"The Badger State"

Welcome to Wisconsin

Wisconsin/Illinois border on I-39
November 5, 2005

Wisconsin seems like a state where everyone is united by a common belief. Not religion or politics or even farming in this case, but rather... football. I don't think a professional sports team means as much to an entire state than the Green Bay Packers do to Wisconsin. Packer mania is everywhere, from car license plates to Packers' cereal in the grocery store. But I guess I was more surprised not to see cheese stores throughout the state. I realize they wouldn't be on every street corner, but driving across the state, I only saw one along I-94 north of Kenosha.

I like welcome signs that aren't just a sign on a pole, and this is no exception. At first, as I was driving along, I saw the dreaded "Wisconsin state line" sign along the freeway, which usually means the more elaborate signs (like the one above) are located somewhere else. Naturally I was upset that I drove all this way and Wisconsin had nothing better to offer than a generic welcome sign. But as I pulled off at a rest area, this sign greeted me and I was impressed. I think the department of transportation is too, since there was a gravel path leading out to it so people like me can take pictures.

Welcome to Madison

November 6, 2005

Madison is a great town. Located on an isthmus between two lakes, it is hard not to find some great scenery. The one drawback to living between two lakes means it was windy the entire time I was there. It has a big-town feel without having the anonymity and isolation one feels in a metropolis. Throw in the fact that the University of Wisconsin, one of the biggest party schools in the country, is located in Madison and you have all the right ingredients for a great nightlife. I didn't visit when it was snowing, as that might hurt my view of the city, but it left a great impression.

You can't tell from the picture, but the Wisconsin capitol has an interesting shape: a plus. It has four extensions from the main building that line up with the directions on the compass. In addition, a one-way street runs around the capitol, making it impossible to take a decent picture. This is taken from what I assumed to be the front, although I could be dead wrong. The dome is also immense and can be seen for about a mile away, even on a cloudy day like the one I had. One thing that blew my mind was the absence of a James Madison statue anywhere on the square. Unless he is at city hall, not having a statue of the city's namesake is a major faux pas in my book.

Miscellaneous Wisconsin Symbols

State Route Sign

License Plate

Seal

Quarter