"La Crosse To Lake Country"

Western terminus: La Crosse County, at the Mississippi River in La Crosse (continues into Minnesota as MN Hwy 16)

Eastern terminus: Waukesha County, at I-94 (Exit 293C) on the Waukesha-Pewaukee border

Mileage: about 191 miles

Counties along the way: La Crosse, Monroe, Juneau, Sauk, Columbia, Dodge, Jefferson, Waukesha

Sample towns along the way: La Crosse, Sparta, Tomah, Mauston, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus, Watertown, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha

Bypass alternates at: Tomah, Watertown, Oconomowoc

Quickie Summary: A former U.S. highway, State “Trunk” Highway 16 comes in from Minnesota at La Crosse and works its way toward Milwaukee through routes so popular they were supplanted by Interstates in most areas. Paralleling I-90 and/or I-94 much of the way, Highway 16 goes through many of the towns the interstate highways bypass. Highway 16 used to continue into downtown Milwaukee and across Lake Michigan on a ferry to Muskegon, where it then ran all the way to downtown Detroit just short of the Canadian border, hey. Today, though, it ends at I-94 in Milwaukee's western suburbs, but not before passing by a ton of interesting things along its almost 200-mile journey.

The Drive (West To East): Highway 16 in Wisconsin begins on, of all places, an island. An island in the Mississippi River is where you enter Wisconsin as you skip across The Mighty Mississip. The Old Miss. The Old Man (just channeling my inner Clark W. Griswold.) Highway 16 here is multiplexed with U.S. Highways 14 & 61 and was the main route between Dubuque and St. Paul across the Mississippi before I-90 was built past La Crosse in 1969.

	Highway 16, along with U.S. Highways 14 & 61, begins on an island in the Mississippi, right before the bridge that leapfrogs you into downtown La Crosse.
Downtown La Crosse lurks through the truss work of the 1939 bridge carrying eastbound Highway 16 back toward La Crecent, Minnesota. The hills framing La Crosse are clearly visible in the background (click on picture for larger view.)

Entering Wisconsin here means entering La Crosse (pop. 51,818). Situated on a rare piece of flat land amidst beautiful coulees and hills, La Crosse emerged as a Native American trading post due to its position at the confluence of the Black and Mississippi Rivers. La Crosse holds a number of "quality of life" accolades, often involving low crime or livable small city status; I note USA Today also named La Crosse one of the "Top Ten Places Worldwide to Toast Oktoberfest" (more on that in a second.) Long known as a brewery town, La Crosse was home to G. Heileman Brewing Company for almost 140 years, cranking out a variety of brands, most notably Old Style. Today, the sprawling brewery complex lies just south of Highway 16 as it comes to the surface in downtown La Crosse and continues to run as the City Brewery. The World's Largest Six Pack (pictured below) is indicative of La Crosse's fun style, and you can access it by following U.S. Highway 14/61 south for just a few blocks.

Once Heileman and the home of Old Style, the "World's Largest Six Pack," which holds enough beer to fill 7.3 million cans, lives on as the storage tanks for the City Brewery, founded in 1999. City Brewery brews about a dozen of its own beers as well as Mike's Hard Lemonade and several flavors of Arizona Tea.

La Crosse is Wisconsin's largest city on the Mississippi River and holds the corporate headquarters of Kwik Trip, the Trane air conditioning company, and FirstLogic. It's also a college town, home to Viterbo University, Western Wisconsin Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Highway 16 cuts right through the UW-La Crosse campus, which is nestled below the hills that frame La Crosse's eastern edge. Oh, and speaking of the World's Largest Six Pack, La Crosse also hosts one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the United States, perhaps the world, and has been doing so every year since 1961. For true animal behavior, La Crosse also has the Myrick Park Zoo, accessible right off 16 across from UW-La Crosse. Several miles of hiking and nature trails are also accessible from the zoo. Other things to check out in town include Historic Pearl Street, filled with Civil War-era buildings, specialty shops, a microbrewery, galleries, antique shops, coffee houses and, at night, college students doing what they do best when they're not studying. The Swarthout Museum (800 Main St.) features changing exhibits from prehistoric to Victorian and the Children's Museum of La Crosse (207 Fifth Avenue S.) has exhibits for our future leaders on three floors. All of this can be reached by your car, or you can hop the La Crosse Trolley in the warm weather months for a little "no need for the gas pedal" tour.

