Highways:
...more to come, including the U.S. Highways in Wisconsin!
>> Resources
>> contact us!
Click here for a map overview
|
"Manitowish to Menasha"
The Lac du Flambeau Reservation was created via treaties in 1837 and 1842 and has around 3,500 residents. Like the rest of this region, an extensive chain of interconnected lakes and rivers dominate the landscape (behind all the trees). The Lac du Flambeau Reservation area includes over 260 lakes, 65 miles of rivers and streams and over 24,000 acres of wetlands, so fishing and kayaking are popular local activities. Wild rice grows, well, wild, and has always been a local delicacy. Frybread is another, and they get creative with the toppings and fillings. There's even a "downtown" Lac du Flambeau, where Highway 47 ducks in between Flambeau, Pokegama, Fence and Crawling Stone Lakes. The crossroad is County D, known for much of its length as Peace Pipe Road. For a good look at Ojibwa history and culture (also known as Anishinaabe), the George W. Brown, Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center offers up exhibits that include a world-record sturgeon, a dugout canoe over 200 years old, artifacts and thousands of photos. If you feel more like slots or "doubling down" on 11, hit the Lake of the Torches Casino, which features 24-hour gaming including bingo and blackjack, dining and a variety of concerts and events. The phrase "Lake of the Torches" refers to the old practice of harvesting fish at night by torchlight. |
|
Above Left: The Lake of the Torches Casino is a major Wisconsin casino, and a major employer in this area. Remember, always double down on 11. Above Right: The George W. Brown, Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center is just down Peace Pipe Road from Highway 47 and features a lovely lake (Lower Left) behind it. Below Right: Highway 47 at the junction with Peace Pipe Road. You don't see to many roads with this name, so it was worth a picture.
Woodruff, Minocqua and Arbor Vitae.
One of Wisconsin's most frequented vacation destinations is this stretch of towns surrounded by lakes, forest, and beauty. The presence of Illinois license plates gives you the proper impression that this area is filled with shops, restaurants, t-shirt stores and throngs of families looking to rent lake homes or hang out in the resorts that dot the lakes ringing the area. Highway 47 enters Woodruff (pop. 1,982) from the Lac du Flambeau area, just inside Vilas County. Woodruff features Jim Peck's Wildwood Wildlife Park, the "Zoo of the Northwoods" with over 500 animals - some of whom are roaming. That's located along Highway 70 on the west side of Woodruff.
  | Left: You don't see many Spur gas station signs in Wisconsin, so it's worth a picture of this one between Lac du Flambeau and Woodruff. Right: Approaching U.S. 51 and Highway 70, the first major crossroads since Highway 47 began (ironically, ALSO at U.S. 51), you have plenty of options for eats, drinks and shopping. This is Woodruff, which along with its neighbor Minocqua, is a major tourist destination in Wisconsin - especially for Flatlanders from Illinois. |
In Woodruff itself, you'll find shopping, plenty of gas stations and even some fast-food restaurants, as well as the first traffic light along Highway 47. Here, you intersect with the north-south backbone of Wisconsin, U.S. 51, which is the main drag through Minocqua and Woodruff - Highway 70 is along for the ride, too. Minocqua lies to the south along U.S. 51. This whole stretch can be bumper-to-bumper on warm summer days - and some nights, too.
Also in Woodruff, you'll find the World's Largest Penny. Located just south of Highway 47 and just west of Highway 70/U.S. 51 at 923 Second Avenue, it came about from a fund-raising effort by Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb (a.k.a. the "Angel on Snowshoes" in these parts). In the early 1950s, Woodruff needed a hospital. Dr. Kate encouraged area children to save their pennies, a story that spread around the nation. Pennies poured in from all over the U.S., and eventually 1.7 million of them helped get the hospital built. Apparently, health care was a lot less expensive back then. Ironically, the schoolkids from 1953 (the year stamped on the penny) will soon approach the age where some may enter the assisted living facility behind it. |
|
  | At left, the shot I took of the World's Largest Penny. At right, State Trunk Tourer Agnes W. sent in this picture of her (she's on the left) and her siblings the year the penny was dedicated in 1953. Thanks, Agnes! |
Out of Woodruff, Highway 47 heads southeasterly again, winding around more lakes and wetlands past small hamlets like Lake Tomahawk, McNaughton and Newbold on the way into the next city, which is all about the Hodag...and more.
Of course, we're talking about Rhinelander (pop. 8,135), the Oneida County seat and metropolitan center of everything north of Wausau. The two cities even split the television market up here, with WJFW-TV (Channel 12) serving as the NBC affiliate for northern Wisconsin. Rhinelander is where NFL player Jason Doering, five-time PGA golf champion Dan Forsman, playwright Dan Wasserman, entertainment reporter Steve Kmetko and 2002 Miss Teen USA winner Vanessa Semrow, the only Wisconsinite to win the pageant, all came from. College coaching legend John Heisman, namesake of the Heisman Trophy, is buried in Rhinelander - because that's where his wife was born.
