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attractions & oddities

resources

 

1

Muffler Man's Head in 3rd Floor Window
at the Stomping Grounds Pub

 

location:  West Bend
Muffler Man / roadside oddity

Despite being made famous by Roadside America, this Bunyan-style Muffler Man has ended up cruelly decapitated with his severed cranium put on public display for the evil delight of us smaller folk.

UPDATE:  The building is no longer home to the Stomping Ground Pub.  The whereabouts of the Muffler Man head is unknown.

  1710 W Washington Street (Highway 33)
West Bend, WI  63095

Roadside America
1. (with photo) www.roadsideamerica.com
2. Bunyan List
3. Muffler Man List
4. Muffler Men Explained

 

2

Discarded Crutches
at Holy Hill

 

location:  Hubertus / Hartford
unique religious site

      


Pilgrims to the Shrine Chapel have been leaving behind their canes, crutches, leg braces, walkers, and wheelchairs after being healed.  After visiting the crutch collection, take time to climb the 178 stairs to admire the view from the observation tower in one of the church's twin spires.

  From Hartford, head south on Highway 83 for about 4 miles.  Turn left (east) onto Highway 167.  Travel for 3½ miles.  Look for entrance on right.

  Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians
1525 Carmel Road
Hubertus, WI  53033
Monastery:   /  Gift Store: 

                

hours:
• Church, Shrine and Grounds:  6am – 5pm
• Scenic Tower:  (Sundays)  1:30pm – 4:45pm
(Mon - Sat)  9am – 4:45pm

Official Site
www.holyhill.com

MKE Online
www.mkeonline.com

Visit Washington County
www.visitwashingtoncounty.com

Center for the Studies of Upper Midwestern Culture
1. csumc.wisc.edu
2. csumc.wisc.edu

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 113 - 114

buy it at buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

3

Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture
in Regner Park

 

location:  West Bend
unique rock garden

      

photo courtesy of  official site

"The Labyrinth Garden is a 90 ft. inter-active community garden in seven circuits. The grass pathway leads to the center for a pleasing experience of viewing the gardens or quiet contemplation."
- section from the Washington County tourism website


  800 N. Main Street
West Bend, WI  53090
or

                    

hours:
( 24/7 )

Official Site
www.westbendlabyrinth.com

Downtown West Bend
www.downtownwestbend.com

West Bend Official Site
www.ci.west-bend.wi.us

Visit Washington County
www.visitwashingtoncounty.com

 

4

Clairemont Inn Fantasuite Hotel
(formerly the West Bend Inn)

 

location:  West Bend
hotel with character

      

photo courtesy of official site

25 unique fantasy hotel rooms include: Arabian Nights, Captain's Quarters, Gambler, Happy Days Cafe, Medieval Castle, Moon Lander, Pharaoh's Chamber, Teepee, Wild Wild West and more.

  2520 W Washington St.
West Bend, WI  53095
or

Fantasuite Official Site
www.fantasuite.com

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
page 181

buy it at buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Eccentric America"
by Jan Friedman
Globe Pequot Press (2nd ed., 2004)
page 92

buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

5

Crashed Plane Lawn Decoration

 

location:  Slinger
yard art

Owner Steve Kearns has taken a white 2-seater plane and placed it in the ground so that it appears to have crashed in a nose-dive.

UPDATE:  Upon a visit to the site, the plane is nowhere to be seen from the public roadway.

  (near edge of woods on south side of Arthur Road, just east of intersection with County Road NN)
4505 Arthur St.
Slinger, WI  53086

Journal Sentinel Online
article "Yard art just plane amusing...to most people" or (here)

 

6

Sila Lydia Bast Bell Museum

 

location:  Germantown
museum

"The fascinating medley includes tiny bells, lady bells, glass bells, local school bells, donkey bells from Sicily, sleigh bells from Europe and Asia, bells worn on the toes of East Indian dancers, Persian camel bells, Indian elephant bells, Westminster chimes, Chinese mystery gong, 40-pound farm bell, locomotive bells, china bells, church bells and more bells. Learn about the age of the bells, the variety, the origins, and the materials of the bells. Individual, tour-group, and family tours."
- section from the Wisconline website

    

photo courtesy of official site

  on Holy Hill Road at the Six-way Crossroads with Fond du Lac Avenue and Maple Road (across from the Dheinsville Settlement)
Germantown, WI  53022