	The multilayered hills over La Crosse make for a beautiful sight. Once it reaches them, Highway 16 runs north along the hills for several miles as Losey Blvd.
	One of La Crosse's most notable landforms, Granddad Bluff made an appearance in Mark Twain's Life On The Mississippi, towers over 500 feet above the city and brilliantly reflects the afternoon sun.

Drive-In Watch: Rudy's Drive-In is one of the great ones in Wisconsin. Built in 1966, Rudy's features roller-skating carhops and a sheltered carport where you can pull up and order your probably-unhealthy-but-delicious food from the menu sitting right out your window. Car shows and "Cruise Nights" happen regularly throughout the summer. (10th & La Crosse) Highway 16 heads for the hills in La Crosse, but when it reaches them it's like hitting a wall. So, 16 turns north for several miles, finally reaching the Valley View Mall (one of the few malls named "Valley View" that actually has a valley view) and the chain-restaurant-and-big-box-store side of town, where it intersects I-90. From there, Highway 16 starts heading more easterly as it begins to parallel the interstate all the way to Tomah.

Beyond La Crosse, the coulees and ridges dominate the landscape on all sides as farmland emerges amidst the topography. The first town you reach is West Salem (pop. 4,738), home of Pulitzer-prize winning author Hamlin Garland, the La Crosse Fairgrounds and Speedway, and two octagon-shaped houses, one of which is Garland's homestead. Past Lake Neshonoc and an intersection with Highway 108, Highway 16 follows the relatively flat area along the La Crosse River valley - not far off the La Crosse River Trail, great for biking - and the hills, bluffs and coulees surround you, often from a distance.

Shortly after entering Monroe County is the Bicycling Capital of America, Sparta (pop. 8,648). Sparta is the western host of Fort McCoy, the eastern terminus of the La Crosse River Trail, and the northern terminus of the world-famous Elroy-Sparta Trail. All of this hubub results in a commercial strip through town where you can get just about anything. Joining Highway 71, Highway 16 goes through this commercial strip as it also crosses Highway 21, which goes into Sparta’s main downtown area before heading towards Oshkosh, and Highway 27, a key north-south route through the coulee region.

	The Sparta Depot serves as a trailhead for the La Crosse River and Elroy-Sparta Trails. Here, a group of bikers begin the 32-mile trek toward Elroy.
You don't see these too often, but they make you want ice cream even if you aren't hungry: a Tastee Treet. Just makes you wanna grab a cone, doesn't it?

The town's enthusiastic support of bicycling extends to street name signs that bear bike symbols. Numerous motels and B&B's cater to the cycling crowd while downtown establishments offer supplies for your bike and sustenance for your tummy. And speaking of your tummy, the "Ben Biken BBQ Bash", named by Governor Doyle as the Official State Barbeque Championship of the State of Wisconsin, takes place every September. Coupled with typical September weather, it might be the best weekend of the year to go check out the area. You can eat brisket and burn it off biking.

On top of bikes, Sparta has a number of attractions. Some kids who grow up in Sparta leave for big cities; Deke Slayton left for Earth’s upper atmosphere. The Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bike Museum honors the astronaut, native son, and head of NASA Operations from 1963 to 1972. And that fiberglass hippo, whose mouth you putt golf balls into while playing mini-golf? Chances are, it was made in Sparta at the FAST Corp. (FAST stands for Fiberglass Animals Shapes and Trademarks.) FAST does business all over the world, and few companies like it exist. A drive into their lot yields a sprawling field filled with fiberglass fun: large cows, alligators, elephants that double as childrens’ slides... the list goes on. You may traverse the field and marvel at their creations, as long as you behave and don’t climb on anything. Their lot can be found by following Highway 21 to the northeast edge of town, at the junction with County Highway Q. Look for giant fiberglass things.

