"O-town to J-ville"

Northern terminus: Winnebago County, at U.S. 41 in southwestern Oshkosh

Southern terminus: Rock County, at the junctions of U.S. Highway 51 in downtown Janesville

Mileage: about 99 miles

Counties along the way: Winnebago, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock

Sample towns along the way: Oshkosh, Rosendale, Waupun, Juneau, Watertown, Johnson Creek, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville

Bypass alternates at: Waupun, Fort Atkinson, Janesville

Quickie Summary: State “Trunk” Highway 26 is becoming an increasingly major feeder route between Oshkosh and Janesville. A primary route through towns like Waupun, Juneau, Watertown, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson and Milton, Highway 26 takes you through a lot of "main streets", lets you find the first kindergarten in the nation, brings you right past an actual Underground Railroad stop from the 1850s, experience dinner theatre of Broadway caliber, and have burgers at old-fashioned drive-ins... all while providing access to outlet mall shopping, high-speed alternate routes and other major routes in the state.

The Drive (North To South): Highway 26 starts just outside of Oshkosh at U.S. Highway 41. Just beyond the road's northern edge is Oshkosh's own Wittman Field, which is normally fairly quiet but becomes the world's busiest airport for one brief week during the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Fly-In every July. From U.S. 41, Highway 26 heads southwest into Fond du Lac County and into Rosendale (pop. 923), noted mainly for its intersection with Highway 23 and the local police enthusiasm for writing speeding tickets - so watch your speed going through town!

Further south, Highway 26 hooks up with U.S. Highway 151, where it becomes a freeway for just over a mile before breaking off and heading into the first major town past Oshkosh, Waupun (pop. 10,718). Long known for holding Wisconsin's primary state prison, Waupun is also billed the "City of Sculptures", being the home of famous sculptor Clarence Shaler and a series of his works. Sculptures like End of the Trail, Who Sows Believes In God, Dawn of Day, and Morning of Life grace the city in various parks and streetsides. Waupun also serves as a northwestern gateway to the Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. The Marsh Haven Center, just east on Highway 49, is a nature education center offering hiking paths and an observation tower at the edge of the Marsh itself.

Highway 26 runs through Waupun, just west of the U.S. 151 bypass before crossing it again and making a beeline south into the heart of Dodge County. The Wild Goose State Trail, a 34-mile rail-to-trail right-of-way from Fond du Lac to Clyman Junction, runs just to the east and there are many access points along the way. Minnesota Junction (which, ironically, doesn't look that much like Minnesota at all) provides a junction with Highway 33 and, shortly thereafter, Dodge County Airport. From there, it's a short hop into Dodge's county seat, Juneau (pop. 2,485). Juneau the city has nothing to do, ironically, with Juneau County, which lies about 60 miles to the west. It's not named after Milwaukee's first mayor Solomon Juneau either, but rather his son Paul, whose mother (and Solomon's wife) Josette was the daughter of a local Indian chief. Juneau itself hosts the Dodge County Courthouse and several nice parks. Highway 26 goes through the heart of town and has a brief jog west before heading south again out of town.

After a brief junction with Highway 60, which joins Highway 26 for about one mile, Highway 16 joins Highway 26 for the ride past Clyman (pop. 388) towards 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 26 while it's joined with Highway 16 in Dodge County. Right: Methinks there's a double entendre in this business establishment's name along Highway 26 near Clyman, but maybe it's just me.

Highway 16 breaks off as a bypass as Highway 26 heads directly into Watertown (pop. 21,598), which actually the largest city along Highway 26 between its two terminal cities of Oshkosh and Janesville. 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.

Heading into downtown Watertown, crossing into Jefferson County, you reach an intersection with Highway 19. Downtown is to the east a few blocks on Highway 19 (aka Main Street) and is fairly extensive, featuring a number of shops and late 1800s-era buildings. A nice stop is Mullen's Dairy Bar, a 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, just east of Highway 26 along Main Street (Highway 19) offers items for your taste buds and cool items to look at from the store's early days.
	Amid a typical Wisconsin middle-class neighborhood on the southeast side of Watertown lies the historic Octagon House, built in 1854 to fulfill a guy's promise to his girl.

