In the mid-nineteenth century, traveling for recreation became increasingly popular in the United States. Advancements in transportation, especially railroads and steamships, coupled with romantic conceptions of the nation's landscape helped encourage the growth of domestic tourism. People who would have earlier balked at the inconvenience of traveling began to take journeys for spiritual renewal, physical regeneration, freedom from social constraints, or simply to "see the sights." By the middle of the century, many enterprising Americans were ready to serve the needs of this new class called tourists.
As industrialization and urbanization transformed American life, many middle and upper class Americans... more...
| Door County in 1942: land of "sunshine, fruit, and water" |
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| A survey of past and present hotels in Wisconsin, 1898 |
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| From sport to relaxation in Northern Wisconsin resorts, 1926 |
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| La Crosse's first motor-bike, 1900 |
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| A trip to Wisconsin Dells in 1879 |
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| A trip through the Dells in 1849 |
| An Aqualand water ski used for slalom skiing |
| A 1910 automobile travel guide to Wisconsin |
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| A travel guide to healthful resorts in the upper Midwest, 1875 |
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| A 1923 brochure for Ross's Teal Lake Lodge near Hayward |
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| A Tourist Brochure for Marinette Co., ca. 1923 |
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| A Tourist Brochure for Shawano and the Menominee Indian Reservation, ca. 1925 |
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| A Dells Tourist Brochure, 1932 |
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| A folding brochure for a Wisconsin Dells resort, ca. 1930 |
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| A tourist booklet from Wisconsin Dells, ca. 1930 |
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| Fly-fishing in the Northwoods, 1875-1877. |
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| An illustrated guide for tourists to Wisconsin Dells, 1875 |
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| A fisherman's guide to Northern Wisconsin |
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| Stories from Wisconsin's circuses, 1850-1908 |
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| John Nolen drafts a plan for a state park system in 1909 |
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| The Pneumatic, a progressive monthly paper for cyclists |
| Photographs of the Starlite Drive-in in Green Bay, 1959 |
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| The photographs of H.H. Bennett |
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| Pictures of tourist hotels and activities, 1885-1939 |
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| Images of the circus in Wisconsin |
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| Tourist Views of La Crosse, ca. 1892 |
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| Increase Lapham examining a meteorite, ca. 1868 |
| Four Madison Teenagers Paddle the Wisconsin, Mississippi and Rock Rivers |
| H.H. Bennett's studio in Wisconsin Dells |
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| Eagle River Stadium, Wisconsin's hockey capitol |
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| Forest Lodge in Namekagon |
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| Union House Hotel in De Pere |
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| Indianapolis Outing Club in Oneida County |
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| Winter quarters for the Ringling Brothers Circus |
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| Resorts along the Upper Mississippi River, ca. 1890 |
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| Wisconsin Blue Books |
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| The imaginary landcapes of Wisconsin Dells tourist attractions |
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| Postcards from the "miracle" springs in Waukesha |
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| Automobiles transform the Wisconsin Dells |
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| A bird's-eye-view of lakes and resorts in Waukesha County, ca. 1890 |
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| Transforming the natural world for tourism in the Dells |
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| Historic postcards of Milwaukee |
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| Images of Lake Geneva, the "Newport of the West" |
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| Notes on Bent's Camp, in Vilas County, 1906. |