Left: Made locally by FAST, "Ben Biken" greets you to the Bicycling Capital of America along Highway 16. Right: Sparta's high school nickname? The Spartans, of course! (This doesn't encourage graduates to go to Michigan State, does it??)

Heading east from Sparta, Highway 16 crosses Interstate 90 and begins a straight shot through the Fort McCoy Military Reservation, often paralleling the interstate just a few hundred feet south. I felt like opening it up and maxing out the speedometer with such a nice straightaway, but something told me that military land but be an even worse place to break the law than a regular ol' stretch of road. Oh, and turn your lights on for safety.

Next up is the crossroads city of Tomah (pop. 8,419), which holds the Monroe County seat. Transportation has long been a hallmark of Tomah; it holds an Amtrak station for the Empire Builder and is where roads going through Wisconsin from Illinois to Minnesota tend to split. Pre-Interstate days, it's where then-main roads U.S. Highways 12 and 16 split; when the interstates were built in the 1960's, they decided to split Interstates 90 and 94 here as well. Not coincidentally, lots of hotels, truck stops, warehouses and transport companies are located here. In keeping with the transportation theme, Gasoline Alley comic strip creator Frank King grew up in Tomah.

In addition to transportation, Tomah is known as one of America's cranberry capitals. The world's largest cranberry festival is held during late September in nearby Warrens, which also holds the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center. Warrens can be reached by connecting to Highway 21 via U.S. 12. You can also reach the extensive Amish Country south of town via Highway 131.

Highway 16 hooks up with U.S. Highway 12 in Tomah, and two join together for the next 40-plus miles and parallel I-90/94. This is only fitting since, since was the interstate before they built the interstate. A string of towns you zoom past on the interstate become places you can check out with more care on this trip. Quaint burgs like Oakdale (pop. 297) and Camp Douglas (pop. 592) host facilities for Mill Bluff State Park, which is located right between the two.

	Landforms in this part of the state make for great state parks, including Mill Bluff, halfway between Oakdale and Camp Douglas on the Monroe-Juneau County line.
This view from Highway 16 & U.S. 12, which closely parallels I-90/94 through Camp Douglas, shows Castle Rock. Once an island in a shallow sea, it towers above the landscape.

Camp Douglas also hosts Volk Field, which in turn hosts the Wisconsin National Guard Museum. Housed in a log lodge built in 1896, the museum contains exhibits, dioramas, video and slide programs, and a battlefield map. It also extensively covers the state's famous 32nd Division, which Highway 32 was named after and the French regarded as Les Terribles, but they meant it in a good way for us - and them. The German Haus Restaurant offers a nice view of Castle Rock, spaetzle and bier along with parking and access the Omaha Trail, which bikers can take to Elroy.

Next up for drivers is New Lisbon (pop. 1,436), which calls itself "The Friendly City." Highway 80 intersects here, as does the Burr Oak Winery in case you didn't sample any German beer back in Camp Douglas.

Next up is Mauston (pop. 4,256), which in some materials refers to itself as the "un-Dells", referencing its close proximity to, but much more relaxed and homey approach than, nearby Wisconsin Dells. County seat of Juneau County and home to the area's largest medical center, Mauston (rhymes with "Boston") hosts five companies who are Fortune 500 members and is wedged between Decorah Lake to its north and One Mile Bluff to its south. Highway 82 provides access to I-90/94 to the east - as well as about twenty fast-food restaurants and tourist places featuring giant plastic things - and access to the more rugged hills toward Elroy to the west.

	Mauston's St. Patrick Catholic Church at the end of Pine Street, one block off Highway 16 (State Street).
	This area was once of the greatest hop-raising districts in the country, supplying breweries with a key ingredient. This marker in Lyndon Station recalls the days when an editorial in 1867 encouraged locals to "keep hopping, hoeing and hoping", which could also be rap lyrics today.

