People climbing wooden stairs on a steep hillside toward a wooden observation tower - new deal and depression-era sites

Self-guided · County in Wisconsin

New Deal and Depression-Era Sites in Lafayette County, WI

Lodges, lookouts, bathhouses and public buildings put up by the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.

Open the Wisconsin map · All states

Photo: Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash

Lafayette County is one of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The record for this chapter of history is uneven, and some of it is hard to read. That is a reason to go and see it, not a reason to skip it.

Men gathered around a campfire in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Group of loggers with a two-man saw in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Man and woman sitting on black wooden rocking chairs - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: Aaron Thomas on Unsplash

On the record near Lafayette County, WI

The 9 nearest

9 listed sites on the record match new deal and depression-era sites within 200 miles of Lafayette County, WI, out of 60 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 9 listed sites carry Lafayette County as their county.

Burlington Community Swimming Pools and Bathhouse94 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Building · Burlington · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
Decorah Municipal Bathhouse and Swimming Pool95 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Building · Decorah · listed 2012National Register of Historic Places
Woodlawn Cemetery Gates and Shelter124 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Building · Washington · listed 2016National Register of Historic Places
Geode State Park, Civilian Conservation Corps Area142 miles from the center of Lafayette County · District · Danville · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Civilian Conservation Corps--Prisoner of War Recreation Hall152 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Building · Eldora · listed 2012National Register of Historic Places
LOOKOUT (schooner) Shipwreck169 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Site · Two Rivers · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
Pilot Knob State Park, Picnic Shelter (Area 3)178 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Building · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Weber Lake Picnic Ground Shelter192 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Building · Mountain · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Mountain Fire Lookout Tower195 miles from the center of Lafayette County · Structure · Riverview · listed 2008National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Lafayette County, WI. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

New Deal Sites in Lafayette County, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Lafayette County, WI ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Lafayette County, WI?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Lafayette County, WI?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Lafayette County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Lafayette County, WI the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Lafayette County, WI are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.