Tour directions start at the
intersection of US Highway 151
and State Hwy 16. Once on
Hwy 16 proceed to the northwest
(toward Fall River). Look across divided highway
and you will see a statue of Christopher
Columbus blessing the newly discovered Americas
and claiming the land for Spain.
Go about two miles and you will
pass the Village of Fall River to your north
(right) at the intersection of County
Road D. If you need gasoline or
something to eat, Fall River is a handy stop.
There is even a furniture restoration business
on main street.
Continue north (straight) on
Hwy 16. Have you ever
seen a round barn? Watch to your right. In
about a mile (just before the junction with
Hwy 146) look to the pastures
on the south side (your left) of Hwy
16 for a herd of Scottish Highland
Cattle.
Continue
straight on Hwy 16 for half a
mile to the intersection of Seier
Road (at the Casino sign). Turn north
(right) on Seier Road and
continue for a mile to Bridge Number
1. This wooden bridge crosses
over the tracks owned and operated by the
Canadian Pacific
Railroad. The wooden deck on this
bridge was replaced years ago with a steel deck
and sides, but the bottom structure and supports
are still wood.
Immediately after crossing the
bridge turn east (right) onto Fields
Road. Within one-half mile you
will intersect with State Hwy
146.
Turn
north (left) onto Hwy 146.
Continue straight on this picturesque and curvy
highway (45-50 mph is a nice speed). You will
pass through wetlands, watch for cranes and
deer. Watch for an elk farm on the west (left)
side of the highway.
Continue north (straight) on
Hwy 146. Watch for the
intersection of County Road A, Hwy
146 makes a sharp (25 mph) first half
of an "S" Curve here. Please slow down.
Continue to follow Hwy 146 on
and through the S Curve. Continue north to
Cambria.
You
will enter Cambria on Hwy 146
and pass two agri-buisinesses. Didion Milling
makes famine relief products from locally grown
corn for worldwide distribution to poor
countries. Seneca Foods processes and cans
vegetables for sale right here in Wisconsin and
worldwide. Follow Hwy 146 to
the Stop Sign. Turn
north (right) and proceed slowly down the hill
to the center of town at the intersection with
County Road P (Edgewater
Street). A few feet before this
intersection is a small parking lot to your
left. If you wish to take a break, this is
Cambria's main street. Next to the parking lot
is Pride Originals, a custom furniture maker of
Amish descent with exquisite pieces and
offerings in his small showroom. Also on
Edgewater street are two restaurants if you are
looking for a bite to eat.
Back in the Family vehicle?
Continue to follow Hwy 146
north across the small damn and up the
hill. Follow Hwy 146
through another S Curve to the right at the top
of the hill. Need gasoline or
refreshments, ice cream cones, snacks, homemade
brats...then stop at the convenience station at
the top of the hill. Continue north on
Hwy 46 out of Cambria through
another S Curve. Follow Hwy 146
for another mile to the end of Hwy
146 at the intersection with
State Hwy 33.
Turn west (left) onto Hwy
33 and follow Hwy 33
for two and a quarter miles to the second intersection with
County Trunk H (drive past the
first intersection with "H").
Turn north (right) onto
County Trunk H.
Please note: from
this point on you are in the Amish
Community. Please drive with care and
defensively. Watch for slow horse drawn
vehicles and pedestrians on and near the
roads. Slow down when meeting, overtaking
and passing the buggies. Please do not take
pictures of the Amish people themselves, they
find this offensive, but you may certainly take
pictures of the buggies. Proceed north on
County Trk H for about four
miles to Kowald Road (if you
cross the railroad tracks you have gone to
far...turn around).
Turn east (right) onto
Kowald Road. The first
place on the left is an Amish family that
operates a custom furniture business (closed
Thursdays and Sundays). Continue east
(straight) on Kowald Road a
half mile to Bridge Number 2, Graffiti Bridge, so named because of all the
graffiti painted on it.
A Word of Caution: Most of the
graffiti is harmless, however there are a few
words and phrases that may be offensive.
Parents may wish to distract children from the
graffiti by honking the horn going through the
bridge and listening for an echo.
This bridge is one of two cement
arch bridges that support the tracks through
this wetlands area. As you look at the
railroad tracks above on the ridge, keep in mind
this dirt was hauled in by horse and train cars
to raise the tracks to that height...and this
ridge is half a mile long! These tracks are
owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Follow
Kowald Road for a few hundred
feet to Bridge Number 3,
another cement arch bridge.
This bridge supports the railroad tracks across
the Fox River. This bridge may be difficult to
see if hidden by trees, but look to your right
as you cross the small bridge over the
river. You are at the headwaters of the
Fox River and what you cross is hardly bigger
than a small stream. Yet this is the start
of one of the most historic rivers in the
Midwest. The Fox is one of only two
"north-flowing" rivers in Wisconsin. What
you see here grows into a great river that has
spawned industry and commerce in our state from
Portage to the Port of Green Bay. From
this small beginning, the Fox creates Buffalo
Lake, Lake Puckaway, Lake Butte de Morts and
Lake Winnebago, the largest lake in Wisconsin,
and finally empties into Lake Michigan. It
is on this river that the explorers Joliet and
Father Marquette first traveled into Wisconsin
from Green Bay, found the portage between the
Fox River and the Wisconsin River, and traveled
to the Mississippi River which opened part of
our nation for settlement by the French and
English.
Continue straight east to the stop
sign at Inglehart Road.
Turn south (right) onto Inglehart
Road and drive up the hill. Here
is a small white country church used by local
farm families with an adjoining cemetery.