Heading south from Watertown, Highway 26 runs with increasing traffic as you approach a major crossroads in the form of I-94 about 7 miles away. At the junction with the Interstate, which will only get more congested in the future, is a sprawling complex of development: the Johnson Creek Outlet Mall, truck stops, an array of restaurants, big-box stores and a multilpex movie theater are all rapidly making this a focal point for shoppers in Jefferson County and beyond.

(Left): The Gobbler was hip when it opened in 1967; today (right) the closed restaurant building is all that remains. Police maintain a watchful eye.

South of Johnson Creek, Highway 26 returns to a busy 2-lane over farm fields and railroads, passing a large malting plant once owned by Ladish, now owned by Cargill. Left: From I-94 or the hilltops by Johnson Creek Outlet Mall or the nearby Days' Inn, they almost look like a city skyline of old office buildings; from up close, not quite.

Highway 26 heads into Jefferson (pop. 7,338), the namesake county seat that calls itself "the Gemuetlichkeit City", referring to the friendliest of German heritage; ironically, Jefferson also hosted a German POW camp during World War II. Rosemary Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's sister, spent much of her adult life in Jefferson at the St. Coletta School, which provides care for children and adults with learning disabilities. Her sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver (mother of Maria Shriver and mother-in-law of Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose Wisconsin connection involves graduating from UW-Superior), created the Special Olympics in 1968 in Rosemary's honor.

The city is located where the Rock and Crawfish Rivers meet; the Rock runs just west of downtown and parallels Highway 26 until finally ducking under it south of town. At the downtown crossroads, Highway 26 crosses U.S. Highway 18. A short jog to the west on U.S. Highway 18 lets access Jefferson Speedway, a quarter-mile track that bills itself as "Wisconsin's Action Track". Most of the racing action happens on Saturday nights, and during racing season hosts the Jefferson Bargain Fair every Sunday. Over 100 vendors come out to the track with various items for sale, as the smell of fuel and tires has usually dissipated by then.

In downtown Jefferson, meanwhile, a line of stores, taverns and several banks built with beautiful stonework line Highway 26. To the west just south of U.S. 18 is a park that holds Jefferson Depot, the old railroad station, and newly refurbished bridge spanning the Rock River past the tracks.

	Jefferson Depot, along the Union Pacific tracks in downtown Jefferson. The Rock River runs along the tracks.
A new twin-arch bridge for pedestrians and bikes spans the Rock River, connecting the east and west sides of town.

Just south of Jefferson is Fort Atkinson (pop. 11,621), or "Fort", as all the locals call it. A bustling town (Money Magazine recently named it "One of America's Hottest Little Boomtowns") set along the banks of the Rock River shortly before it widens into Lake Koshkonong, Fort Atkinson was originally Fort Koshkonong but renamed Atkinson after Henry Atkinson, the fort's general.

***BYPASS ALERT***
Highway 26 bypasses Fort Atkinson to the west on a "Super 2" highway that has interchanges with U.S. 12 and Highway 106. Take it if you'd like; it's not very exciting, but it's a good time-saver. For the full State Trunk Tour experience, though, cut through town on Business 26, direct exits to which are at the start and end of the bypass. The next section follows Business Highway 26.

Business 26, the original 26 route, goes into the heart of Fort Atkinson along the Rock River through a series of residential neighborhoods. A few jogs west and south, and you cut through Fort's extensive downtown and head over the Rock River - just like you did in Jefferson and Watertown - past a wide variety of shops, restaurants and even some nice artwork along the waterway. You also cross U.S. 12 and Highway 89 downtown, with easy access to nearby towns.

	Looking along the Rock River in downtown Fort Atkinson.
Real children actually play quite a bit in the yards in Fort, but even in the harshest weather these kids are always outside. Check this out after sundown... they're holding "fireflies" that have fiber optic lights so they look like real fireflies at night.

The Fireside Dinner Theatre is located in Fort Atkinson, even though most of their auditions are held in New York. Drawing people from far and wide, the Fireside combines dining with stage entertainment, celebrating 45 years of Klopcic Family hospitality and more than 30 seasons of professional theatre. This year's shows include Disney's "High School Musical", "The Witnesses" and "The Sound of Music." The place is huge inside, and that's just the gift shop. The Fireside is along Business Highway 26, just south of town. Bypassers can access it from Highway 26's new road by cutting north on Business 26 at the interchange on the south end of town.