After a long end-round past Sheep Pasture Bluff (no sign of sheep on this particular day), Highway 16 heads through Lyndon Station (pop. 458) on the way towards the Dells. Past Lyndon Station, I saw an interesting place: it just said "massage" and a phone number, which began with the "666" prefix. My curiosity, along with the angel and devil on my shoulders, had a brief discussions but I chose to keep driving. Shortly after that is the double-entendre named Cruisin' Chubby's, in which I believe dancing of some sort takes place. In between is the Dells Motor Speedway, which features a 1/3-mile semi-banked asphalt oval and hosts super late models and stock-car racing on Saturday nights. Lots of interesting action in just a few short miles!

Once you cross I-90/94, the Dells begin. First, you hit about two miles of thick forest; then suddenly, lights, action, and roller coaster rides begin to fill the view. Yes, you've reached the tourist mecca of Wisconsin Dells!

I TOLD you Highway 16 was once a U.S. Highway too! Though the designation changed in 1980, this sign just north of Wisconsin Dells indicates how both routes were once U.S. Highways, extending across the nation. U.S. 12 still goes from Detroit, Michigan to Aberdeen, Washington, while Highway 16 is now a Wisconsin-only route. The old U.S. 16 went from Detroit to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and still exists west from Rapid City, South Dakota.

Wisconsin Dells Area

Ah, Wisconsin Dells, the "Water Park Capital of the World" and Wisconsin’s most popular vacation destination. In fact, one night I caught the local "vacation station", WDLS (AM 900) - unfortunately now changed to classic country - playing "Holiday Road" by Lindsay Buckingham, which served as the opening theme to National Lampoon’s Vacation. It was the perfect accompaniment to rolling through the bustling main street strip filled with shoppers and tourists on a beautiful summer's eve.

Past roller coasters, mini golf courses, waterparks, U.S. Highway 12 bids Highway 16 adieu and heads south toward Baraboo and Madison. Meanwhile, Highway 16 joins up with Highways 13 and 23, breaking east to hop over the Wisconsin River and enter the energetic strip that marks downtown Wisconsin Dells (pop. 2,418). When people refer to "Wisconsin Dells", they usually mean the whole area, including Lake Delton and the region up and down the Wisconsin River, whose gorgeous 'dells' and gorges give the area its name. But Wisconsin Dells is actually a city in itself, having started out as Kilbourn City in 1857. It was named after founder Byron Kilbourn, who also played a major role in getting Milwaukee started as a city one decade earlier. Renamed Wisconsin Dells in 1931, the city set the state’s high temperature record of 114 degrees Fahrenheit (46 Celsius.) five years later. But indeed, it gets cold here, too, which explains why so many waterparks offer indoor facilities.

In addition to being home to the amphibious World War II vehicles known as the Wisconsin "Ducks" (which started in 1946) and Tommy Bartlett’s Water Ski & Jumping Boat Thrill Show (which made the Dells its permanent home after an amazingly successful temporary stop in 1952), Wisconsin Dells’ selection of waterparks is unparalleled anywhere in the world.

	The Wisconsin Ducks, capable of riding or floating, in front of Ripley's Museum; the upside down White House is Top Secret, quite unmistakeable along Highway 23 & U.S. 12, just south of where Highway 16 intersects them.
	Motels, pedestrians and stray beach balls line Wisconsin Dells Parkway, with skywalks allowing pedestrians to avoid traffic and/or winter; and as you can see, traffic can get heavy on this stretch. Stop and go traffic much of the time on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer is not uncommon.

It’s also chock full of foreign workers, many of whom are college age from Eastern Europe and South America. Time magazine actually named it one of the "Best Places for College Students to Work during the Summer" in 2004, proving there’s a list for nearly everything.

