If you live in southwest Wisconsin then you’re used to everyone asking you what there is to do or complaining about how it’s full of corn fields and nothing else, you might suspect that they’ve never been outdoors. Not only is this a beautiful place for fall sports, but there are also plenty of local teams to enjoy for a fraction of the price you’d spend in larger cities.
Although I enjoy going to numerous sporting events, the ones I enjoy the most are the UW-Platteville Pioneer Football Games. Like many Wisconsin natives, I grew up from the time I was a little girl with sports on the TV at home: mainly Packers or Brewers games, and I was lucky enough to attend a number of those growing up. It always made me sad that I wasn’t athletic enough to partake in most sports when I grew up but being able to go to these events helped fill that void. There are many great things about going to Pioneer football games, hopefully by the end of this post you’ll want to go, even if sports isn’t really your cup of tea.
Sophomore running back Evan gates receives the hand-off from sophomore quarterback Caleb Hanson during a fall 2019 UW-Platteville game. Photo by Grace Daehling.
The University of Wisconsin- Platteville Pioneers are a part of NCAA Division III and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference which also includes, Whitewater, Stout, Stevens Point, River Falls, Oshkosh, La Crosse, and Eau Claire. The official season starts in the beginning of September and ends mid-November. Platteville started off the season strong with a 38-30 win against East Texas Baptist, and continued as undefeated for several games. They dominated Thomas More 41-10, then moving forward they crushed Lakeland College during their first away game, 55-28.
The team is averaged 37 points per game and this season went undefeated at home. Currently the team is led by head coach Mike Emendorfer. He is assisted by Ryan Munz, Jason Wagner, Dan Bauder, Patrick Sheehan, Donavon Nathaniel, Brody Dell, Ryley Bailey, and Justin Blackburn.
Coach Justin Wagner stands on the sidelines with the players. Photo by Grace Daehling.
There are many players making great stats this season, but football games aren’t just enjoyable because of the football. One the sideline we can find some pretty great folks cheering on our Pioneers all while they’re doing some amazing stunts. Then we look to the stands and have our fantastic marching band playing whenever they can: whether it’s during a time-out or a kick-off you can hear them doing what they do best. Then those two are joined on the field during the halftime show by the talented dance team. These halftime shows are a real treat to watch.
This year’s season is over, but hope we can see you next year!
You might be thinking – what is there to do around here that I haven’t already done? Well, for starters, most people in the Wisconsin area have probably not played rugby before. Along with being a great game, rugby is a sport that most people in this part of the world learn by playing (although I’ll introduce you to some of the basics in this article.) Most of the road trips I go on, especially in the fall, are to rugby competitions. But rugby, unlike a lot of other team sports, is just as much about the fraternizing afterwards as the game itself.
Interested? Then read on! First, I’ll introduce some of the basics of the game, then teach you some of our after-game songs, and after that, tell you about some of the rugby opportunities here in Southwest Wisconsin.
The 2019 UW-Platteville Men’s Rugby team (Photo:
Courtesy of the Platteville Men’s Rugby Club Facebook Page)
Rugby
basics and background
One of the most famous stadiums built for rugby is the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Here’s a shot from the 2015 Wales vs. Fiji Rugby World Cup. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
I like to think of rugby as the estranged love-child of the two sports, soccer and American football. Rugby has the physicality of football, with the pace and kicking skills required in the soccer realm. The goal of rugby is very similar to football and soccer, you want to score more points than the opposing team. In order to score, you have to touch the ball to the ground in the tryzone. This is called a try and is worth five points. A tryzone is like the endzone in football: there is one on each end of the field. The field is 100 meters in length and 70 meters in width. An example of how a rugby field, called a “rugby pitch” looks is shown in the photo above, from the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Another way points are scored is by kicking the ball through the posts, centered at the beginning of each tryzone. An offensive player can kick the ball at any time during the match, if it goes through the posts they are awarded three points. However, the ball must be a drop kick that touches the ground first, before being kicked. After a try is scored, there is an opportunity to kick the ball through posts, and this attempt is worth two points.
The best way to describe a rugby ball, is to call it an undersized watermelon. Rugby balls are in the shape of an ellipse, similar to a football, but much more rounded at the points and larger overall.
