Timbavati Wildlife Park

You'll be amazed how we can effectively condense 500 million years of history into a paragraph or two. But this is important, because you have to look that far back to understand how the Dells came to be what it is today. During the Cambrian Period, this community was the sandy shore of an ancient sea. Over time, the sand was compacted, and percolating groundwater cemented the sand into rock. That rock went virtually untouched for millions of years. Are your eyes glazing over yet? No? O.K., good, let's continue.

Fast forward, way forward, to 19,000 years ago, when a glacier extended to within four miles east of the area, never touching the Dells. That glacier melted about 15,000 years ago and formed Glacial Lake Wisconsin, a lake about the size of Utah's Great Salt Lake and as deep as 150 feet. The last ice that held back the waters of Glacial Lake Wisconsin began to melt. The failed ice dam unleashed a catastrophic flood; the lake's depth dropped to 50 feet. The meltwaters cut deep, narrow gorges and unusual rock formations into the sandstone and formed the steep-sided canyons and bluffs you see today lining the Wisconsin River. The flood most likely cut the gorges in the Dells in a matter of days or weeks as the swift water eroded away the soft sandstone.

An entire book could be devoted to the history of the Native American culture in Wisconsin Dells. The Dells area has been inhabited by native people for 2,000 years, and probably longer. You see their spirit in petroglyphs and pictographs carved and painted into local rock formations, and in ceremonial and burial mounds. While nearly all of the mounds have been destroyed by farming and floods, you can still find some examples of this ancient culture known as the "Effigy Mound Builders." One treasure is at the Kingsley Bend Wayside on Highway 16 where there are a group of some 20 burial and effigy mounds, including two 100-foot long bears, a panther with a tail as long as a football field, and an eagle with a 200 foot wingspan.

The history of the Ho-Chunk, the largest Native American Nation in Wisconsin Dells, once called Winnebago by the French fur traders, includes immense hardship and tremendous rebuilding. In 1832, the U.S. Government began its infamous removal policy, stating that all Indians must be moved west of the Mississippi River. A series of deadly conflicts deeply scarred the culture. The Ho-Chunk were forced to leave their land and head to northwestern Iowa and south-central Minnesota. They were again moved in 1863 to a desolate reservation in South Dakota. It wasn’t until 1873, when the removal policy was reversed, that the Ho-Chunk could file claims to land in the Dells area. By then, Wisconsin Dells had already become a site for Ho-Chunk pow-wows and dancing, with tourists coming to enjoy the festivals, appreciate the culture and visit Wisconsin Dells attractions.

Today, the 4,900 members of the Ho-Chunk Sovereign Nation hold title to 2,000 acres of land, continuing anew their dedication to preserve the Ho-Chunk culture.

In 1856, the town was incorporated as Kilbourn City, in honor of the railroad's president. The name did not stick. In 1931, it was officially changed to Wisconsin Dells, the name the locals and tourists had always used, with "Wisconsin" derived from the Native American word meaning "dark rushing waters," and "Dells" mimicking the French word "dalles" that means "layers of flat rock" to describe the bluff rock formations.

The then local newspaper, the Wisconsin Mirror, offered a most accurate prophecy of the future of Wisconsin Dells tourism when it concluded in 1856 that "the wild, romantic scenery of the 'Dells' will always make them a place of resort for seekers of pleasure."

The community was also a busy logging route in Wisconsin, with pines from the north being moved to larger cities in the south. It was dangerous work, given the rapids and primitively designed dams. In fact, at one point, the whole volume of the Wisconsin River was squeezed into a fifty foot wide rocky, narrow gulch. The area's first bridge, built in the 1850s, turned logging into Wisconsin Dells tourism. About that time, the first railroad bridge was built as well. By the end of the century, a new dam, still in place today, was constructed and the successful destiny of the community was sealed.

He's known as "the man who made Wisconsin Dells famous." Lest you think it was an owner of Wisconsin Dells water parks, or ski show entrepreneur, let's reveal right here and now that it is Henry Hamilton Bennett. Never heard of him? He’s considered one of the top 10, maybe even the top three landscape photographers of the 19th century. Still not ringing a bell? Perhaps his photos will jog your memory. Surely you've seen the picture of a young man leaping from one rock ledge to another. It's titled "Leaping the Chasm at Stand Rock" and is one of Bennett's most famous. The photo captures Bennett's son Ashley frozen in mid-air. At the time, many people thought the photograph was faked since stop-motion had not been invented. Until Bennett invented it, that is. The story goes that Bennett had Ashley repeat the jump multiple times to get just the right shot, a story that would make any mother cringe. His life and photos are superbly chronicled at one of the most historic Wisconsin Dells attractions, the H.H. Bennett Studio which was the photographer's original studio that still stands on Broadway in downtown Dells. There's even an exhibit devoted to the famous photo, with markers on the floor to test your own leaping ability.