Before we leave and make our way toward southeastern Wisconsin, let’s take a look at some facts about the area around the Dells (thanks to the "Quick Facts" section of wisdells.com):
- There are 18 indoor waterpark/playground properties in the Dells, the highest concentration of such facilities in the world
- The first indoor waterpark in the nation, The Polynesian, opened here in 1989
- The largest indoor waterpark in the U.S. is the Kalahari Resort, with 125,000 square feet
- North America’s largest waterpark is Noah’s Ark, covering 70 acres, utilizing five million gallons of water and powering screaming people down three miles of waterslides
- The Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort’s indoor and outdoor waterpark space combined covers the space equivalent to six football fields

Above: Plenty of sights to see along Broadway, the stretch of Highway 16 where it goes through the heart of Wisconsin Dells. Highways 13 and 23 run with 16 here, too. Nig's Bar, pictured at night on the right, is one of those places advertising itself via t-shirts that people wear ("I had a swig at Nig's") all over the place... you've probably seem them.

And if you want fudge shops, only Mackinac Island in Michigan can compete with the downtown strip along Highways 13/16/23. Mmmm... fudge. "The Strip" features t-shirt stores that seem to repeat every 100 feet or so. But there are also a ton of unique things. Among them: Ripley's "Believe It Or Not!" Museum, one of only two (the other is in Jackson Hole, Wyoming); the Rick Wilcox Theater, and a bunch more.

At the eastern end of town, Highway 13 heads north towards Lake Superior (it's a long road) and Highway 23 makes its way toward Green Lake and Sheboygan. Meanwhile, Highway 16 makes the plunge southeast and you have a long, fairly lonely ride (most traffic takes I-90/94, which parallesls 16 on the other side of the Wisconsin River) towards the next town, with plenty of time to decompress from the activity in the Dells.

The next town in question is Portage (pop. 9,728), named for the Fox-Wisconsin waterway that quietly connects the two rivers, and by extension the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. What remains is now a small water pump and aeration flow system, although efforts are underway to restore the canal, whose use by boats ended in 1951 when the dam and locks making its use possible were closed.

Portage is the county seat of Columbia County and considered by many where "up North" begins. Its strategic location, once defined by a connecting waterway and Fort Winnebago, is now defined by the I-39 and I-90/94 split and junction of Highways 16, 33, and U.S. Highway 51. Still, Portage boasts a sizeable downtown that overlooks the waterway area, filled with shops and businesses catering to both tourists and residents from miles around. Writer Zona Gale hailed from Portage and used the area as a setting for her Pulitzer prize-winning play Miss Lulu Bett in 1921.

Portage includes some nice parks, like the lovely Pierre Pawquette Park, which I can only assume is named after a Frenchman.

Heading out of Portage, U.S. 51 hooks up with Highway 16 for a ride past the Swan Lake State Wildlife Area (no, this isn't where the song came from). This is the second instance of the former U.S. highway hooking up with a current one. After a few miles, U.S. 51 departs southward for Poynette, Madison and eventually New Orleans. Highway 16 heads southeast again toward Wyocena (pop. 732), where it speeds under Highway 22 in a "Super 2"-style interchange. It may seem unnecessary, but Highway 16 once went through Wyocena and the bypass was built in the 1950s before the interstates displaced it as the main route between Milwaukee and destinations like Minneapolis and La Crosse.

This road once carried Highway 16 through Wyocena. The highway's role as a primary route between Milwaukee and Minnesota before the interstates necessitated a bypass in the 1950's, which carries Highway 16 today. Other bypasses were since built at Watertown and, much more recently, Oconomowoc.

Highway 16 also ambles around the village of Rio (pop. 938), which is pronounced, please, "rhy-oh". They had to do something to distinguish it from the Brazilian city. The lack of beaches, palm trees, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Portugese-speaking people do the same, as does the lack of crime and instability. Rio provides crossroads to access two state wildlife areas, Mud Lake and Grassy Lake (how creative can you get?)

The next actual city on Highway 16 greets you right after the U.S. 151 bypass: Columbus (pop. 4,479). It's one of 17 U.S. states that has a city named Columbus (hey, he was a popular guy.)