Offensive players are allowed to pass, run, or kick the ball. In rugby, you are only allowed to pass the ball backwards. If you want to play the ball forwards, it has to be kicked. The opposing players defend by tackling the offensive player to the ground. In this sport there are no pads or helmets, therefore tackling rules are much stricter in order to keep players safe.
A tackle attempt (this one is an illegal-high tackle) Photo courtesy of Kurt Kravchuk
Once a player is tackled, the ball carrier must release the ball onto the ground or to a teammate. Offensive players form a ruck to keep possession of the ball. They form over the ball-carrier to protect him and clear any defenders off of the ball. Another offensive player, called the scrumhalf, will take the ball off of the ground and pass the ball to a teammate.
An example of a ruck, from a recent UW-Platteville vs. Northern Michigan University game. Photo: courtesy of Kurt Kravchuk.
Rugby is very similar to soccer in multiple ways as well. In contrast to football, there are no breaks between plays. Each team has 15, 10, or 7 people depending on which format of rugby you playing. 15-person rugby, or 15s, is played in two 40-minute halves, 10s rugby in two 10-minute halves, and 7s rugby in two 7-minute halves. Time only stops for injuries and certain penalties. Like soccer players, rugby personnel must be able to play most, if not all of the game. Teams cannot substitute players in and out. Once a player is substituted out, they cannot come back into the game.
Another comparison to soccer are the restarts: most breaks in play result in free kicks or penalty kicks. The ball is also kicked to start the game, after halftime, and after any scoring play. There are so many similarities between these sports that it really is as if soccer and football had a child, rugby being the offspring.
A kickoff dropkick (the ball must touch the ground first) Photo courtesy of Kurt Kravchuk
The most unique quality of a rugby
match is the scrum. A scrum results whenever the ball is thrown or dropped forward
by an offensive player and can also be an alternative to free kicks during a
penalty play. During a scrum, bigger players – denoted as forwards – from both
teams bind together. The ball is placed in the middle of the scrum and the
objective is to drive the other team off of the ball to gain possession. This
tug-of-war situation highlights which team is stronger and more conditioned,
and it also highlights which team has been skipping leg day.
A scrum: players pushing against each other for possession of the ball. Photo courtesy of Kurt Kravchuk
A scrum: players pushing against each other for possession of the ball (Photo: C
Why should you play rugby?
Photo: Courtesy of UW-Platteville Rugby Player, Erik Wohlfiel
I play here in southwest Wisconsin on the men’s UW-Platteville rugby team. My friend and teammate, Erik Wohlfiel, let me use one of his Instagram posts (above) . This post immediately caught my attention because it perfectly sums up why people are so drawn to the game of rugby. The main reason to play this sport for me, and my teammates, is the camaraderie.
There is honestly no other reason I would want to drive about six hours to Duluth, Minnesota on a Saturday, in a car filled with five teammates and their gear. It’s an interesting experience partaking in country-karaoke and listening to comedic podcasts with friends on these long drives to away games. Our team here at UW-Platteville is currently sponsored by Steve’s Pizza Palace. On Thursday we head over to Steve’s to participate in trivia night, which is open to anybody. It’s a good time to spend with friends, test our knowledge, and support our sponsor. We also volunteer about once a month to help out at Ruby’s Pantry, which is in association with Platteville United Methodist Church. The men and women’s clubs hold a banquet at the end of each year for the members only. This is the most formal annual event of the year where players are encouraged to bring a date and dress nicely. Player awards for achievements such as ‘hardest-hitter’ and ‘most-improved’ are handed out at the banquet as the fall-league season is celebrated and reviewed.
Group picture from the 2016 UW-Platteville Men’s Rugby banquet. Photo courtesy of Platteville Men’s Rugby Club Facebook Page.
Furthermore, the quote that Erik’s post refers to speaks about the brotherhood/sisterhood formed from playing the sport. When you go get tackled or go down in a game, you will always have a teammate to protect you and you’re your back. This bond extends off the field as well and you often build long-term friendships through rugby-related events.
You also get to visit and view many different areas of Wisconsin in the process, as well as the edges of Minnesota and Michigan. In addition, you get to interact with and meet new people from all of these areas.
What is a rugby
social?
This brings me to the most unique aspect of rugby, which is the socials. A social is an after-party or a post-match gathering, if you will. Both teams just got done beating the snot out of each other for an upwards of 80 minutes, but yet we can all be friends. This is very different from other sports where competition is the most important part and in most other sports it is looked down upon to fraternize with the opposing team.
