Head North to Wisconsin!
This past weekend, my husband Keith and I headed north to Wisconsin. He wanted to go to the Baraboo Flea Market, and I wanted to visit the Circus World Museum. We had a plan of action! .
Starved Rock State Park
When stopping for lunch, we decided to head to Starved Rock State Park. Located along the Illinois River, this park filled with canyons, a beautiful lodge, and stunning views seemed the likely place. Besides being a place of beauty, the park is filled with Native American history. The DNR website shared, “The Hopewellian, Woodland, and Mississippian Native American cultures flourished here. Among the most recent and likely the most populous group were the Illinois people. Various subtribes of the Illinois Confederation occupied this area from the 16th century until the early 19th century, with the Kaskaskia being one of those subtribes. They resided directly across from what is now known as Starved Rock State Park, in a place referred to as the Grand Village of the Kaskaskia or La Vantum by the French.”
Louis Joliliet and Father Jacques Marquette traveled through the area. Then in the winter of 1682, the French built Fort St. Louis on top of the rock. Due to the French and Indian War, the fort was abandoned. Nothing is left of this unique history today.
We ended up eating in the cafe rather than lodge. Food was good, hearty, and hit the spot. I want to come back and do a trolley tour as the weather warms!
Tinker Swiss Cottage
Visiting many years ago, we decided to return to Rockford, Illinois to the Tinker Swiss Cottage. Following the story of John Manny, the cottage was a perfect place. The house was built by Robert Tinker. When touring through Europe, he fell in love with the beauty of Swiss architecture. Robert married Mary Dorr Manny, John Manny’s widow. Manny built the Manny reaper. After his death, Mary continued production. She met Robert through the business. They fell in love, marrying on his return from Europe.
Robert built the beautiful cottage. Located on 27 acres, surrounded by trees, the property had a barn and they raised cows, chickens and horses. Robert was an artist, and you can see his work in the house filled with furniture he built, and details that have always reminded me of what the Seven Dwarf’s cottage may have looked like.
Baraboo Swap Meet
Keith had a whole list of things he was looking for at the Baraboo Flea Market. Over the two days at the swap meet that he shopped there, he found I think everything and more on his list. From wooden wheels to picking up a tractor steering wheel he did it all. It was chilly and damp, but he trudged on!
Keith is getting adept at Facebook Marketplace. We also picked up an item nearby that he had negotiated a price on. It was a long sit in the truck while he navigated his new friends’ “treasures”.
I went to the flea market the first day and enjoyed walking around as long as I could stand the cold. While in the truck, I finished up my editing for my new book that is coming out this month, True Farm Girl Adventures. Adding in an index of people and places took a bit more time, but I liked the result and hopefully my readers will too.
The second day I dropped my happy husband off and I trekked to the amazing Circus World Museum!
Circus World Museum
An amazing thing happened! I was on a zoom with Midwest Travel Journalist’s Association for a spring meeting just a few days before our trip. Rebecca Werner of the Wisconsin Historical Society was on the zoom meeting. She shared that the Circus World is one of their sites. She arranged for me to meet up with Scott O’Donnell, Executive Director, Jennifer Cronk, Curator of Circus History, and Pete Shrake, Archivist at the Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center. Together, they provided me with an amazing in-depth tour.
Thank you Jennifer!
Set on 65 acres, Circus World encompasses the history of the American Circus and offers the largest collection of historic circus wagons. Scott made an amazing point that the circus is like a traveling city with its own doctors, dentist, everything. I was amazed to see a religious display of priests and nuns that traveled with the circus. “They brought the church to you,” Scott shared.
During the summer, you can travel to Circus World and besides touring the displays, see circus acts. How exciting!
Lodging and Dining
The hotel we tried in Baraboo was full. We found success in nearby Wisconsin Dells. This is an area I really have not been too much before so I was excited to see the Harrah! Well, we found out why we got a room so easily. The season really had not begun yet. One of the locals told us that things don’t really light up until after May 15th. Our German restaurant we were so excited about showed as open online, but no cigar, closed, closed, closed. Thankfully we saw a very fun reminder from my youth, a Tops Big Boy that was great.
Near the Holiday Inn Express Wisconsin Dells, which was wonderful by the way was the Farmer in the Dell restaurant and the Silo Bar. We stopped there and enjoyed the food, and had to take the elevator to the bar to look out!
I need to return just a little later when all is open and it’s warmer.
Paoli Wisconsin!
Heading south and staying off the Interstate, we made a neat discovery, Paoli, Wisconsin! This lovely little town along the Sugar River is just 12 miles from Madison, this small town had a wonderful dining option at the former Paoli School. We had a great meal, then crossed the street for I think the best ice cream we have ever, ever had.
Stephenson County Historical Society
After picking up Keith’s latest Marketplace treasure, we headed back into Illinois and towards Freeport for a last John Manny discovery. We had learned that there is a Manny Reaper at Stephenson County Historical Museum in their industrial museum. With only an hour to spare, we secured a tour of the industry and Arcade Toy history. The beautiful mansion will have to wait for another visit!
This trip had it all, agriculture, shopping, dining, new discoveries and more. What did your last adventure into the land of Wisconsin reveal? Share detail, I want to know.
