Property Record
1890 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | |
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| Other Name: | Original Wisconsin Ducks |
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| Reference Number: | 243677 |
| Location (Address): | 1890 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy |
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| County: | Sauk |
| City: | Wisconsin Dells |
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| Year Built: | 1956 |
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| Additions: | 1972 2002 |
| Survey Date: | 2021 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Side Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Stone Veneer |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | 2021 - The Original Wisconsin Ducks is a popular Wisconsin Dells tourist attraction that has been in operation since 1946. That year, Robert Unger and Melvin Flath purchased a surplus World War II amphibious truck commonly called a “Duck” and began giving tours on Lake Delton with the unique vehicle that had both land and water capabilities. Ducks were manufactured by General Motors Company and used during the war for ferrying troops and supplies from ships to shore, most notably during the invasion of Sicily, the landings in Normandy on D-Day, and island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific. In 1947, Flath expanded the fleet to 37 Ducks to give tours of Helen Raab and Herman Breitenbach’s scenic property along the Lower Dells of the Wisconsin River and Lake Delton. The business was sold to Dr. R. O. Ebert in 1952, who in turn sold the tour operations and vehicles to Wisconsin Ducks Incorporated in 1955. Fleet expansion continued over the next 30 years, and there are currently 92 Ducks in the fleet. The base of business operations is a building at 1890 Wisconsin Dells Parkway that was originally constructed in 1956, with additions in 1972 and 2002. The one-story building has a Ranch-style appearance with a side-gabled roof and broad rectilinear footprint. Two cross gables denote entrances on the front and rear of the building. At the southwest end of the building is an open-air shelter for vehicle parking and passenger loading and unloading. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Original Wisconsin Ducks, https://www.wisconsinducktours.com |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |