"Trekking and Milling About Between Milwaukee and Madison"

Southern terminus: Walworth County, at the U.S. Highway 14/Highway 11 junction near Delavan

Eastern terminus: Columbia County, at Highway 73 in Columbus

Mileage: about 57 miles

Counties along the way: Walworth, Jefferson, Dodge, Dane, Columbia

Sample towns along the way: Delavan, Whitewater, Fort Atkinson, Lake Mills, Waterloo, Columbus

Bypass alternates at: none

Quickie Summary: State “Trunk” Highway 89 cuts north-south through a number of small but significant towns in the area of southern Wisconsin between the Milwaukee and Madison metro areas. Along the way, you can enjoy the river town of Fort Atkinson, the breweries and parks around Lake Mills, the twists and turns near the TREK headquarters in Waterloo to Columbus.

The Drive (South to North): Highway 89 begins at a non-descript intersection where U.S. Highway 14, just in from Darien, Walworth and Illinois, meets up with Highway 11 from Delavan on the way to Janesville. Highway 89 is the northward continuence of where U.S. 14 was headed, and the first eight miles of the road is fairly unexciting until you join Highway 59, go past the U.S. 12 bypass, and enter Whitewater (pop. 13,437). Whitewater contains the popular University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (a noted business and party school) and is the birthplace of Thomas Hulce, the actor who played Mozart in Amadeus and, more importantly, Larry Kroeger in Animal House (of course, John Belushi, who was Bluto in Animal House, went to UW-Whitewater.) Noted author and historian - and later movie producer - Stephen Ambrose grew up in Whitewater.

Whitewater also holds Indian Mounds Park, a Native American ceremonial and burial site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Open daily, the Park holds an incredibly diverse collection of animal and geometric mounds, many of which date back over 1,000 years. Speaking of history, Whitewater's Historic Train Depot traces the city's past since it holds the Historical Society Museum. The Depot is located along Cravath Lakefront Park, named after one of the two lakes inside Whitewater (the other is Tripp Lake.) Ironically, the lake known as Whitewater Lake is about 5 miles south of town.

In the downtown area, Highway 89 meets up with "old" U.S. 12 for the ride past the UW-Whitewater campus. As U.S. 12's new bypass meets up, you enter Jefferson County and have about a six-mile ride to 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.

	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 43 years of Klopcic Family hospitality and thirty seasons of professional theatre. This year's shows include "The Odd Couple" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie." The place is huge inside, and that's just the gift shop. The Fireside is along Business Highway 26, just south of town. The Fireside is along Business Hwy. 26, just south of town... you can access it from Highway 89 by cutting west on Hackbarth or Rockwell Avenues to Janesville Avenue.

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, just west of Highway 89 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.

In Fort Atkinson, Highway 89 breaks away from U.S. 12 and heads straight north out of town as Main Street. It crosses what is now Highway 26 and jogs to the southwest of Jefferson. On a short jog to the west with U.S. Highway 18, you can 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.

Next up is the northwestern beeline to Lake Mills (pop. 4,843), which calls itself "Legendary". Originally called Tyranena from an indigenous name meaning "sparkling waters", Lake Mills has a history of being a stop between the state's largest city and its capital. It served as a layover for Chief Black Hawk in 1832. The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad started chugging through Lake Mills a few decades later. As the automobile era emerged, travelers on Highway 30 (the precursor to I-94) would come east or west through the heart of town, as they do now on a north-south axis on Highway 89. East-west travelers had to get around Rock Lake, the 1,371-acre body of water on the west side of town. The lake, which was also called "Tyranena" originally, contains the most legend, including that of a foreign tribe from long before the days when things were written down. A series of stone structures and effigy mounds were built on the edge of the lake; the structures are now preserved in the lake itself. A legendary gastronomical delight are Legion "Sliders", available at the small Legion stand right along Highway 89 across from the Downtown Commons.

	Highway 89 is Main Street through Lake Mills and runs along the west side of Downtown Commons. The Legion, where you can get the sliders, is located along the storefronts where the two American flags beckon.
On the north side of Downtown Commons, the Lake Mills Library is more "stoned" than a Phish concert.

The 4,843 "mostly friendly residents," according to the city's Web site, enjoy a charming, very American downtown. Much of it faces Downtown Commons Park, an attractive town square with a gazebo, farmers market and, in the winter, an ice rink. Check out the library on the north side of the Commons too, if you love good architecture that makes liberal use of stone.

Like Milwaukee, Lake Mills knows its beer. The city is home to Tyranena Brewing Co., which brews Bitter Woman IPA, Stone Tepee Pale Ale, Rocky's Revenge Bourbon Brown and Chief BlackHawk Porter. The brewery often features live music, cribbage and chessboards, as well as a tasting room, which is open 4:30 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and 3 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. During the summer, though, the beer garden can be an attractive diversion.

On the south end of town, Highway 89 crosses the Glacial Drumlin Trail as it runs along the old C&NW rail line. Lake Mills is one of the main stops along the 56-mile trail, which connects Madison and Waukesha.

	Downtown Commons has this gazebo as its centerpiece, which hosts concerts, picnics, fairs and just people looking to hang out in an octagonal building.
Lake Mills is a key stop on the Glacial Drumlin Trail, as the city is a key stop for any traveler between Milwaukee and Madison.

Just east of town along County B (the old Highway 30) is Aztalan State Park, a rich archeological site showcasing an ancient village and ceremonial complex. The park's entrance is near County Road Q, just off County Road B (Lake Street). The Crawfish River winds its way along the park's eastern edge. Motocross and short-track buffs can check out races at the Aztalan Cycle Club. Its quarter-mile red clay oval MX track is visible from the interstate just east of the Highway 89 interchange with I-94. To get there, take Gomol Road north off of Highway B, the main road running east from Lake Mills.

Of course, State Trunk Tour rules dictate that any available brewery tour stop should be explored. Carve out some time for the Tyranena Brewing Co. (1025 Owen St., (920) 648-8699). Tours are offered at 3:30 p.m. Saturdays.

Beyond Lake Mills and I-94, Highway 89 begins a more twisty/turny type of existence, winding around the rolling hills that make for fun driving, especially for motorcyclists. Eventually, you hit ABBA's favorite Wisconsin town, Waterloo (pop. 3,259). Located on the Maunesha River in Jefferson County's far, far northwestern corner, Waterloo is the home of Trek Bicycles. Highway 89 enters Waterloo from the east and Highway 19 hooks up for the ride into downtown as Madison Street. Just over the river in downtown, Highway 89 jogs north along Monroe Street.

TREK Bicycle Corporation, founded in Waterloo in 1976, is the largest U.S. manufacturer of bicycles and aftermarket products. Trek supplied bikes for three of Lance Armstrong's seven Tour de France victories and also outfits the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team for the USA. Its headquarters is west of Highway 89 along Highway 19 on the edge of town. And yes, the bike racks are closest to the front doors of the offices.

North of Waterloo, Highway 89 features some 90-degree angle turns as it zig-zags to its final stop: Columbus (pop. 4,479), 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. 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 89 comes to an end when it hits Highway 73, which is also Business U.S. 151, at the old Kurth Brewery. A short jog northeast on 73 brings you into Columbus' downtown, all of which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

CONNECTIONS
South Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Highway 11, U.S. Highway 14
Can connect nearby to: Interstate 43, about 3 miles south

North Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Highway 73
Can connect nearby to: Highway 16, about 1/2 mile northeast; Highway 60, about 1/2 mile northeast; U.S. Highway 151, about 1 mile west

Upcoming events in places along Highway 89:
Carriage Classic, Columbus, June 13-15, 2008

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