Dinner theater in southern Wisconsin... and it's known far and wide as some of the best. The Fireside is located right along Business Highway 26 on the south side of Fort Atkinson. The "fire" is quite visible in the form of the tall orange metal sculpture.
	Chief Black Hawk's legacy is well-documented across south central and southwestern Wisconsin. In some communities, he has a park or monument named after him. In Fort, it's a tavern.

South of da Fort, Highway 26 becomes a rolling hill-infested trip that comes close to Lake Koshkonong, one of the largest lakes in Wisconsin. Koshkonong was actually man-made, created from a wide marshland the Rock River ran through. Many of us have heard about Lake Winnebago's shallowness; Koshkonong's rivals it, averaging only about six feet deep. A Milwaukee Bucks player could practically walk through it without having to swim or snorkel (standard disclaimer: kids, don't try it.) A variety of access roads lead to the lake; supper clubs and restaurants also dot the roadside as you cross into Rock County, the final one for this road.

From Milton, Highway 26 develops in to a 4-lane highway for the fast five mile ride to Janesville (pop. 60,483), the "City of Parks". Highway 26 enters Janesville at about the same time it crosses I-39/90 and intersects with U.S. Highway 14, which has ducked around the north and east sides of Janesville since 1952. Here, you'll find a massive, sprawling array of stores, restaurants and travel services, since so many major highways come together here. Continuing south on Highway 26 (as Milton Avenue) brings you past the Janesville Mall, a regional shopping center, through a long commercial strip and then into some of the city's older neighborhoods.

Major companies founded in Janesville include Parker Pen and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, neither of which are headquartered in the city anymore. Janesville does host playground equipment maker Swing N Slide, now a subsidiary of Playcore, Inc., Blain's Farm & Fleet (a store you see many times on the State Trunk Tour), and Gray's Brewing Company, of which more will be divulged shortly. It's the home of Senator Russ Feingold, Representative Paul Ryan, race car driver Stan Fox, even WNBA Houston Comets player Mistie Williams, daughter of Chubby Checker. Janesville hosted Wisconsin's first state fair in 1851 on a site just south of downtown, which still holds a series of impressive, expansive older homes. Janesville is the county seat of Rock County and the largest on the Rock River, with the exception of Rockford, Illinois.

Janesville's a bit of a brewing town, too: on the west side lies Gray's Brewing (2424 W. Court Street, still along old Highway 11, about 2 miles west of where Highway 26 ends), crafter of numerous award-winning brews. They've even been making cream sodas since 1856.

Left: Perched high above the Rock River, overlooking downtown in front of the Rock County Courthouse, Janesville remembers fallen Civil War soldiers with this commemoration. Center and Right: Gray's Brewing has been at it since 1856, making cream sodas and a variety of craft beers. They ship beer to various establishments across the state and beyond.

Highway 26 angles over on a few other streets entering downtown Janesville and ends at U.S. 51, just before one final jump over the Rock River. The city's "skyline" - to put it fairly loosely - looms along the river to the south and a series of city streets lined with historic buildings await.

Left: Janesville hosted the first Wisconsin State Fair in October, 1851. No word on how much cream puffs cost back then.Right: Nearby St. Lawrence Avenue, which parallels the river, overlooks downtown and lovely old mansions line the street for a good distance.

Highway 26 is a key Wisconsin highway that will continue to expand to 4 lanes further north from Milton to Johnson Creek and beyond, so watch for more bypasses to get built and more things to see along the road. It's a good slice of eastern and southern Wisconsin, passing right by or close to a number of historic sites and giving you a bunch of good selections for shopping, entertainment or just finding nice places to stretch out and relax.

CONNECTIONS:
North Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: U.S. Highway 41
Can connect nearby to: Highway 44, about 2.5 miles north; Highway 91, about 2.5 miles north; Highway 21 about 5 miles north; U.S. 45, about 3 miles east

South Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: U.S. Highway 51, Highway 11 (the city portion)
Can connect nearby to: U.S. Highway 14, about 4 miles northeast; I-39/90, about 4.5 miles northeast; Highway 11's new bypass, about 5 miles west or 4 miles south

Upcoming events in places along Highway 26:
Free Admission Day at the Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville, September 1, 2010
Labor Fest, Janesville, September 4-6, 2010
Gallery Walk, Oshkosh, September 4, 2010
Hydroplane Boat Racing, Oshkosh, September 4-5, 2010
Gemeutlichkeit Days, Jefferson, September 17-19, 2010
Watertown Fall Festival, Watertown, October 2, 2010

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