The Wisconsin River: An Odyssey Through Time and Space

This book is a comprehensive account of the river’s natural history and its place in the evolution of the Badger State from majestic pinery to agricultural leader. In its pages, you’ll learn how the Wisconsin River got its name, how its whims influenced the names and fates of towns that grew up along its banks, and how changes in the river’s course often changed the course of Wisconsin history. As you follow the story of the mighty Wisconsin, you’ll meet some of the most unique and colorful individuals you could imagine. Armchair travelers will enjoy its lively, engaging narrative and the many historical photos and maps that illustrate the text. Serious canoeists will appreciate the detailed maps of each section of the river, beginning at the headwaters in northern Wisconsin and traversing the state to its confluence with the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. Each map includes placement of dams, portages, takeouts, major cities and mileage markers, making trip planning simple and fast. Students of state history will appreciate the comprehensive index and bibliography included in this authoritative treatment. The author’s exhaustive research both on the river and off is evident in the detailed accounts of towns built and destroyed, fortunes made and lost, and lives sustained and taken away by the one river large and powerful enough to share the state’s name.