                    

hours:
April thru November 1st  (Wed - Sun)  1pm – 4pm

Official Site
www.bastbellmuseum.com

Germantown Chamber of Commerce
www.germantownchamber.org

Visit Washington County
www.visitwashingtoncounty.com

Journal Sentinel Online
1. article "Bell museum to have nice ring" or (here)
2. article "There's a certain appeal to this museum" or (here)

book:
"Wisconsin Curiosities"
by Michael Feldman and Diana Cook
Globe Pequot Press
(2nd ed., 2004)  page 133

(3rd ed., 2009)
  page 128
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

7

Wisconsin Auto Museum

 

location:  Hartford
museum

"The Wisconsin Automotive Museum is Wisconsin's largest auto museum, featuring an ever-growing display of classic, vintage autos and automotive artifacts, such as “The Kissel”, which was manufactured in Hartford from 1906 to 1931...Other attractions include: An exhibition dedicated to the Nash, which was 1st built in Kenosha in 1916. An all-new display area for the Hudson Essex Terraplane. Over 90 other rare treats, such as Reos, Pierce-Arrows, Pontiacs, Studebakers, Chevrolets and Fords, set off in a striking Art Deco interior."
- section from the Official Site


  147 North Rural Street
Hartford, WI  53027

               

hours:
• May thru September  (Mon - Sat)  10am – 5pm
(Sundays)  Noon – 5pm
• October thru April  (Wed - Sat)  10am – 5pm
(Sundays)  Noon - 5pm  /  CLOSED HOLIDAYS

Official Site
www.wisconsinautomuseum.com

Visit Washington County
www.visitwashingtoncounty.com

Bad Goat (photos)
www.badgoat.net

WECN Magazine
www.wecnmagazine.com

The State Trunk Tour
www.statetrunktour.com

 

8

Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame
at the Chandelier Ballroom

 

location:  Hartford
honor display

Awards, photos and artifacts from Wisconsin's oom-pah musical royalty are displayed in what is called the state's most beautiful ballroom.

    

  150 Jefferson Ave.
Hartford, WI  53027

Official Site
 www.wisconsinpolkahalloffame.com
(alternative site)
www.valuworld.com

Journal Sentinel Online
1. article "Engraved names carry pride forever" or (here)

Chandelier Ballroom Official Site
www.chandelierballroom.com

Wisconsin Polka Music
www.wisconsinpolkamusic.com

 

9

"Cryptids in the Courthouse"
Mural in the Washington County Courthouse

 

location:  West Bend
artistic oddity

     


"In West Bend, Wisconsin, the Washington County Courthouse has a new mural painted last winter that contains, to my knowledge, the only purposely included cryptid in a courthouse mural in the country, excluding classic griffins, chimeras, etc. The mural, 30 feet wide, was created under the direction of artist Ted Conde. He included the fuzzy creature depicted right (and told me there are several others hidden in the mural as well)..."
- section from Linda Godfrey's blog

  432 E Washington St.
West Bend, WI  53095

Linda Godfrey's blog

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
pages 158 - 159
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

10

Basse's Corn Maze

 

location:  Colgate
crop labyrinth / maize maze

"Experience the wonder and fun of the seventh annual Basse's Corn Maze! Adults and kids alike will be mesmerized by the winding trails and dead ends!"
- section from the official website

photo courtesy of official site


  Basse's Taste of County Farm Market
3190 County Line Q
Colgate, WI  53017

                  

hours:
(daily) Labor Day thru October 31
(Sun - Mon)  10am 4:30pm
(Tue - Sat)  10am 5pm

Official Site
www.bassesfarms.com

Corn Mazes America
www.cornmazesamerica.com

 

 

11

Jim's Corn Maze

 

location:  Germantown
crop labyrinth / maize maze

"Journey through our 4-1/2 acre CORMAZE featuring a new and exciting design each year. There is more Fall Fun to enjoy along the many twists and turns of the maze!"
- section from the official website

  N124 W17781 W Lovers Lane
Germantown, WI  53022
or

photo courtesy of official site
Official Site
www.jimspumpkinfarm.com

Corn Mazes America
www.cornmazesamerica.com

 

12

The Miller Yard

 

location:  Jackson / Cedarburg
roadside oddity / yard art

      


      


Mark Miller's attention-grabbing yard may only be in the early stages of his vision.  He has plans for the helicopter (which apparently isn't unique enough as it is) and best of all, he has a lot more lawn to cover (or embed) with random vehicles.