Rhinelander was originally called Pelican Rapids, but changed the name when the city was chartered to salute Frederic Rhinelander, who was president of the main railroad at the time. By 1882, the railroad was extended to the city from Monico (which Highway 47 touches on later) and lumber mills went crazy, exporting wood and wood products. The city became a brewery town that same year, when Rhinelander Beer was introduced. The brewery pioneered and patented the 7-ounce "shorty" bottle and grew to become one of the more influential local breweries in the country. They closed in 1967, but the brands continued to be brewed under contract in Monroe, where the Huber (now Minhas Brewery) kept cranking it out. In 2009, the brands were brought back to Rhinelander when Jyoti Auluck became president of the "new" Rhinelander Brewing Company. They are in the process of bringing back the original formulas and labels to their brands and plan to build a new brewery in Rhinelander to open by 2014. We'll definitely do more research on this! |
|
 | An original Rhinelander beer label. Could it make a comeback soon in downtown Rhinelander? |
The Hodag.
Yes, you've probably heard, Rhinelander is Hodag Country. So what is a Hodag? According to folklore, the Hodag was first seen in 1893 and had "the head of a frog, the grinning face of a giant elephant, thick short legs set off by huge claws, the back of a dinosaur, and a long tail with spears at the end." Advanced by Eugene Shepard, who was known for pranks, the beast became something of legend when the "remains" of one was released to area newspapers. Later, he claimed to have overpowered a live Hodag using chloroform and brought it with him to the 1896 Oneida County Fair. Curious onlookers came from all over to examine the animal, which Shepard worked up and attached wires to, for the occasional tugging to make the creature move...sending audiences running. Apparently, it seemed pretty real: scientists from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. announced they would be coming to Rhinelander to examine this Hodag creature...essentially forcing Shepard to admit it was a hoax.
Nevertheless, the Hodag came an indelible part of Rhinelander's local lore. The Hodag is the high school mascot, the city's official symbol, is commemorated with sculptures around town and even lends its name to the local country music festival, which draws some pretty big names (Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, Neal McCoy, Kellie Pickler and, in its inception in 1978, good ol' Freddy Fender. Anybody up for a round of "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"?) |  |
Highway 47 technically goes around Rhinelander in combination with U.S. 8 and Highway 17, which swoop around the southwest and eastern sides of town. For full Rhinelander flavor, go INTO the place.
From Rhinelander, Highway 47 stays with U.S. 8 to Monico, where it follows U.S. 45 south. At Pelican Lake, you can detour east and check out the Mecikalski Stovewood Building & Museum, along County B about five miles down the road. A National Historic Site, it's the only known commercial example of the "stovewood" building method in the U.S. It's open during the summer months.
Neon Heaven. On the north side of Antigo is Northern Signs, which makes neon signs for companies around the U.S. Somewhat visible by day, this building shines in the nighttime, with neon signs from Blatz, Oldsmobile, Rexall Drugs, and even the old Red Owl stores beaming along the roadway. Inside is an incredible collection of neons: some custom, some originals from the 1930s, some great replicas. It's one of the largest neon collections in the world in one area. The owner, Dean Blazek, makes signs and has two sons, one in Seattle and one in Australia, who also make them and send them to destinations around the world.
   |
Just a sample of the phenomenal collection of neon signs Northern has. My mouth rarely hangs open when I look at things, but that was the case looking around here. At right, owner Dean Blazek showed me around and stopped shaping glass long enough to pose for a picture.
Antigo
Highway 47/U.S. 45 meets up with Highway 64 and eventually Highway 52, and heads south into the City of Antigo (pop. 8,560). Sitting atop a plateau about 1,500 feet above sea level, it's been an over 900-foot climb since the start of the route in Marinette. Wisconsin's state soil since 1983 is the Antigo Silt Loam soil, named, of course after the city. Antigo bustled with sawmills 100 years ago and today still hosts a series of industries dealing with lumber, as well as farming, food production, shoes, fertilizer and steel and aluminum products. It's a popular stop for tourists on their way to points north and east in the North Woods, so expect a full variety of restaurants and stores, including a Super Wal-Mart. To the right is the historical marker describing Wisconsin's state soil, outside of Antigo. (Photo courtesy of State Trunk Tourer Agnes Wiedemeier. Thanks, Agnes!) |  |
Antigo is home to the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association. It's also where John Bradley, one of the Navy corpsmen who took part in the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima in World War II, came from; his son, James Bradley, became a best-selling author of books like Flags of Our Fathers, Flyboys: A True Story of Courage and The Imperial Cruise. You know that older Menard's guy that annoyed you in commercials for years? His name is Ray Szmanda and he retired to Antigo. His great-nephew Eric Szmanda portrays Greg Sanders on CSI, although he grew up in Milwaukee. But we digress...
  | Left: This just confused me... KC Bagels are NY style... in Antigo. Right: Large deer are abundant in northern Wisconsin; only a few are plastic and have the patience to hang out atop restaurant signs, though. This is at the corner where Highway 64 meets up with Highway 47 & U.S. 45. |
  |
Left: Four highways come together for the ride through Antigo: U.S. 45 and State Highways 47, 52 and 64. Other four-road combos exist in Shawano and Viroqua. Right: The railroad was important to Antigo, especially because of its logging industry. This train display and museum is just south of Antigo's downtown, along Highways 45 & 47.
South of Antigo, Highway 47 leaves U.S. 45 and heads east. Check out the interesting designs on a few lawns passing the unincorporated settlement of Phlox, then be ready to leave Langlade County and head into Menominee County, the newest county in Wisconsin. It was carved out in 1961 specifically to replace the Menominee Indian Reservation, although the reservation status was restored in 1973 and now the two are co-terminus. There are only two counties in Wisconsin without any incorporated communities; Menominee County is one of them. The other? Florence County, which is so far up north people here consider it "up north".
Left: Entering Menominee County also means entering the Menominee Indian Reservation. This is a very rural, heavily forested (and pretty) stretch. Right: Approaching Memoninee County's seat of Keshena, Highway 55 joins just after you cross the scenic Wolf River.
After a lot of forest - which makes for a beautiful drive - you enter the Menominee County seat, Keshena (pop. 1,394). Keshena (not to be confused with Kenosha) is home to the local college and the Menominee Casino Resort, which was the first Vegas-style resort casino in Wisconsin when it opened in 1987.
Just south of Keshena, Highways 47/55 enter Shawano County. The county seat, Shawano (pop. 8,298) is just down the road. Abutting Shawano Lake, the town is a major point along the Mountain-Bay Trail, a great 83-mile rail-to-trail bike route that connects Rib Mountain in Wausau with the shore of Green Bay. In Shawano, a former railroad depot has been retrofitted to Joe BikeLer’s Bike Shop (620 South Main Street, 715-526-2216), offering everything from bicycles to a coffee bar. It’s right there as you cross the trail on Highway 22. Weekends from 8am to 4pm, the Trailside Farmers Market runs late May through October and features vendors offering crafts, produce, baked goods, ceramics and more. Shawano is also the largest city betwee Wausau and Green Bay, making it a signficant center for shopping and other necessities for towns for miles around.
Highway 47 brings Highway 55 with it coming into Shawano, and in town, it also hooks up with Highway 22 and the "City" route of Highway 29, which now is officially south of town on a freeway bypass. All four highways get together for the easterly push through the heart of town. At the junction of these highways downtown, this attractive statue illustrates the farming history - and hard work put in - of the area surrounding the city. |  |
 | Joe BikeLer's Bike Shop serves hungry, thirsty and flat-tired bikers huffing up and down the trail from Wausau to Green Bay. |
| A whole lotta State Trunk Tour highways combine for the ride through Shawano. |  |
 | Maybe it's because the Shawano County Fair was going on nearby, but it's still somewhat unusual to see a camel grazing in a yard along Shawano's main drag. Along with 47, Highways 22, 55 and Business 29 follow this route. |
Hydro-whatting?
While going through town, I saw a sign for Shawano Well Drilling. They do hydrofracking. So what in the name of all creatures big and small is hydrofracking? Well, hydrofracking is the process of pumping water to open new or existing water veins or lines to increase the water flow, designed mainly to create or increase production of water wells. To me, it sounded like something naughty involving a swimming pool. Either way, I learned a new word driving through Shawano.
Heading south from Shawano, Highway 47 hooks up with the new expressway version of Highway 29. Together, they run southeast for a few miles into Bonduel, where there's a very interesting stop - especially for motorcycles - that also happens to be a State Trunk Tour favorite.
It's Doc's Harley-Davidson and Muscle Car Museum, a can't-miss fixture along the highway that features the General Lee from the "Dukes of Hazzard" TV show suspended in mid-air... because the sheriff (presumably Roscoe P. Coltraine) is also suspended in mid-air, just a little ways back, in hot pursuit. If you like motorcycles (particularly Harleys), muscle cars, old school gas station memorabilia, and even a variety of animals from pigs to birds to mini-crocodiles, Doc's is worth carving out plenty of time for.
More about Doc's, along with the rest of the route to Appleton and Neenah is coming up soon!
CONNECTIONS
North Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: U.S. Highway 51
Can connect nearby to: Highway 70, about 15 miles south
South Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Highway 114
Can connect nearby to: U.S. Highway 10, about 2 miles north; U.S. Highway 41, about 3 miles west; Highway 96, about 6 miles north
Upcoming events in places along Highway 47:
Appleton, Dog Sledding, January 19, 2012
Minocqua, Beef-A-Rama, September 23, 2012
 |
 |
BEST WESTERN PLUS |
|
 |
Best Western |
|
 |
Best Western |
|
 |
BEST WESTERN PREMIER |
