Found: River Road, Near La Crosse, WI

Found: River Road, Near La Crosse, Wis. 
From La Crosse to Prairie du Chien the motorist encounters highways of scenic grandeur,
passing in the shadow of river bluffs, then the broad majestic Mississippi, and again
beautiful vistas of the most interesting countryside.
Published by Levy's News Agency, La Crosse, Wis. Circa 1938.

The undulating landscape of Wisconsin grows more dramatic near the Mississippi River. The Great River Road follows the River over a stretch of 3,000 miles from Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. In Wisconsin, there are remnants of native cultures, old settlements and opportunities to watch birds, experience agritourism, and take in the bluffs and hills.

Found: Hiawatha Shopping Center, Menomonee Falls

Found: Hiawatha Shopping Center Center, Menomonee, Falls, Wis. photographed November 4, 1948 and
printed on Ilford IV RC Portfolio (purchased on eBay from the son of the photographer).

Found: Hiawatha Pioneer Trail. Recently established
Northwoods branch marking scenic wonders for thousands of tourists
who visit Wisconsin's Northwoods annually published by
Brown Postcard Co. Rhinelander circa 1964.
Postmarked Rhinelander, WI, September 2, 1978

Found: Hiawatha. This Indian is symbolic of all the Indians of the area
and is dedicated particularly to the braves of the Winnebagoes.
Among the most famous were Chief Decorah and his son Chief Winnesheik.
La Crosse started sa a trading post in Indian Territory.
Trail and river led to the prairie, a favorite gathering place for the Indians.
The French named it prairie La Crosse for a game they
saw the Indians playig which reminded them of their own game
of La Crosse. Riverside Park, La Crosse published by
Universal Photo Service La Crosse,
Wisconsin, Dexter Press, New York, circa 1960s

Known as a peacemaker and visionary, Hiawatha led the Onondaga or the Mohawk circa 16th century and may never have envisioned shopping centers, songs, trails and trains would be named for him. Centuries later, the American Petroleum Institute most famously concocted a scheme to mark the so-called Hiawatha Pioneer Trail traversing Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota not so much to honor Hiawatha as a way to sell more petroleum products. The trail wove through 1,500 miles of Wisconsin according to a Milwaukee Journal article dated October 10, 1967. The signs for the trail were eventually removed and a bike trail, named after the train, remains in Wisconsin, some signs turn up on eBay as oddities of a bygone era.

Found: Wisconsin Hiawatha Pioneer Trail map/booklet
and its Capitol, Northwoods, and Door branches.

Found: Hiawatha Pioneer Trail Sign, circa 1965

County ZZ, Wrightstown, WI

County ZZ, Wrightstown, Wisconsin, June 30, 2012

Found: "Highway Scene, U.S. 16 and 12, Camp Douglas, Wisconsin" by Wayne Paper Box & Printing, Fort Wayne, Indiana, circa 1950s

Found: "River Drive, Cornell, Wis." on DOPS paper, circa 1938

Found: "Highway 130, Lone Rock, Wisconsin, on EKKP paper, circa 1930

Found: "Scene at Minocqua, Wis." on DOPS paper, circa 1941

Found: "A Pleasant Drive Near Rio, Wisconsin," circa 1910

Found: "James Street, Columbus, Wisconsin" by E. A Bishop Publishing, Racine, Wis., circa 1930

Found: "'At the Turn of the Road'" Potowatomi State Park, Door County, Wisconsin" by E. A. Bishop Publishing, Racine, Wis., postmarked July 3, 1944

Found: "Prairie Avenue, Kenosha, Wisconsin," by E. A. Bishop Publishing,  Racine, Wis., postmarked May 7, 1909

Found: "Driveway, Humboldt Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin," by M.L. Anneberg Publisher, Milwaukee, postmarked December 31, 1911

Found: "A Pleasant Drive, Omro, Wisconsin, by National Colortype Co, circa 1950

Found: "The Drive, Lake Side Park, Fond Du Lac, Wis." published by the Acmegraph Co, Chicago, circa 1920

Found: "Grand Dad's Bluff, La Crosse, Wis." published by Spencer-McCord Drug Co., La Cross, Wis., circa 1940

Found: "One of many Beautiful Drives near Baraboo, Wis." by Baraboo News Agency, Baraboo, Wis, circa 1930

Found: "Road Scene, Trail 3, Near La Crosse, Wis." published by Spence-McCord Drug Co., La Crosse, Wis, circa 1940

Found: "Road to the Lake: At the end of this birch lined lane are
the invited waters of an inland lake, Vacationland Scwne"
copyright The L.L. Cook Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1954

Found: "Opposite Prairie du Chien, Wisc., this colorful rugged bluff
bordering the Mississippi River is in the Effigy Mounds National Monument
above Marquette and McGregor,  Iowa" Ektachrome by Margery Goergen
published by Goergen Studio, McGregor, Iowa, circa 1954

Found: "Greetings from Eagle River, Wis., Colorful autumn in the Vactionland of Wisconsin: Magnificent Autumn!...comes like a warrior with the stain of blood on his brazen mail...Longfellow" published by Wyman Photo Center, Wausau, Wisconsin, postmarked November 26, 1952

Found: "A Modern Super-Highway thru the Grandeur of Autumn" photo by Free Lance Photographers Guild, Inc. published by C. R. Brown Co., Eau Claire, Wis,  circa 1960

Found: "Greetings from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Lookout," published by Wyman Post Card Co, Wausau, Wis, circa 1960

    

Duane Hall confessing his psychopathic driving urges, scene from Annie Hall

Driving the rural back roads of 21st century Wisconsin isn't as romantic as the vintage postcards we've posted once portrayed it when gawking at the landscape was the only concern. Now there are texting teens, liquid manure spills, and farm implements wider than the road. The "picturesque" mid-century roadways depicted on postcards invited folks to jump in their cars with family and friends to motor to destinations throughout the state. Fall colors, rivers, scenic bluffs, and parks peppered the landscape. Being an attentive driver or "keeping your eyes on the road" seemed beside the point. A perfectly neurotic Wisconsin night driving movie scene is a highlight of Woody Allen's 1977 film Annie Hall.  New York City comic Alvy Singer (played by Woody Allen) and night club chanteuse Annie Hall (played by Diane Keaton) visit her home town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Singer's Manhattan aversion to driving plays out in a scene with Annie Hall's brother Duane (played by Christoper Walken) confessing his psychopathic driving urges in his dimly lit bedroom: "Sometimes when I'm driving on the road at night and I see two headlights coming toward me fast, I have this sudden impulse to turn the wheel quickly head-on into the oncoming car. I can anticipate the explosion, the sound of shattering glas, the flames rising out of the flying gasoline..." Modern Super-Highways with their smooth curves, reinforced dividers, and fenced-off roadbeds eliminate many rural hazards as drivers zoom between cities and suburbs. Still, the back roads remain the most intriguing Wisconsin driving as they weave through the glacial Wisconsin landscape, small towns, and woods with lush trees arching overhead.

Found: Antigo by Curteichcolor® 3-D Natural Color Reproduction and Antigo Card Service, Antigo, Wisconsin, circa 1960