Bennett was born in the mid 1800s. A carpenter by trade, he turned to photography after a Civil War injury to his hand made carpentry work impossible. He opened his studio in the Dells, then known as Kilbourn City, in 1875. We strolled the gallery-style museum and original darkroom with Bennett's granddaughter, Jean Reese. She lovingly pointed out photos of her mother as a little girl sporting a cute straw hat with ribbons down the back. According to Reese, her mother admitted to being an impatient subject, very much disliking having to sit still while her father, ever the perfectionist, posed every shot just so.

Along with photos of his family, it's the mystical photos of the towering bluffs and swirling Wisconsin River that drew the first tourists to the area, and ultimately sparked Wisconsin Dells tourism.

According to the museum's director, Dale Williams, the studio may just be the longest running business on a main street in the country. Once you step inside, and take in the incredible photographic portraits of the native Ho-Chunk people, the landscapes of the unusual sandstone bluffs, and Bennett's family photos, you'll have a new appreciation for how the Dells came to be.

Prints of Bennett's most famous photos are available for purchase. The museum at 215 Broadway is open year-round.

During the 1930's and '40's, it wasn't unusual to see tourists and Native Americans line up to watch folks descend on the steamboats for a trip to the Stand Rock Indian Ceremonial. In 1946, Mel Flath brought the first WWII land-to-water vehicles known as Ducks to Wisconsin Dells and set up a tour company. In the 1950's, crowds were first treated to the famous Tommy Bartlett ski show. Wisconsin Dells attractions like Storybook Gardens and Fort Dells entertained thousands in the following decades, the precursor to the Dells as we know it today. In 1994, Stan Anderson, the owner of the Polynesian Resort Hotel, decided to put a roof over a water attraction at this property, and the first indoor water park in the country was christened. One year later, both the Wilderness Resort and Treasure Island water parks opened. A few years after that, Great Wolf Lodge expanded its offerings. In 2000, the Kalahari Resort opened and then quickly expanded its indoor water park. The rest, they say, is history.

By Bobby Tanzilo
As published on OnMilwaukee.com

Recently it dawned on us. Despite being parents for about five years, we hadn't been to the Dells in a lot longer than that (if you discount one of us attending a bachelor party there). With kids in the house, that didn't seem to make any kind of sense at all to a Wisconsin family.

We wrote up a to-do list that was more than a little ambitious for a single overnight stay and with nary a consideration of the weather. Amazingly enough, a little planning went a long way and with one exception, we saw everything we had hoped to in our Wisconsin Dells debut.

If you're planning your first trip to the Dells with very little ones, you might find our itinerary and experience useful...

We're pretty kid-focused when it comes to planning trips, mostly setting aside whatever it is we'd like to do in favor of what we think the kids would enjoy. That was the philosophy in our approach to the Dells, too, with one exception.

We wanted to take the kids to Storybook Gardens based on childhood memories of it (and of a similar place I used to go as a kid in Lake George, N.Y.). But even in that case, we knew that at least one of our kids was familiar with many of the characters and nursery rhymes illustrated in this Dells landmark.

It's almost amazing that the nearly 60-year-old Storybook Gardens (and Timbavati Wildlife Park), 1500 Wisconsin Dells Parkway, is still going. The park is dotted with displays that present nursery rhyme favorites in three-dimensional glory. There's the mustachioed giant atop Jack's beanstalk and Humpty Dumpty ill-advisedly sitting atop a brick wall.

There are also a number of enclosures with wildlife on view -- everything from gigantic turtles to sloths and kangaroos. There's a great train that circles the property, a wildlife show, camel rides and more.

When we lost a stuffed animal along the tracks, I got a moment to hear a bit about the history of the park, which opened in 1956.

The folks that lease it now have been running it for about eight years and are working hard to make a go of it. You can tell it's not easy to run a traditional place like this in the Dells in 2010 -- there's a lot of glitzy competition for the tourist dollar -- but Storybook Gardens is still fun when there are young kids in the group and I'd recommend it.

We had hoped to take a ducks ride on the Wisconsin River next, but the phone rang as dark clouds began to take shape in the sky above. Our room was ready at Great Wolf Lodge, 1400 Great Wolf Dr., right off I-94, and it was nap time (sadly, not for mom and dad), too.

The best thing about Great Wolf is that it solved two problems at once. We got a hotel and a selection of water parks all together in a single package.

The kids loved the Kid Cabin room we got because part of the large room was separated off into a log cabin with bunk beds. When they saw them, sleep was the last thing on their minds. They were ready for a deep woods adventure right in the hotel room.

Great Wolf also has three indoor waterparks and an outdoor one. There are restaurants, an arcade, a spa and more, all wrapped into a single, sprawling complex that means you could choose to never leave the lodge and still have a great time at the Dells.

Because it was our inaugural water park experience and our kids are wee, we had pretty much all our waterpark fun in the Bear Track Landing park, which had a kiddie area perfect for them and a nice wave pool that was fun for all of us.

