Kevin M. Fitzgerald

Located near the bottom edge of the Central Plain on the Wisconsin River In Columbia County, south of Adams and SE of Juneau North of Devil’s Lake

Over 500 Million years old, during the Cambrian period Was a sand-encrusted shore of Glacial lake Wisconsin Over time, formations compacted the sand, creating various hard and soft sandstones Contained layers of Iron Oxide and Silica Harder to erode; slower rates Overall: irregular erosion patterns

About 19,000 years ago Last lobe of the glacier extended near the Dells Never actually reached the Dells Glacier began to melt, creating Glacial Lake Wisconsin About the size of The Great Salt Lake Over 150 ft deep Covered most of Adams and Juneau Counties Covered the Wisconsin Dells area

14,000 years ago Last 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 days This draining was the most likely event responsible for the creation of the Wisconsin Dells Scoured away the sandstone Theory suggests that the Dells were created in just a few days Today Erosion is still occuring: wind, rain, tree routes, human

Until Region around the Dells was primarily a logging area La Crosse-Milwaukee Railroad planned to create bridge near the Dells – 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 through Surprise 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 town Everybody 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 French Earliest Dells Capitalists H. H Bennett – Photographer (1857) Took shots of the area Contributed to the increasing publicity of the area Sold his prints to visitors as souvenirs.

1956 –Boat tours started Wooden row boat tours 1973 – Wooden boats Upgrade First use of a Steam boat up here 1894 – Gasoline engine

Claims to be the “Water Park Capital of the World” About 5M annual visitors 18 indoor, 3 outdoor water parks Boat tours Golf, Mini-Golf Go-Karts Water sports Horseback riding Tommy Barlet Thrill Show Ho-Chunk Casino Many other attractions

2005’s recorded income was over $8M Largest source $6M from Room tax

Largest expense: Marketing Visitors tend to buy gifts, etc

Wisconsin Dells is home to 2000 residents Highest temperature ever recorded in the state was recorded in the Dells July 13, 1936 : 114 o F

Wisconline (n.d.). Wisconsin: Geographical Provinces: Central Plain. Retrieved June 13, 2007, from