Located on the Crawfish River and straddling Columbia and Dodge Counties, Columbus refers to itself as the "Red Bud City" and boasts the largest antique mall in Wisconsin, a slew of antique shops and specialty stores in the downtown area and the closest Amtrak station to Madison. Columbus has done a great job preserving architecturally significant buildings, with the entire downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Architectural and photography students come to check out Jaeger's Mill on the Crawfish River, or the Farmers & Merchants Union Bank Building (known as the "Jewel Box"), which was one of the last buildings designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan. Students of history may revel in the Sunday morning toll of the steeple bell from Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, partially made up of pieces of French canon captured during the Franco-Prussian War and presented as a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany (no comments were solicited from any area French residents.)

	Stretches of downtown Columbus feature an array of preserved architecture, shops and yes, a few watering holes.
One of the last buildings designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan, the Farmers & Merchants Union Bank draws attention with its facade. A scene from the movie Public Enemies was filmed here. City Hall is kitty corner.

Columbus, like many Wisconsin cities, has a brewing history. Started on Park Avenue (today Highway 73 at the intersection with Highway 89) in 1859, the Kurth Brewery quenched thirsty Columbusinians (or however you'd say it - Columbans, maybe?) for most of the ninety years that followed. Prohibition originally shut it down in 1920, but the Kurth Brewery managed to bounce back for 16 years after it was repealed, churning out items like Banner Beer and Blue Mound Beer throughout the 30s and 40s until it finally closed for good in 1949.

	Highway 16 snakes along the Rock River between Astico and Columbus.
A couple enjoys the serene wayside along the Rock River just outside Columbus. The Rock eventually flows to the Quad Cities before meeting the Mississippi.

Highway 60 joins 16 for the straight shot from Columbus to Clyman. At Clyman Junction (named for the railroad junction, not the road one), Highway 60 heads north and then east toward Hartford and Grafton. Meanwhile, we turn south and join Highway 26 for the ride south toward Watertown. It's pretty much open land for this section, but it's worth checking out Dickie Lee's Whacky Shack (920-696-3563) for a bite or beverage and some good immature humor.

Left: Perhaps part of an old gas station, this charming little sight is just north of Watertown along Highway 16 while it's joined with Highway 26 in Dodge County. Right: Methinks there's a double entendre in this business establishment's name along Highway 16/26 near Clyman, but maybe it's just me.

**Bypass Alert**
Highway 16 technically bypasses Watertown on its northeast side. If you want to save time, follow the bypass. But to see the town, follow Highway 16's former path into the city along Highway 26 and then east along Highway 19, which re-joins 16 on the east end of town.

Watertown (pop. 21,598) is actually the largest city along Highway 16's path since La Crosse. Watertown was the second-largest city in the state back in 1855 and launched the first kindergarten in 1856. It can be found - and toured - on the grounds of the Octagon House, an 1854 structure built by one of the city's founders, John Richards, to fulfill a promise to his sweetheart (he promised to built her the finest house in Wisconsin Territory if she would marry him. This was before the days of just using a stadium message board to ask.) The "water" in Watertown comes from the Rock River, which winds through the city. Twice.

	Amid a typical Wisconsin middle-class neighborhood on the southeast side of Watertown lies the historic Octagon House, built in 1854 to fulfill a whipped guy's promise.
This stretch is popular with motorcyclists, following Highway 19, which is also Business Hwy. 16, into Watertown.

To go into Watertown, stay on Highway 26 and then turn left on Highway 19, which is also Main Street. Watertown's downtown is fairly extensive and features a number of shops, along with Mullen's Dairy Bar, a great throwback malt shop-type place that opened in 1931. An aggressive Main Street program is paying off and walking around, back and forth over the Rock River, is a great way to stretch your legs as you check out everything from clothing stores to taverns and historic bank buildings.

