The Dells of the Wisconsin River, also called the Wisconsin Dells, are a 15-mile (24km) long stretch of deep sandstone canyons along the Wisconsin River, where cliffs rise up to more than 100 feet above the water’s edge. A Dam divides the river into the Upper and Lower Dells. Located in south-central Wisconsin, the spectacular natural beauty and a variety of man-made attractions make it a popular vacation destination. The area owes much of its popularity to photographer H.H. Bennett (1843-1908), who is famous for his pictures of the Dells of the Wisconsin River and the surrounding region taken between 1865 and the year of his death. His much admired photographs helped turn the city of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin into a major tourist destination, famous throughout America. The city of Wisconsin Dells, itself, is located about 50 miles (80km) northwest of the state capital, Madison. Photographs on this webpage were taken during a visit here in 2018.
The Dells were formed by glacial meltwater that cut a channel through the sandstone and, in the process, carved unusual rock formations along the Wisconsin River. The various natural features along here have descriptive names, such as Black Hawk’s Head, Chimney Rock, Demon’s Anvil, Visor Ledge, Witches Gulch and Stand Rock, the latter being the most famous of the rock formations to be found here. The Upper and Lower Dells may be viewed from the river on one of the many popular guided boat tours, although are also accessible by footpaths.
Before the arrival of the Europeans, Native American tribes in the area included the Sauk, Menominee, and Ho-Chunk Nation (Winnebago). Early French explorers named the Dells of the Wisconsin River ‘Dalles’, which is a rapids or narrows on a river in voyageur French. The first permanent settlers began arriving in 1838, with logging forming the heart of the local economy. A bridge was built across the river in 1850, although his washed away in 1866. A dam was completed in 1853 and also a railroad bridge in 1857 (burned in 1866). These river crossings and the dam encouraged further settlement and the growth of mills during the latter half of the 19th century. The main settlement was originally founded as Kilbourn City in 1857 by Byron Kilbourn. He also founded Kilbourntown, one of three original towns that joined to become Milwaukee. However, to make it easier for tourists to identify Kilbourn City with its most famous attraction, the name of the city was changed to Wisconsin Dells in 1931. During subsequent years, the city developed more and more as a tourist destination, with various tourist attractions opening up. The city of Wisconsin Dells is considered ‘more small town than big city’, despite the large number of attractions here and being a main tourist centre for the surrounding region. Together with the nearby village of Lake Delton, the city forms an area simply known as "the Dells".
Above: Wisconsin Dells - A contrast from the natural wonders of the Dells of the Wisconsin River
As a popular Midwestern tourist destination, Wisconsin Dells has a lot on offer to the visitor (A full description of them all would be beyond the scope of this webpage). A description of some of the highlights follows. As mentioned above, a popular way to see the Dells themselves is on one of the guided boat tours. These offer excursions past the storied cliffs through the Upper and Lower Dells. Operators and excursions include Dells Army Duck Tours, Dells Boat Tours® (includes scenic shore-landings), the Ghost Boat "Journey to Haunted Canyon" (an after-dark ghost tour), Jet Boat Adventures, Original Wisconsin Ducks® and WildThing Jet Boats. In addition, a number of other land-based tours are available. Wisconsin Dells has the highest concentration of waterparks in the world. As well as outdoor waterparks, there are a large number of indoor waterparks as well, making the area popular with families in winter, as well as in summer. These include Noah's Ark Waterpark (includes waterslides, tube runs, bumper boats and a children’s area) and Riverview Park and Waterworld (includes various rides, waterslides, tube rides, bumper boats and a children’s area). There are a large number of amusement parks and rides throughout the city. In addition to a large waterpark which boasts a large tidal-wave, the Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park features Hades 360 - the world's longest underground and only upside-down barrel rollercoaster on a completely wooden track. It also contains a number of replica structures from history, including a large Trojan Horse and Roman Colosseum.
Above: Scrollable panoramic stitch photograph taken from outside Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park
Other amusement parks and attractions include Dells Crossroads (an amusement park featuring rides, a rotating observation tower, petting zoo and circus), Storybook Gardens (a landscaped park featuring storybook characters, flower gardens, a petting zoo, merry-go-round and pony rides), a Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum, ‘Top Secret, a highly classified experience in Wisconsin Dells’ (a tour through an upside-down White House), the Rick Wilcox Magic Theater, Palace Theater in the Dells, the H.H. Bennett Studio and History Center (operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society), Wisconsin Deer Park, Fawn Creek Winery and the city’s Riverwalk. With many other attractions, entertainment for all the family, dining options, spas and sporting activities, it is no wonder Wisconsin Dells hosts over 4 million visitors annually. 3 miles south of Wisconsin Dells is Tommy Bartlett Exploratory (formerly named Robot World), which includes more than 175 interactive activities exploring the wonders of science, technology and space (including an authentic Russian Space Station MIR core module) and also near here is the popular family Tommy Bartlett Show, which includes waterskiing and hang gliding demonstrations, comedy juggling, and trampoline and sway pole acrobats. Also, near Wisconsin Dells are Mirror Lake (a 2,200-acre/890ha park featuring a lake, woods & cliffs with a beach, hiking trails & canoe rentals) and Rocky Arbor (a 244-acre/99ha park containing exposed rock walls of a former river gorge) – both of these are Wisconsin state parks. For further and more up-to-date information, the official website for Wisconsin Dells may be found on the link Here. Further photographs from the visit are shown in the thumbnail gallery below (click on an image to enlarge):
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