Wisconsin has more than its share of oddities — so much so that Tom and Kristi Manus of Eau Claire last year wrote a book: “Secret Wisconsin, a Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.” Now, the peripatetic couple has followed up with a new volume, “Historic Wisconsin Roadsides: Towns Off the Beaten Path in the Badger State,” with not quite as weird but equally intriguing stops.
“It does have history, but it’s not like dates and old buildings and things like that. It’s more fun things to do that we hand-picked in 80 towns,” said Tom Manus. “It does have quirkiness in there, too.”
The couple described some of the must-see attractions to WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition” ahead of a talk at Superior’s Richard I. Bong Veterans Center on Dec. 11, and a book-signing at the Christmas in the Village event at the Pioneer Village Museum in Cameron on Dec. 12 and 13.
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The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Robin Washington: Some of the towns you include are indeed remote, but you’ve also got Madison, Milwaukee, Superior, Ashland and Wausau. Tell us about some of those that are not off the beaten path. Let’s start with Ashland.
Tom Manus: In Ashland, how can you skip the murals? The murals there are historical in a sense that they tell the town’s story, really before murals started becoming popular.
If you’re heading outside of Ashland, on the way to Iron River, you might want to think about stopping at the Delta Diner. It’s on Highway H in Delta. It’s an old New Jersey-style diner that’s been restored.
Kristi Manus: It’s an old train car that was placed out in the middle of the forest.
RW: Siren is off the beaten path. What do we need to see there?
TM: Siren is good for nature and really getting out. There’s the Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area nearby. There’s also an old Civilian Conservation Corps camp.
KM: There’s the old historical village there, too — a fur-trapping village.
RW: Not far away is Rice Lake. What do you recommend there?
TM: The Pioneer Village in Cameron is an excellent place to visit. It’s an old Pioneer Village from the 1800s, and you can literally step back in time.
KM: They have all the old buildings — a church, a post office, and the little stores. And it’s all decorated for Christmas with the Christmas in the Village event.
RW: Really off the beaten path is the town of Florence, near the Upper Peninsula.
TM: You have to plan to go there, but it’s worth the trip. It’s all about nature. They have the Florence County Wild Rivers Interpretive Center, which is like what you would see if you went to a national park.
RW: You include the town of Mercer. I used to stop there for gas on my way to Minocqua from Superior. Should I have stayed longer?
KM: Then I’m sure you know all about Claire D’Loon? That’s the big loon as you enter Mercer.
TM: It’s almost the world’s largest loon.
KM: I think there are two others that beat it.
Here’s something else: There used to be the Rex Hotel in Billy’s Bar in downtown Mercer. Ralph Capone, who was Al Capone’s brother, ran it. He loved Mercer so much that he built a house there and was there until he died in 1974 and was a well-liked member of the community.
RW: How do you recommend visiting these towns? Should it be one town at a time and hitting several attractions in each, or taking quick hits of four or five towns in one trip?
TM: Everybody’s different. You always have someone in the family who loves to read everything and about everything historical. And then there are other people who just would like to get the gist of it and move on.
We’re diehard road-trippers. We created 11 routes with directions to each town. I think start from any place you want to and just carry on from there.
If you have an idea about something in northern Wisconsin you think we should talk about on Morning Edition — including an opposing view on this subject — send it to us at northern@wpr.org.