	Up for a malt, ice cream or other sweet concoction from an old-fashioned, authentic soda fountain place? Mullen's Dairy Bar in downtown Watertown offers items for your taste buds and cool items to look at from the store's early days.
Today's Highway 16 runs on a bypass around Watertown's northeast side, but following Business 16 through Watertown offers a nice Main Street and lots of opportunities for shopping, sundaes, beverages and walks across the Rock River.

Highway 16 continues east from Watertown and parallels the Canadian Pacific railroad through northeast Jefferson County. The road juts over the north end of Ixonia's (pop. 2,902) main crossroads. Technically still a town rather than a village or city (but probably not for long, given the recent growth), its name came from a little girl. As explained in the Ixonia Heritage Book Index, which illustrated the naming debate going on when the town first split from the Town of Union in 1846: "To satisfy all factions, it was agreed to put the letters of the alphabet on slips of paper and have young Mary Piper draw them until a word was formed that could be used as the town name. The result was Ixonia."

It goes on to say that it's the only Ixonia in the country. I'll bet you're just as shocked as I am by that revelation.

East of Ixonia, a cozy little wayside at the Rock River crossing features the historical marker detailing Wisconsin's status as the first governmental body in the world to number its roads. History here is indicated not only by the route marker, but by evidence of the original U.S. Highway 16 and State Highway 19 from the 1920s, the remnants of which are still visible in broken-up pavement paralleling the new road just to the south by 100-200 feet between the Rock River crossing and the exit where Highway 16 either goes into, or bypasses, Oconomowoc.

	This was Highway 16 back in the 1920's; remnants of the old pavement and markings are still visible. The old road serves a local farm, while the current highway runs just to the left of the trees in this picture. Of course, this is partially grown over, but let's face it: the old route must've made for a long trip in the ol' Model T.
	Wisconsin was the first governmental body to identify roads by number. The first actual markers went up along this section of Highway 16 (originally Highway 19) just prior to 1920.

**Bypass Alert**
Highway 16 - technically - now runs around the north and east ends of Oconomowoc on an expressway bypass that, although planned since 1960, opened last year. If you want to save about 5-7 minutes, follow the bypass. To see the town, follow Wisconsin Avenue (now known as "Old" 16) at the exit simply marked "Oconomowoc". Wisconsin Avenue re-joins Highway 16 automatically on the east end of the city.

Oconomowoc (pop. 12,382) is a ten-letter city, five of which are o's. Native American for "gathering place of the beaver" (according to one translation), it's probably also the only Oconomowoc in the world, too, just like Ixonia. And Waunakee. And a bunch of other Wisconsin places.

Oconomowoc, built around Lac La Belle, Fowler Lake and Oconomowoc Lake, is at the western edge of Waukesha County's "Lake Country" and served as a resort town for wealthy Americans as far back as the 1870's, earning it the nickname "Newport of the West". A host of American presidents throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s visited Oconomowoc, and some of the mansions where they stayed can be seen on walking tours around town.

Highway 16 (at least the pre-bypass version) is Oconomowoc's main street, known locally as Wisconsin Avenue. The downtown stretches along the avenue between Lac La Belle and Fowler Lake, past a long line of shops that in some cases date back to the early 20th century. New development on the edges of town, especially the mushrooming Pabst Farms development along I-94 and Highway 67, have brought challenges to the downtown and civic efforts have been active in keeping the area vibrant. A great place to stop, look at, and eat is the old train station at 115 E. Collins Street, one block south of Highway 16 along the railroad downtown. The beautiful stone exterior and interior design of the station featruring old railroad memorabilia brings back a bit of the romance from the days when most people came and went to and from Oconomowoc by train.

Continuing east on Wisconsin Avenue, you reach the present-day Highway 67 and the new bypass carrying Highway 16. At this point, the 25 mph street grows into a freeway that lasts for the duration of the route.

Drive-In Alert!