In club rugby, fraternizing is one-hundred percent welcomed. I’m not exactly sure if this happens in youth-rugby (I’ve gotten mixed signals from my teammates about this). However, in college club teams and adult leagues it is traditional for the home team to host a social after each game. It isn’t unusual for the referee or coaches to come and hang out at this event either. This is where you are introduced to the culture that is rugby and some of the activities that rugby players like to do here in southwest Wisconsin.
Some of the activities common at socials include jousting and singing round songs. Since there are adults and people of age 21 and older at these socials, rugby players of legal age like to participate in a drinking game called a ‘boat race.’ The jousting consists of two players from each team. One player from each team will be the base, and the other player will be on their shoulders holding a goal post pad used to simulate a lance. The two people at the base will start running at each other, and the top two people will try to knock each other off of the other person’s shoulders. This is a fun activity at the social where anyone can get involved or watch for some laughs.
The boat race is a beer-drinking relay race that features around four to six players from each team for participation. Each participant will have two beers, one in each hand. Each team of four to six will be seated on the ground as if they were in a row boat, close together and all facing forward. The two ‘row boat’ teams will be facing an individual who starts the race. The starter commands the teams to row and points a hand to the sky. The teams listen to the command and make a rowing motion with the two beers, making sure not to spill, because that could be a potential disqualification. They continue making rowing motions until the starter drops his hand back down to his side, signaling the start of the race. Each person in the relay drinks their first beer as fast as they can. Once, they are finished they put the empty can, or solo cup, on the top of their head to signal to the next man in the boat to start drinking his beer. This continues down the ‘row boat’. The person in the last seat of the boat finishes both of their beers and sends the relay in the opposite direction for the rest of the team to finish their second beer, down-and-back style. This is always an extra competition that both teams really enjoy. It draws the biggest crowds at the social and people will cheer on their respective teams.
Rugby Songs
The round songs follow a general format, their purpose is to generate comedic punchlines. Each verse will be sung by a soloist and then the rest of the group will join in for a refrain. Everyone at the social stands in a big circle and sings along. Anyone can sing a solo punchline, but they have to signal to the group that it is their turn to go. A soloist signals to the group by putting their hand over their forehead. The rest of the group will point with their elbow at the person who is signaling. This is the system the group has used to determine whose turn it is to sing.
One of the most popular songs we sing is called “Yogi Bear.” This the format of the song:
(Soloist)
“I
know a bear that you all know!”
“Yogi,
Yogi!”
(Chorus)
“I
know a bear that you all know! Yogi, Yogi bear.”
“Yogi,
Yogi bear—“
“Yogi,
Yogi bear!”
“I
know a bear that you all know! Yogi, Yogi bear.”
The soloist who signals would come up
with the next punchline (sorry Chicago Bear fans).
(Soloist)
“Yogi
sucks at football!”
“Chicago,
Chicago!”
(Chorus)
“Yogi
sucks at football! Chicago, Chicago bears.”
“Chicago,
Chicago bears—“
“Chicago,
Chicago bears!”
“Yogi
sucks at football! Chicago, Chicago bears.”
This second song is another popular pick, it’s a comedic song that uses the idea of Jesus not having enough apostles to play 15s rugby. The song also explains why Jesus wouldn’t be able to play rugby Himself (the song is referred to as “Jesus Saves” or “Jesus Can’t Play Rugby.”)
(Soloist)
“Jesus
can’t play rugby, because he only has twelve friends!”
(Chorus)
“Jesus
can’t play rugby, ‘cause he only has twelve friends!”
“Jesus
can’t play rugby, ‘cause he only has twelve friends!”
“Jesus
saves, Jesus saves!”
“Jesus
saves—”
This follows the same format as the
last song and a new soloist will start the next round.
(Soloist)
“Jesus
can’t play rugby, because his dad will rig the game!”
(Chorus)
“Jesus
can’t play rugby, ‘cause his dad will rig the game!”
“Jesus
can’t play rugby, ‘cause his dad will rig the game”
“Jesus
saves, Jesus saves!”
“Jesus
saves—”
Then after a few rounds the song ends
like this.
(Soloist)
“Jesus,
we’re only kidding!”
(Chorus)
“Jesus,
were only kidding!”
“Jesus,
were only kidding!”
“Jesus
saves, Jesus saves!”
