Health Care In Wisconsin, Rock Island’s Boathouse, Stay At Home Dads

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Rob Ferrett and Veronica Rueckert check in on the latest health care developments in Wisconsin, continue “Curious Wisconsin” with a look at Rock Island’s boathouse, and discuss the growing trend of stay at home dads.

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  • Author Describes History Behind Rock Island Landmark

    It’s a landmark seen from miles away: A huge, stone structure that gradually takes form as one approaches Door County’s Rock Island by ferry.

    Icelandic-American inventor Chester Thordarson’s boathouse stands on the 975-acre island, most of which is a state park today.

    While nobody lives on Rock Island nowadays, tourists visit the site to admire its history and architecture. Richard Purinton, author of “Thordason and Rock Island,” said the boats could be brought into the boathouse at water level underneath large stone arches. Directly above the stone arches is a Great Hall, where Thordason held social events. According to Purinton, Thordason kept approximately 10,000 books at the residence.

    Purinton said Thordason’s plans for Rock Island evolved between the time that he bought the property in 1910 and the time of his death in 1945.

    “Thordason first began improving the old pioneer buildings — log cabins and so forth — most of which were on the eastern side,” Purinton said. “They were probably pretty well run down at the point that he took over island ownership.”

    Thordason continued to construct buildings on Rock Island between 1920 and 1931, Purinton said.

    “His emphasis went to the other side of the island, which was much closer to Washington Island and to Jackson Harbor, where there was a good jumping-off point to get to Rock Island,” he said.

    Purinton said wealth wasn’t something Thordason was trying to achieve; it was simply a side effect of his professional achievements.

    “Rock Island was really a focus of his energies when he wasn’t working on business or electrical inventions,” Purinton said.

    The author said people can still appreciate many of the same characteristics that made the Thordason residence unique nearly a century ago.

  • Badgercare Delay And Sidestepping The ACA

    The state assembly voted to delay changes to Badgercare, and Governor Walker is looking for a way around the troubled Affordable Care Act website. A reporter breaks down the latest health care developments in Wisconsin.

  • The Rise Of Stay-At-Home Dads

    A former stay-at-home dad talks about the rise in fathers who stay at home with the kids while their mother works.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Cynthia Schuster Producer
  • Chris Malina Producer
  • Amanda Magnus Producer
  • Jason Stein Guest
  • Alex French Guest

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