Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-02-12
Little Journeys In
and About Baraboo
Interesting Places Of the Region Both to Local History and
Scenic Features
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! LiIl06 ~UC1OW Lie uyuIO-0lGCIIlC pIdu
lat Kilbourn. The river is broader
and the rocks have been worn away
Ito a greater extent, leaving then
followed and worn into many shapes
lThe most fantastic forms are fal
ldown the stream The Lower Dells
may be visited by boat or may be
carefully examined by walking along
| the shore in the vicinity OF the desert
! ed village of Newport
In the order of their appearance
the objects of interest are met, as
iones descends the river, as follows:
/ Echo Point is where Taylor's Gler
| is crossed by the railroad and, stand
| ing at the mouth Of the tunnel, one
| may hear his voice come back as .
boomerang out of space.
Bears Gave is a recess little
iiower4doWn on the same side of the
| irivef.3 Il ssEtfs IL
r. Chimney Rock much resembles the
ione1in the Upper Detls, except foI
| lsize, andais located just below Bears
Uaves5
r. PuIpitsRock is. at the waters edge
hard by
Observation. Point gives view OF
a magnificent landscape. s..
Stultz Rock. on the. opposite side
Iof the stream, was a terror to RATS
men, their craft often being whirled
to destruction at this treacherous
location.
The Hawks Bill boldly exposes it.
iseff to view, the point being known
for many years as Signal Peak.
The Sugar Bowl, Inkstand, and
Lone Rock stand amid the swirling
waters of the stream, boldly battling
| with the forces of erosion They are
hard cores which have been left as
the river has cut its way to the
present level.
The Cave of the Dark Waters, call
ed by the Indians, Nah-huh-nah, is
an interesting place for the boat tO
pause.
Grotto Rock and other places of in
terest. will be spoin ted ott by. theEb boat;
man as the craft glides along,
A Deserted Village
Newport, once a noisy, busy place
boasting of two thousand frontiers
men, and now a. deserted village site
with but a few cellar holes to recall
it's past glory, was located where the
highway extending east from Delton
Joins the Wisconsin River road. The
pioneer village was at the head OF
navigation, this being given as the
excuse for its appearance, and after
an ephemeral existe nee of but few
years, passed SO completely from
view that little remains but ghost
| ly recollection of the place.
Here the rivermen found breath
ing place when they re-assembled
their RATS after running the cribs
through the gauntlet of the Dells,
here the river steamers halted to un
burden their cargoes and assume
new responsibilities for the downward
trips; and here the overland stages
drew up at the great Steele tavern
! to enable the passengers to set foot
on the new Ell Dorado. There was
first a limited village plat which in
cluded few blocks, but as the ex
citement grew, divisions and sub-di
visions were added until there was
! danger of engulfing the village oi
Delton and even the cemetery two OF
three miles away. Those with a spec
ulative turn, far and near, purchased
! lots and blocks in the upstart town
only to have the castle of disappoint-
ment fall about their ears.
One day the gasconading inhabi-
tants wore expression of assurance,
the railroad, then approaching, would
cross the river into their very midst,
and some of them did not hesitate
to place fabulous valuation on their
property, but ere they were aware
land had been purchased where Kill
bourn is located aGl a rival village
sprung up almost in a night, dashln5
the hopes of those residing in New
port. When they saw the railroad
go by on the other side Of the river,
their spirits went to the very depths.
An effort was made 10 revive the
hopes of those with homes there, and
one night there was a real "resurrec-
tion." Speeches were made In de-
fiance of the railroad magnates who
idared to atternp to obliterate their
existance, songs were sung to cheer
the crestfallen, and mammoth cake,
blazing with many candles graced
the banquet board,
All efforts were without avail, how
ever, and it was not long before there
was a procession of buildings moving
like prehistoric monsters across the
landscape, to Kilbourn and elsewhere.
Where there was much dancing and
delight there is now naught but an
/, air of desertion and dreams.
Although Newport is as dead as
l N v,,,,oI r.e,v,, inc of in.