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| Highways: ...more to come, including the U.S. Highways in Wisconsin!
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The Drive (North to South): Highway 83 begins as an offshoot from Highway 175, the former route of U.S. 41, in a rural crossroads. Shortly, however, you reach the fast-growing city of Hartford (pop. 12,728), of which Highway 83 is the main north-south road, twisting through town along a series of residential neighborhoods. Hartford holds the Wisconsin Automotive Museum, the largest such museum in the state. Classic and vintage autos dating as far back as 1906 adorn the museum, which also sports a 250-ton locomotive, automobile artifacts, and a massive Lionel train set layout. It also showcases the Kissel, an automobile manufactured in Hartford from 1906 until 1931. The museum lies one block off Highway 83, just northwest of where it meets up with Highway 60. This is the epicenter of Hartford's downtown, and at this epicenter is the largest restaurant in Wisconsin, The Mineshaft. Covering what seems like acres across 5 bars, room for 550 guests at once, a dance floor, a 5,000 square-foot game room area and a stage with performances by bands, The Mineshaft seems like it could have its own zip code. But it shares 53027 with most of the rest of the city. After some very pleasant residential territory in Hartford, some open space - for the time being - is what greets you for a number of miles toward Waukesha County. The view of Holy Hill lasts for quite some time as you cruise through the Town of Erin, which hosts a sizeable St. Patrick's Day parade and celebration. Shortly after crossing the county line and veering at County CW, you enter Waukesha County's "Lake Country", of which Highway 83 is a primary north-south route. "Lake Country" consists of a string of communities in Waukesha County that run along lakes from La Belle past Oconomowoc east to Pewaukee Lake in Pewaukee. Highway 83 threads between North, Beaver and Pine Lakes from the village of North Lake to Chenequa (pop. 583). The speed limit is low, but it's a beautiful drive through the area. This is popular motorcycling territory too, and taverns dot portions of the route. Two sharp turns at the south end of Chenequa bring you to Highway 16, at which point Highway 83 expands for the ride through eastern Delafield.
Delafield is also home to St. John's Northwestern Military Academy, established in 1884. It was where James Lovell, Milwaukee native and astronaut of Apollo 13 fame, graduated. He recently came back to address the Class of 2007, when his grandson graduated from the academy. Most of these sights lie near or along County Highway C, which parallels Highway 83 on the west side of Nagawicka Lake. Along Highway 83, Nagawicka Park and the Nagawaukee Ice Arena lie just north of the sprawling development that marks the interchange with I-94. Approching the Interstate, a massive amount of retail and commercial development greets you; you also pass the Lake Country Trail (watch out for bikes), which links Delafield to the west with Waukesha to the east. Down one hill, under the freeway and up the next, you leave Delafield and head toward Wales, winding around hills and passing streets with names like "Scuppernong." Lapham Peak lies to the west; it's the highest point in Waukesha County. It's also where Increase Lapham (a fascinating man in his own right, see why) issued the first official American weather forecast (warning about impending storms on the Great Lakes) on November 8, 1870... and it was correct! Lapham is routinely called the "Father of the United States Weather Bureau", and on nice days the 45-foot observation tower on the peak named after him provides quite a nice view. Past Lapham Peak, Highway 83 crosses U.S. Highway 18 and enters Wales (pop. 2,523). You also cross the Glacial Drumlin Trail as it heads between Waukesha and Cottage Grove. A good place to access the trail for some riding lies just east of Highway 83 along Wales' own Main Street, just south of the trail's underpass. South of Wales, Highway 83 enters the Town of Genesee (pop. 7,284) and Genesee Depot. A rail crossroads since the mid-1800s, Genesee Depot was a key Waukesha County stop for the railroad. Pieces of history like the Union House, built in the 1860s, and In Cahoots, a watering hole since that same period, grace the intersection of Highway 83 and the railroad. Genesee Depot is also home to the Ten Chimneys Estate Guests to Ten Chimneys over the years the Lunts lived there included Katharine Hepburn, W.C. Fields, and most infamously Noël Coward, probably the Lunt's most frequent Ten Chimneys guest. Coward was known for many things, including some of the most famous plays ever written; today the theatre in Westminster, London where he first performed in 1920 is named the Noël Coward Theatre, which was named in his honor in 2006. He acted in many plays and also performed intelligence work for the British Secret Service during World War II (in fact, he was approached by neighbor Ian Fleming in the 1960s to play the villan's role in Dr. No, which he turned down... with the phrase "Dr. No? No. No. No.") Meanwhile on the Ten Chimney grounds, he has known for walking through the house in the buff on his way to go for a swim because he liked to skinny dip in the pool, causing at least one cook to quit. Others presumably stared or did double-takes at various times. Finding Ten Chimneys (and tell them you're doing a State Trunk Tour!): if you're southbound on Highway 83, follow the signs into Genesee Depot. When 83 turns left in town, take a right and follow the street down several hundred feet. If you're northbound, look just past the Union House and In Cahoots; where Highway 83 bends to the right, continue straight on the smaller street. Several hundred feet down you will see the entrance to the grounds. You can contact them for more information at (262) 968-4110 (reservations a day or more in advance is strongly recommended) or at tenchimneys.org. Past Genesee Depot and into the Town of Genesee, you cross Highway 59 and make a beeline toward Mukwonago (pop. 8,519), a growing town that was once the tribal seat of the Bear Clan of Potawatomis. Mukwonago was originally spelled "Mequanego"; the spelling was adjusted in 1844 to avoid confusion with Mequon in Ozaukee County, about 40 miles away. You can see the nine-foot, 1,000-pound replica bear at the Historical Society and check out Waukesha County's first brick house, built 135 years before the Commodores song of the same name was released. Highway 83 cuts through the heart of Mukwonago as Rochester Street, going past the Village Square before heading south of town and intersection with I-43. At the junction with Highway 20, Highway 83 enters Waterford (pop. 4,048). Originally known by its Potawatomi name of Tichigan (like the lake just to the northeast), Waterford is now named partially due to its narrow crossing point over the Fox River at Main Street (where one could easily, as they used to say, "ford the water".) Downtown features stores and bars a'plenty and some nice parkland along the river. Waterford celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Highway 83 stays with 20 through the heart of town and then to the southeast, where Highway 20 breaks east toward Racine and Highway 83 hooks up with Highway 36 for a multi-lane, higher-speed drive for a while into the Chocolate City. What is the Chocolate City? Why, it's Burlington (pop. 9,936), of course. It's known as "Chocolate City USA" for its Nestle plant, one of many companies doing business here. Its motto, "The town with the tall tales", is one you'll have to ask locals about. Just outside Burlington is the unincorporated community of Voree, which holds the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).
Highway 83 heads southeast out of Burlington and makes its way into Kenosha County, paralleling to the west of the Fox River until the road meets up with Highway 50 for another multi-lane, high-speed ride for about six miles to Paddock Lake (pop. 3,200). At Paddock Lake, Highway 83 turns south past Hooker Lake (assuming it's named after bait hooks, not the other kind) and the Town of Salem (pop. 9,871). Past Salem, Camp Lake and Trevor, Highway 83 parallels U.S. 45 about 3-4 miles west and provides access via county roads to Wilmot Speedway and the Ski Area before finally hitting the Illinois state line and turning into Illinois Highway 83 at the Village of Antioch (pop. 13,400). But come back to Wisconsin when you're done there! Total Mileage: 76 miles CONNECTIONS South Terminus: Upcoming events in places along Highway 83:
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