has a recreation of the Mineral Point and Northern offices, with a large desk, papers, photos, and maps in the room..."
- section from Mineral Point Railroad Society website

11 Commerce St.
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-2769

hours:
• May thru November (Thurs - Sat) 10am – 4pm
(Sundays) Noon – 4pm
• December thru April (Saturdays) 10am – 4pm
(Sundays) Noon – 4pm

Mineral Point Railroad Society
www.mineralpointrailroads.com

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org

Mineral Point Official Site
www.mineralpoint.com

Pendarvis

location: Mineral Point

historical structure

"Discover a rare gem of Wisconsin history nestled into a wooded hillside where immigrant Cornish lead miners put down roots in a new homeland in the 1830's and '40s. See the treasures of their old world culture preserved for future generations in the stone-and-log houses they crafted more than a century ago. Connected by winding footpaths that pass by blooming gardens of native flora, the houses of Pendarvis speak volumes about the pioneer spirit that tamed a wild Wisconsin."
- section from Explore Wisconsin website

Also listed in the Paranormal section below.

114 Shake Rag St.
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-2122

hours:
mid-May thru October (daily) 10am – 5pm
(last tour begins at 4pm)

Wisconsin Historical Society
www.wisconsinhistory.org

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org

Explore Wisconsin
www.explorewisconsin.com

book:
"Sidetracked in Wisconsin"
by Mary Bergin
Itchy Cat Press (2006)
pages 91 - 95
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Merry Christmas Mine Prairie

location: Mineral Point

historical site

"The Merry Christmas Mine was one of the nations few large zinc mines operating between 1906 and 1913. The mine is now part of a 43-acre area that includes a number of educational walking trails highlighting early crevice mines and "badger holes." The prairie trails begin at the edge of the Pendarvis parking lot in Mineral Point."
- section from Explore Wisconsin website

(next to Pendarvis)
114 Shake Rag St
Mineral Point, WI 53565
(608) 987-2122

Wisconsin Historical Society
www.wisconsinhistory.org

Mineral Point Official Site
www.mineralpoint.com

Explore Wisconsin
www.explorewisconsin.com

book:
"Wisconsin Underground"
by Doris Green
Trails Media Group, Inc. (2000)
pages 75 - 77
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Tower Hill Shot Tower
at Tower Hill State Park

location: Spring Green (Sauk County)

historic structure

"Visitors to the park can take a lovely walk to the top of the bluff where the old shot tower and smelter house have been reconstructed, and where an exhibit explains how the operation worked. The shot making process was quite simple: lead was melted at the top of the tower, then poured with a ladle through a sieve or colander with a variety of hole sizes. The lead drops became almost perfectly spherical as they fell the entire length of the shaft - a total of 180 feet, counting the wooden as well as the underground mine shaft - to a cooling pool below. Paths can be followed back down to the site of this collection pool, which is reached via a very dark walk through a 90-foot horizontal shaft dug directly in the base of the rock bluff."
- section from the Spring Green Official Site

5808 County Road C
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608) 588-2116

hours:
mid-April thru October

History of the American Shot Tower
www.traphof.org

Spring Green Official Site
Recreation
www.springgreen.com

Wisconsin History
www.wisconsinhistory.org

book:
"Wisconsin Underground"
by Doris Green
Trails Media Group, Inc. (2000)
pages 121 - 122
buy it at Amazon.com
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

Folklore Village

location: Dodgeville

historic settlement

"Surrounded by the gently rolling farmland of Iowa County, Folklore Village is a unique rural folk-life center. Visitors are invited to participate in dancing, music, storytelling, foodways and material folk arts."
- section from Explore Wisconsin website

3210 County Road BB
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 924-4000

Official Site
www.folklorevillage.org

Portal Wisconsin
(with 360º video!!!)
www.portalwisconsin.org

Explore Wisconsin
www.explorewisconsin.com

Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce
www.dodgeville.com

updated 04-20-09 • all images excluding those attributed to others are property of Wisconsinosity.com




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