The Kiltie (262-567-2648), along old 16 just south of the Highway 16/County P interchange, dates back to 1946 and serves up great burgers, sides, malts and more on the old fashioned window tray. As a resident of Oconomowoc during my toddler years, I believe the burger I ever ate was at the Kiltie. There have been many, many more since. (Photo courtesy of ocono.com)

Since the mid-1970s, the rest of Highway 16 has been a four-lane freeway. The original road went through Okauchee, Nashotah and Hartland, charming lake villages and towns winding past Waukesha County's Lake Country. This area combines hills common to the Kettle Moraine area with lakes that surround the towns. Jumping off Highway 16 along this stretch, including past the interchange with Highway 83, makes for a series of pleasant rides. County C, which runs north to Chenequa and Stone Bank and south to Delafield, is part of the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive. The exit at County E, which takes you into Hartland, is also part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

Eventually, Highway 16 turns south for the final stretch to I-94. Way back when, Highway 16 followed Capitol Drive (now Highway 190) all the way into Milwaukee. Later, it followed Blue Mound Road (now U.S. 18) into Milwaukee and followed a car ferry across Lake Michigan to Muskegon, then as part of the Grand River Road across Michigan into downtown Detroit. Today, it ends at I-94 on the Pewaukee/Waukesha boundary in the heart of a booming area with plenty of things to do.

Pewaukee (pop. 11,783) surrounds the eastern end of seven-mile long Pewaukee Lake. It can be accessed from the Capitol Drive exit - heading west from the interchange will lead you to the lake. The main street fronting the lake was recently rebuilt with a series of storefronts that feature everything from a bike shop to a sub shop to an upscale piano bar. The beach bustles with swimmers and sunbathers all summer, and lake homes - both new and old - stretch along the north and south shores of the lake. The boating theme is appropriate; Pewaukee holds the world headquarters of Harken, Inc., a leading manufacturer of sailboat hardware and accessories.

Just south of Pewaukee and into Waukesha lies the U.S. headquarters of GE Healthcare, a leading Milwaukee Region employer at the forefront of medical technology. Easily visible from Highway 16's terminus at the interchange with I-94, the sprawling G.E. Medical complex abuts the eastern edge of the Lake Country Trail and a host of places to stay and things to do at the northern end of Waukesha.

Next to the beach, across from stores and restaurants, a pier juts out into Pewaukee Lake. Plenty of people enjoy fishing on this particular summer day.

You can access Waukesha (pop. 66,840) via County Highways T or DR, or by following Highway 16 onto I-94 and then using County Highways J or F, or Highway 164 south into town...which also hooks up with U.S. 18.

Downtown Waukesha offers a wide assortment of shops, parks and places to see. Among them is the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum (101 W. Main Street, 262-548-7186), which chronicles Waukesha ’s fascinating history, including with water and mud. The springs in the village were believed to provide water that could, among other things, cure diabetes. Resorts were built to attract visitors to come and “heal” themselves with Waukesha ’s water. Attempts to pump Waukesha’s high-quality water to the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago were almost successful – almost. During the first half of the 20th century, the Moor Mud Baths gave rise to the Grand View Health Resort, a precursor to today’s health spas. All of that and more are chronicled in the museum.

So, there you go. Wisconsin's Highway 16, formerly U.S. 16, from the Mississippi River in La Crosse to the lakes and sights of Waukesha, with direct access to Milwaukee. The total mileage is about 190 and while you can cover much of that territory on the interstates, Highway 16 can make for a great trip as part of the State Trunk Tour.

CONNECTIONS
West Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Highway 35, U.S. Highway 14, U.S. Highway 53, U.S. Highway 61
Can connect nearby to: Highway 33, about 1/2 mile south; Interstate 90, about 4 miles north

East Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Interstate 94
Can connect nearby to: Highway 164, about 3 miles east; Highway 190, about 1 miles north; Highway 83, about 6 miles west; U.S. Highway 18, about 3 miles south

Upcoming events in places along Highway 16:
Wisconsin Highland Games, Waukesha, September 3-5, 2010
Storytelling Festival, La Crosse, September 10-11, 2010
Watertown Fall Festival, Watertown, October 2, 2010