  802 Highway 60
Cedarburg, WI  53012

 

 

 

natural feature / altered landscape

resources

 

1

Lizard Mound County Park

 

location:  West Bend
indian mounds

"Lizard Mound Park was established in 1950. It is named for its most outstanding Indian mound shaped like a gigantic lizard. Lizard Mound County Park consists of 28 fine examples of effigy mounds. It is an unusually beautiful group of mounds, and one is especially impressed with the prominent height and careful construction of each mound. The majority of the mounds rise three to four feet above the surrounding ground level."
- section from the Washington County Official Site


  (1½ north of town on County Road A, ½ mile east of Highway 144 )
West Bend, WI  53090

                   

hours:
April thru November 1

Wisconsin Stories
(scroll down to Washington County)
www.wisconsinstories.org

Washington County Official Site
www.co.washington.wi.us

book:
"Oddball Wisconsin"
by Jerome Pohlen
Chicago Review Press, Inc. (2001)
pages 180 - 181

buy it at buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

 

 

sighting / phenomenon / morbid curiosity

resources

 

1

Jogging Lady Ghost
& Cat Lady Ghost
of Jay Road (Seven Bridges Road)

 
    haunted road
location:  Boltonville

The ghost of a female jogger has been seen along this road, who has been known to appear inside travelers' vehicles.  Also reported is the ghost of the "Cat Lady" (see the book "Weird Wisconsin" for full story).

  (Jay Road, which starts 1 mile due east of Boltonville where Highway 84 turns to the south)

Unsolved Mysteries
www.unsolvedmysteries.com

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

The Shadowlands
www.theshadowlands.net

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
page 218 buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Milwaukee Ghosts"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Pub. Ltd. (2008)
pages 89 - 91
buy it at

buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

 

2

"The Legacy of Mary Buth Farm"
private property

 
haunted
location:  

An old stone farmhouse has been home to the apparitions of a mother and daughter since their deaths nearly a century ago.  Both were named Mary, though some sources say that the mother was named Marie.


"...the daughter was an evil ghost lurking outside the home and searching for her missing lover.  According to local lore, Mary had been left standing at the alter on her wedding day.  The mother was the 'inside' ghost protecting the house from her daughter."
- section from the book "Haunted Wisconsin"

  From Germantown, head east on County Road F.  After a mile or so, turn left on Mary Buth Lane.  After you pass Lovers Lane, the farmhouse and private cemetery will be located on your right.  Do not trespass.

Unexplained Research  - forums
chadlewis.proboards19.com

Journal Sentinel Online
1. article "Purported ghosts are frightfully ordinary" or (here)
1. article "Seeking some sites that'll scare you? Try the Web" or (here)

On Milwaukee
article "Scary 'Legend Trip' has familiar faces, places" or (here)

Wisconsin Ghostboard
wiscghostboard.proboards45.com

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

Haunted Wisconsin message board
messageboards.
hauntedwisconsin.com

The Shadowlands
theshadowlands.net

book:
"Haunted Wisconsin"
by Michael Norman & Best Scott
Trails Books (revised 2001)
pages 172 - 174

buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

book:
"Milwaukee Ghosts"
by Sherry Strub
Schiffer Pub. Ltd. (2008)
pages 77 - 79
buy it at

buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

 

3

UW-Washington County Campus

 
haunted
location:  West Bend

"Working as a custodian one would hear doors slam and things fall and upon investigating one found nothing, but the talk was that the place was haunted at night. Lights in the library are constantly turning on. Even hearing the switch click. Also reports that witnesses could hear the desks sliding across the floor slamming into the walls and each other."
- section from The Shadowlands website

  400 University Drive
West Bend, WI  53095

Official Site
(no mention of ghost)
washington.uwc.edu

Unexplained Research
www.unexplainedresearch.com

Journal Sentinel Online
article "Seeking some sites that'll scare you? Try the Web" or (here)

The Shadowlands
www.theshadowlands.net

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

Ghost Village
www.ghostvillage.com

 

4

Kewaskum UFO Sightings

 
UFO
location:  St. Michaels & Kewaskum

"I stood there and waited for about 30 sec. Then all of a sudden it rose slowly out of our woods."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

5

Goatman

 
    creature
/
urban legend
location:  Slinger / Hartford / Hubertus

"Its upper body took the shape of a man, except for the horns on its head and sharp fangs. The lower abdomen was that of a goat's, adorned with long, stringy red hair."
- section from Weird Wisconsin article

This is one of two known goatman hangouts in the state.  The other is on Marsh Road in Waupaca County.

  Hogsback Road  (From Holy Hill, head east on Highway 167.  Turn right (south) onto County Road CC.  CC turns into Hogsback Road after about 1¼ mile.

Weird Wisconsin
www.weird-wi.com or archived (here)

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page 38
buy it at

buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

 

6

Mysterious Moving Light  (1991)

 
UFO
location:  Jackson

"...I heard no noise and realized this light that looked about 50 feet in diameter in an oval like shape was something I could not explain and it was only about 200 yards away."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

7

West Bend UFO Sightings

 
UFO
location:  West Bend

"I looked at my neighbors houses and to my surprise because of the volume of the noise, their lights were off. I couldn't see anything (I never thought of looking up because quite frankly I never believed in such things)"
- section from UFO Wisconsin 01-14-03 report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

8

RESTAT Building Ghost

 
ghost
location:  West Bend

The ghost of a janitor haunts the building.  Read more in the book "Weird Wisconsin".

  724 Elm Street
West Bend, WI  53095

RESTAT Official Site
(No mention of ghosts.)
www.restat.com

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

book:
"Weird Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey & Richard D. Hendricks
Barnes & Noble Books (2005)
page 240 buy it at Barnes & Noble.com

 

9

Falling 'Star'  (2001)

 
UFO
location:  Township of Polk

"Then it just fell from the sky at the speed one would expect a falling star over the northern horizon and was gone."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

 

What the hell?  (2004)

 
UFO
location:  Erin

"There was some sort of strange noise and a white portal opened from the center of the craft, and then something gray in pigment emerged to the left edge of the craft, some sort of awkward shape that I had no idea of contemplating what it was."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

11

Bigfoot (or Bearwolf?) seen near Holy Hill

 
   
bigfoot? creature
location:  Hartford / Hubertus

In November of 2006, a DOT worker picking up animal carcasses along the roadway discovered a strange creature dragging a deer from the bed of his pickup.  Although media reports classified it as a Bigfoot sighting, the witness described a wolf-like head with pointed ears on the body of a large black bear.

  (near entrance to Holy Hill Shrine) From Hartford, head south on Highway 83 for about 4 miles. Turn left (east) onto Highway 167. Travel for 3½ miles.  Incident happened east of entrance to church grounds.

CNB-Scene
www.cnb-scene.com

Beast of Bray Road
www.beastofbrayroad.com

Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization
www.bfro.net

TMJ-4 Milwaukee
story "The Hunt for Bigfoot" or (here)

Bigfoot Encounters
www.bigfootencounters.com

GM Today
1. article "Bigfoot or big misunderstanding?" or (here)
2. article "Report of strange animal draws Bigfoot hunters" or (here)

Cryptomundo
1. www.cryptomundo.com
2. www.cryptomundo.com
3. www.cryptomundo.com

Cryptozoology
www.cryptozoology.com

book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
pages 39 - 42
buy it at

buy it at
Barnes & Noble.com

 

12

"Haunted High School".....

 
haunted
location:  Slinger

"As we waited, leaning against this large gate, we heard the noise again but this time it seemed to be coming from right behind the door next to us. Instantly, we got quiet and looked at the door in shock. Within a split second after this, the door jolted and flew open toward us."
- section from Ghost Village website

Ghost Village
www.ghostvillage.com

 

13

.....and a Not-So-Haunted Elementary School?

 
haunted?
location:  Slinger

Despite reports to the contrary, school officials deny any rumors of ghostly encounters on the premises.  True, part of the building was built over a 19th-century cemetery, but all of the bodies were relocated before construction began. They swear!

  203 Polk St.
Slinger, WI  53086

Journal Sentinel Online
1. article "School buries cemetery connection" or (here)

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

 

14

West Bend Courthouse

 
haunted
location:  West Bend

"People have experienced doors opening and closing and hearing footsteps in the courthouse. Also, people hear footsteps in the jailhouse. The heavy cell doors also close on their own, and people have seen rocking chairs rocking by themselves. Everyone is convinced the site is haunted."
- submitted to Wisconsinosity

Location & hours listed in the History section below.

submitted story

 

15

Germantown UFO Sightings

 
UFO
location:  Germantown

"we were on our way when I looked up in the sky and saw a green glowing ball hovering and a red glowing ball right above it. They seemed to be dancing in circles above each other."
- section from UFO Wisconsin 07-03-01 report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