The small white hall building next to the church
used to be a one-room country school house which
sat across the railroad tracks and was moved
across Bridge
Number 4 by local
farmers using wagons pulled by horses when the
school closed. The deck on Bridge Number 4
was black-topped several years ago to smooth out
the crossing because the wooden deck was
becoming quite rough.
On
the north side of the bridge (same side as the
church) is Schmidt Road to the
east. Turn east (left) onto Schmidt
Road and proceed slowly down a
peaceful, tree covered country road. Watch
for grazing cattle, a few horses and even some
Guinea Hens and chickens in the ditch or on the
road. Please drive slowly or some feathers may
fly! At the end of Schmidt Road
you will intersect with County Road
M.
Turn south (right) onto
County M and proceed about a
mile to Bridge
Number 5. Bridge
5 is the longest bridge on the tour and still
has its plank decking. 5 mph is the posted
crossing speed. When you cross this bridge you
will hear the decking clatter beneath your
wheels! Don't worry, usually the bridge keeps
standing until you get across.
Immediately
after crossing the bridge you stop at the
intersection of County Trunk E.
The house across the road to your left used to
be another country school house. Turn east
(left) onto County E and
cautiously approach the RR Crossing. Stop
for Red
Flashing Lights at the
crossing...the Union Pacific trains are fast on
these tracks. Upon crossing the tracks look to
your left and see the wooden bridge you just
crossed over.
Continue east (straight) on
County E for one mile to the
intersection with Sterk Road.
(If you reach County Trunk EF you went to far,
turn around). Turn south (right) on
Sterk Road. After your first
curve, look right, you will see an octagon
home. Continue south on Sterk
Road to Bridge Number 6. This bridge also has its
wooden planking. Slow down...this one has
quite a hump...and listen to the boards as you
cross.
Continue south on Sterk
Road for half a mile to the
intersection with Friesland
Road. Turn east (left) onto
Friesland Road. Continue
a quarter mile to Friesland.
Friesland is a quiet rural hamlet
and offers you an opportunity to take a break in
the small park in the center of town. Park
your vehicle and relax under the covered rest
area on one of the many picnic tables.
Across the street is a historic grocery store,
which still has its original wood slat floor,
where you can get made to order deli sandwiches,
snacks and soda for you to purchase and enjoy as
a picnic lunch in the park. Stop in at Floral
Art & Gifts for unusual gifts or a flower!
(Friesland businesses are closed on
Sundays.)
When
it is time to leave Friesland...proceed south on
County Trunk EF toward
State Hwy 33. You will drive
past the cemetery and the Post Office in the
first block. (If you cross the railroad tracks
on EF you are going the wrong way. Turn around
and go the other way. If you cross other
railroad tracks at a lumber yard and a parking
lot full of semi-trailers, turn around, go back
to the stop sign and turn left.)
Continue south on
EF until you reach the stop
sign at Hwy 33. Watch for
traffic from the west coming over the hill. Turn
east (left) onto Hwy 33. Follow
Hwy 33 three miles to the stop
signs at State Hwy 73.
Turn
south (right) onto Hwy 73 and
proceed south one mile into the Village of
Randolph. There are several places to eat and
gas-up in town. In the center of town just
before the railroad crossing, turn east (left)
onto Stark Street (the main
street) and you will find several stores and
shops featuring very interesting and unique
merchandise for your shopping pleasure. Several
places to get food. Park and browse. A
large yellow and black painted, historic
department store, which still has its original
wooden balcony and wooden lathe floors, is like
stepping back a hundred years and worth the
stop.
Follow Stark
Street back to Hwy 73.
Turn south (left) and cross the railroad tracks.
Continue south and you will pass a large seed
company. If you need seeds or
plants...stop in. Continue south on Hwy
73 and experience another S Curve. Gas
and groceries here. Finish the S Curve and head
south on Hwy 73. You will
cross another railroad bridge, but this one is
modern, at South Randolph. A supper club
here if you have been saving your appetite all
day.
Continue
south on Hwy 73 a few more
miles to a cross roads called Lost
Lake. Here is an old church being
converted into a historical museum. Cannot
guarantee if the museum is open. Also a tavern
with restaurant.
Continue south (straight) on
Hwy 73. After you cross
County Trunk D...and about a
mile later cross Lienke
Road...start watching for a township
road to the west (right) called "Old
73" or "Old 73
Road".
Turn
west (right) onto Old 73 Road
and continue south for about half a mile.
Here you will cross Bridge Number 7, an
old steel bridge over the Crawfish River.
The bridge is rusty but still picturesque. Cross
the bridge and almost immediately you will cross
a newer bridge over State Hwy
151. Continue into the City of
Columbus. You will pass a cemetery and
trailer court. You then cross over a brand
new cement bridge that just this year replaced
another wooden old wooden railroad bridge.
Continue to the stop sign at Hwy 16
& 60.
Your Choice: You may either turn
left or right.
Right
on Hwy 16 & 60 takes
you back to US Hwy 151 and past
several restaurants...fast food and family...and
a couple of convenience stations.
Left on Hwy 16 &
60 takes you to the historic downtown
of Columbus where you will find shops and
several places to eat...even a night club.
Your way out of town toward Madison is to turn
west at the traffic lights onto Hwy
73 & City Hwy 151
and travel about two miles out of the city to
the US Hwy 151 expressway (if
you cross over railroad tracks again, you are
going north toward Beaver Dam). If you do
cross the railroad tracks you will see an
operating old-fashioned root beer stand with
carhops.
We hope you enjoyed your day with
us in Columbia County and we invite you to
return often.
