Kevin M. Fitzgerald

Located near the bottomedge of the Central Plainon the Wisconsin River

In Columbia County, southof Adams and SE of Juneau

North of Devil’s Lake

Over 500 Million years old, during the Cambrian periodWas a sand-encrusted shore of Glacial lake

WisconsinOver time, formations compacted the sand,

creating various hard and soft sandstonesContained layers of Iron Oxide and Silica

Harder to erode; slower ratesOverall: irregular erosion patterns

About 19,000 years agoLast lobe of the glacier extended

near the DellsNever actually reached the Dells

Glacier began to melt, creating Glacial Lake WisconsinAbout the size of The Great Salt

LakeOver 150 ft deepCovered most of Adams and Juneau CountiesCovered the Wisconsin Dells area

14,000 years agoLast ice dam gave out near (what’s now known as

the Cascade Mountain ski area)Catastrophic Event

Dropped the lake by 100 ft in a few daysThis draining was the most likely event responsible for

the creation of the Wisconsin DellsScoured away the sandstoneTheory suggests that the Dells were created in just a

few days

TodayErosion is still occuring: wind, rain, tree routes,

human

Until 1851 - Region around the Dells was primarily a logging area

La Crosse-Milwaukee Railroad planned to create bridge near the Dells.

1853 – Town of Newport sprang up at the expected site of the bridge.

Newport’s population quickly rose to over 2000, a “boomtown”

1857 – Railroad finally came throughSurprise Newport: the railroad chose a

different site one-mile upstream of Newport.New site known as Kilbourn City

Named after Byron Kilbourn, an American surveyor, railroad executive, and politician Was part of the three “founding fathers” of

Milwaukee

Newport became a ghost townEverybody moved upstream to the new site of

Kilbourn.

1931 – Kilbourn City officially renamed to Wisconsin Dells.Has always called the Wisconsin Dells or

“dellas” in FrenchEarliest Dells Capitalists

H. H Bennett – Photographer (1857)Took shots of the areaContributed to the increasing publicity of the areaSold his prints to visitors as souvenirs.

1956 –Boat tours startedWooden row boat tours

1973 – Wooden boats UpgradeFirst use of a Steam boat up here

1894 – Gasoline engine

Claims to be the “Water Park Capital of the World”

About 5M annual visitors18 indoor, 3 outdoor water parksBoat toursGolf, Mini-GolfGo-KartsWater sportsHorseback ridingTommy Barlet Thrill ShowHo-Chunk CasinoMany other attractions

2005’s recorded income was over $8M

Largest source$6M from Room tax

Largest expense: MarketingVisitors tend to buy gifts, etc

Wisconsin Dells is home to 2000 residentsHighest temperature ever recorded in the

state was recorded in the DellsJuly 13, 1936 : 114o F