 

Sounds Credible to Me  (2007)

 
UFO
location:  Slinger

"Well i was out driving, i saw 4 flying saucers go over my vehicle. I followed them and all of the suden (sic) a beam of light struck my van, i drove into the ditch. I grabbed my lightsaber for extra protection, the space crafts landed."
- section from UFO Wisconsin report

UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com

 

17

"Old Holy Angels Building"

 
haunted
location:  West Bend

"In the old Holy Angels building which is now an apartment complex there has been footsteps heard walking around in the upstairs of one of the apartments and sometimes an old bell will ring (an electrically powered one) even though there is no electricity going to it and no wiring attached to it. If you'd try to pull the hammer back to ding the bell it is very hard to do it manually."
- section from The Shadowlands website

  105 S 7th Ave.
West Bend, WI  53095

The Shadowlands
www.theshadowlands.net

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

 

18

The "New" Fox & Hounds Restaurant  
ghost
location:  Hubertus

"Previous owner and painter Ray Fox is said to haunt the restaurant after hours. Many of Ray's paintings are on display. A painting near a fireplace shows hunting dogs with ghosts hidden in the picture. Building is partly original log hunting cabin. Basement bar is always cold and eerie."
- section from The Shadowlands website

  1298 Friess Lake Rd.
Hubertus, WI  53033

Official Site
www.foxandhoundsrestaurant.com

The Shadowlands
www.theshadowlands.net

Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (WIX)
www.hauntedwi.com

Unexplained Research forum
chadlewis.proboards19.com

 

 

"Ghosts of America" Haunted Location Reports
(take with a grain of salt)

 
ghosts
location:  statewide

The reports on this site are presumably fiction, using random Wisconsin place names in the stories listed there.  Even so, you might get a kick out of reading them.

"The phantom of a lady with a plastic bag strapped around her head is occasionally made out waving to cars in the middle of a shady highway in the neighborhood of West Bend. Folks here who have made out this ghost claim this ghost may well be a well-known yesteryear native of West Bend. In any event, this spirit certainly is bloodcurdling; one that you shouldn't go trying to find."
- section from Ghosts of America website

Ghosts of America
www.ghostsofamerica.com

 

 

 

taste of local history

resources

 

1

Old County Jailhouse

Old Courthouse Square Museum

 

location:  West Bend
museum

"The Old Courthouse Square Museum consists of the restored 1888 Washington County Courthouse, now housing the local history museum artifacts of the Washington County Historical Society, and the 1886 Jail House and Sheriff’s home."
- section from the Germantown Chamber of Commerce website


  340 South Fifth Avenue
West Bend, WI  53095

                

hours:
(Wed - Fri)  11am – 5pm
(Saturdays)  9am – 1pm  /  (Sundays)  1pm – 4:30pm


Also listed in the Paranormal section above.

Washington County Historical Society
1. jailhouse
2. courthouse

Visit Washington County
www.visitwashingtoncounty.com

Germantown Chamber of Commerce
www.germantownchamber.org

 

2

Germantown Historical Museum & Dheinsville Settlement

 

location:  Germantown
museum

"Park your wheels in Dheinsville and travel back in time. German immigrants of the Hunsruck Mountain region founded this hamlet. Today all 22 of the original structures remain. The Germantown Historical Society now occupies the Christ Church Museum, the shoemaker’s house and the fire hall & barn. Stroll through a one-block area full of ethnic and historic flavor. You’ll step into the original haus of Valentine Wolf Shoemaker, a rare example of German half-timber fachwerk. The Christ church Museum (c.1862) includes changing exhibits of local history & historic cemetery dating back to 1848."
- section from the Visit Washington County website


  on Holy Hill Road at the Six-way Crossroads with Fond du Lac Avenue and Maple Road (across from the Bast Bell Museum)
Germantown, WI  53022

                

hours:
June thru October 1  (Sundays)  1pm – 4pm

Bast Bell Museum & Germantown Historical Society
www.bastbellmuseum.com

Visit Washington County
www.visitwashingtoncounty.com

Germantown Chamber of Commerce
www.germantownchamber.org

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org

Travel Wisconsin
www.travelwisconsin.com

 

More Washington County historical attractions at:


Visit Washington County

                     

Washington County Historical Society

 


updated 11-11-09  •  all images excluding those attributed to others are property of Wisconsinosity.com