Do you ever wonder what it was like to be a lumberjack in Wisconsin during the 1800s? Well, you need to head to Laona, Wisconsin and check out this super cool interactive museum. The best part? It's only accessibly via locomotive.
1. Your day begins by hopping on this beautiful lumberjack steam train.
2. You will need to buy your tickets first, of course, inside of an authentic train depot.
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3. You will see how such towns were set up, complete with men on horseback.
4. People will be dressed in historical clothing, giving you a true sense of what it was like to be an average person back then.
5. You can also see demonstrations of how people cooked back then.
6. Don't forget to visit the Cracker Barrel Gift Shop, which was opened in 1905.
7. You can see how blacksmiths worked, and you can even get your own mini horseshoe as a souvenir!
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8. There is a place to explore various artifacts, pelts, and furs from this time period.
9. You can also see some of the "transportation" that was available back in the day.
10. Kids will definitely love the experience, but you will learn a lot, too!
For many visitors, a trip to Milwaukee is incomplete without taking a selfie with an icon. The statue known as the Bronze Fonz in Milwaukee celebrates the smoothest of fictional Wisconsin television characters - Arthur Fonzarelli, a.k.a., Fonzie. But the story of this smooth character has had a few bumps – here’s what you need to know about Wisconsin’s quirkiest attraction, the Bronze Fonz statue:
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The story of the statue truly begins in 1974, when the sitcom Happy Days premiered on the ABC network. It was set in Milwaukee and it was a huge hit, with 255 episodes over 11 seasons.
The series featured the character Fonzie, a smooth high school dropout who donned a black leather jacket. The character was played by actor Henry Winkler and the character became one of the most merchandised characters of the 1970s.
Needless to say, Milwaukee was proud. Decades passed, but the city never forgot its Fonz. But one day, a proposal surfaced that made a lot of people say, “Aaay."
Visit Milwaukee, the city’s tourism promotional organization, spent $75,000 to commission a statue commemorating the icon. The Fonzie statue stands 5 feet, 6 inches tall, just like Henry Winkler.
Not everyone was a fan – when it was proposed, the statue had opponents like the executive director of Milwaukee Artist Resource Network and the CEO of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Nature has also been hard on the Fonz – it had to be temporarily removed for maintenance in 2022.
But nothing can stop the Fonz. You’ll find him down on the Riverwalk, sporting a classic grin. Pay him a visit and take a selfie – but be warned, you may need to wait your turn. He’s a popular guy!
You’ll find the Bronze Fonz right on Milwaukee’s RiverWalk, just south of Wells Street. Have you seen it in person before? Do you know of any other fun attractions in Milwaukee? Let us know in the comments. Once you’ve visited the Fonz, here are some more must-see landmarks in Milwaukee:
The Library of Congress is a treasure trove of digital files that preserve the history of our country. I spent most of a day combing its files for any very old photos of Wisconsin still in existence, and they're kind of amazing. Most of these Wisconsin pictures date from 1880 to 1910, and it's amazing to see how much some places have changed and how some have stayed remarkably the same.
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Here are some of the most amazing, historic Wisconsin photos taken during the state's early years.
1. View of Trempealeau, 1874
The oldest photo I could find that wasn't just a sitting portrait.
2. Entering Green Bay, ca. 1880-1899
Wisconsin's first city has changed a bit in the ensuing century.
3. Devil's Lake , ca. 1880-1899
With all that's different in the rest of the pictures, that this view is basically unchanged over 100 years is kind of heartening.
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4. Pitcher John Freeman on an 1889 cabinet card.
Not quite the same baseball cards you see today.
5. Looking out over Eau Claire, ca. 1880-1899.
This could be any town in America at the time and it's a totally unrecognizable view today.
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6. White Fish Bay from the pier, ca. 1880-1899.
One of Milwaukee's most affluent suburbs, Whitefish Bay is spelled different and definitely doesn't have a pier.
7. Paper Mills on the Fox River in Neenah, ca. 1880-1899.
Mills and the paper industry shaped so much of our state.
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8. Jaws of the Wisconsin Dells in 1894.
This makes me want to try to get a "now" picture of the same area. Other than some erosion, I'd assume the view hasn't changed much.
9. Girls of the paper mills in Appleton, ca. 1880-1899.
I can't imagine doing any type of labor in that much clothing.
10. The Narrows of the Dells, 1900.
Hard to believe this is now the Waterpark Capitol of the World.
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11. Milwaukee City Hall ca. 1900
Most of the buildings around it have changed, and the road is now paved, but you could overlay this with a picture of City Hall today and you wouldn't see too much difference. It's too easy to overlook the awesome history in our everyday lives.
12. Pinckney Street, in Madison, 1901.
One of the four streets that create Capitol Square in Madison.
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13. President Roosevelt's Western Tour. In a floral carriage in La Crosse 1903
It's impossible to imagine a President or any other high ranking official taking on a tour like this one and riding through small towns on a carriage.
14. Panorama of the Milwaukee lakefront from Lake Michigan ca 1904
Were it not well labeled, I wouldn't believe it. Is there anything here to recognize today?