But we also checked out the other waterparks and I bet next time, now that they've gotten a taste of waterparks, will love the Treehouse Island park, which has a range of awesome sprays, spurts and spouts to douse you from every direction. Spirit Island has a nice and not terribly daunting slide.

Then there's the Howlin' Tornado, which looked awesome for thrill seekers, but not like something to bring your toddlers into.

"The all-under-one-roof, weather-proof offerings at the large waterpark resorts are popular year-round, because they provide a full experience with no weather interruptions and they're a good value," says Carla Minsky, of Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau.

"Which is not to say that guests don't leave the resorts to experience the other attractions around town. Variety is still king and there are classic Dells' rituals that visitors enjoyed when they were young and like to re-create for their children."

When I tell her that taking our kids to a place we remembered going to as kids -- Storybook Gardens -- felt like a rite of passage, Minsky says, "Yes, we hear that a lot!"

Afterward, we spent the late afternoon and early evening out in downtown Dells walking around, hoping to see fudge being made at Goody Goody Gum Drop, 401 Broadway, the largest candy store in the Dells. No luck on the fudge, but we got some yummy dessert treats.

But first, we had dinner at the High Rock Cafe, 232 Broadway. We weren't sure what to expect here. At first we thought it might be diner food, but the nice yet casual eatery had a range of delicious sandwiches, salads and entrees -- I had a monte cristo with the most amazing broccoli salad.

Best of all, despite being a nice, adult-looking place, High Rock had a good kids menu and a staff that was fabulous with kids. Skip the gimmicks and get a great meal for the whole family here.

Back at the hotel, we splashed a bit in the water and hit the 8 p.m. storytime and the animatronic show in the Great Wolf lobby, which drew a large crowd and delighted all the kids present.

If mom and dad weren't beat, we might have perched on the deck for a drink and relaxation.

The next morning, up early, we weighed the differences between Mr. Pancake and Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty, opting in the end for the latter, which didn't disappoint. If you've been there, you know. If not, know that you don't order. Servers just bring everything to the table and this is not the time to think about diets or exercise. Especially since the first thing to arrive at table is donuts.

Back at the hotel, we spent more time in the waterparks and had lunch in Great Wolf's Loose Moose Bar & Grill. Then, before leaving for home, we went to Tommy Bartlett's Exploratory Interactive Science Center to see the Russian Space Station MIR core capsule.

First we wound through the maze-like floors of hands-on science and technology exhibits and activities, which our overtired kids didn't appreciate as they likely would have at any other time.

Then we entered the small space that holds the capsule and some other related displays. It felt pretty odd to be standing in a space station and we couldn't help but note how small it was.

Little more than 24 hours after our arrival in the Dells, we got back on I-94 in the opposite direction and headed for home with our Dells debut and a lot of fun under our belts.

Thanks to those ubiquitous racks of brochures, we left armed with the start of another itinerary.

This one may or may not include the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in nearby North Freedom, the Circus World Museum in Baraboo and breakfast at Mr. Pancake. Carla Minsky, of the Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau also suggests the Wisconsin Deer Park.

What it definitely will include is a ducks ride, weather permitting.

• Great Wolf Lodge has four waterparks and a number of eateries and shops all under one roof.
• High Rock Cafe, despite looking like a nice, adult restaurant, is more than a little kid-friendly.
• At Tommy Bartlett's Exploratory Interactive Science Center you can stand inside the core capsule of a space station.
• Put your diet aside and have breakfast with Paul Bunyan.

Enduring. Endearing. Those were the two words that guided the research for this story on the classic Wisconsin Dells vacation. Many of the Wisconsin Dells hotels, attractions and restaurants included below have been building up a fan base for decades and across generations. Others are slightly more contemporary classics that still say “Wisconsin Dells” in a big way. Combined, they make for lots of choices for travelers who like to go classic.

A good starting point is downtown, where classic Wisconsin Dells hotel and motels right on the main street are well maintained and still very popular. There’s Fitzgerald’s Motel, where the front sign reminds you to “Smile, you’re on vacation.” Last year, Fitzgerald’s celebrated its 60th anniversary, and owner Margaret Gewont is 100% sincere when she tells you guests are more like extended family than vacationers. A peek in the guest book proves it, with the first entry reading: “Margaret is the ultimate hostess.” The list of downtown Wisconsin Dells hotels and motels is long and varied, so take your pick.

Downtown Wisconsin Dells

As long as you’re already on the main thoroughfare, keep your car parked and put on your walking shoes for a stroll up and down Broadway. You’ll pass fudge shops like Swiss Maid Fudge and Wisconsin Dairyland Fudge and likely succumb to the sweets being made behind the picture windows. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, with its quirky and fun-to-read-about displays from adventures of days gone by, is one of the many amusing Wisconsin Dells attractions on Broadway. As long as you’re downtown, go ahead and have one of those old-timey pictures taken. For souvenirs, Bailey’s Landing and Winnebago Gift Shop are both known for their wide selection of Minnetonka moccasins, a fashion statement in Wisconsin and on the runways of New York.