“Jesus
saves!”
Rugby
opportunities in southwest Wisconsin
Many of the opportunities to play here in Wisconsin are in relation to the organization known as the Wisconsin Rugby Football Union. This organization hosts rugby leagues for all ages classified into three categories – youth, collegiate, and senior club. Their page has information regarding upcoming events, resources, and registered club teams. For every level the sport is easily accessible. Anyone is welcome to join these clubs, and there are plenty of schools around the state participate for middle school, high school, and college students, as well as seniors (anyone who is out of school). There is collegiate match-play every Saturday, even if you aren’t interested in playing, rugby is an entertaining sport to watch and support. You could even study up on the rule book and become a referee, if that’s something you are interested in. There are also plenty of tournaments and events where spectators are welcome to hangout, buy apparel, and get something to eat.
Popular
tournaments in Wisconsin
Collegiate leagues take place in the fall from September through November. In the spring and summer, there are a lot of open tournaments that any team can register to play in, or individual players can participate in. Especially in summer, a lot of teams are lacking players and will take anyone who’s ready to go. Many tournaments we participate in don’t require a specific roster so teams are allowed to borrow players from each other if they need substitutes or don’t have enough players.
One of our favorite tournaments to participate in is Whiskey Ten’s. This is a ten versus ten tournament at the Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago Illinois. The South Side Irish rugby club has been hosting this event annually in the spring, I’m not sure when it originally started. This tournament guarantees three matches for each team. Men and women’s teams at both the senior and collegiate level participate in this tournament. The three-field area has an apparel and food tent for spectators and participants. Anyone is welcome to come watch teams play a lot of rugby. There are plaques handed out to the top-placed teams. There is a social after the tournament at Kelly’s Irish Saloon that serves dinner for the players.
Another example of a tournament is Pigfest which is hosted by the Oshkosh Rugby club. Pigfest takes place in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and is the longest running 10s rugby tournament in the Midwest. This tournament is a summer tournament, usually sometime in July. UW-Platteville won both of their games at this tournament last year, before it down-poured and the remainder of the event was called off. This even has been called Pigfest because guests are welcome to some great food. The tournament offers rotisserie pig, burgers, beer and other beverages.
Platteville’s
Mudfest
Our own club team at UW-Platteville hosts an annual tournament called the Mudfest. This tournament is a 15s tournament that has been running annually for 24 years. 2020’s upcoming Mudfest will be the 25th anniversary of the event.
The image above shows some of the usual teams that register for our tournament. That schedule was specifically for the Men’s college and senior bracket, women’s teams participate in this tournament as well. Rugby is the main event, where the winning team can play an upwards of five 80-minute games. This tournament is truly and iron-man competition to see who has the most conditioned and disciplined squad. In 2019, our UW-Platteville Men’s club was able to win the tournament. We won four games and only lost one match to the UW-Platteville Men’s Alumni team.
This event draws a large crowd each year and is celebrated by citizens in the city of Platteville. Depending on planning, there are extra events after the rugby-playing is over. In 2017, the city decided to block of sections of Mineral Street to allow for a band. This has happened numerous times over the years to allow for block parties and event participants to celebrate in an organized environment.
Just like the other tournaments that were mentioned, Mudfest sells food and beverages. Last year our sponsor, Steve’s Pizza Palace, sold pizza slices at the event. Volunteer members from the WSUP radio station also participated in last year’s Mudfest by dj-ing. They played music and made announcements for the duration of the tournament.
Overall, Mudfest is a celebration of rugby and the history of Platteville. Aside from Diary Days, this rugby tournament is one of the most celebrated and long-standing events in the area.
Get Involved
I hope this has given you a better understanding of rugby and the opportunities it presents in southwest Wisconsin. If you and your friends are ever bored on a weekend or want to get involved in a new hobby, then rugby is here for you. Rugby has opportunities for everyone at varying levels of participation. I’ve definitely enjoyed my time playing for the UW-Platteville Men’s Rugby club and made numerous memories I will never forget on and off the field. Therefore, I encourage anyone who has taken the time read this – to get involved or get out and support your local rugby club!
Experience the grandeur and prestige of Cuba City’s heritage
Along Cuba City’s main drag, one sees silhouettes of every U.S. President. The red, white and blue shields also include the state that person was born in, the years he served, and the which “number” President he was.
In the deep north of America’s bread basket lies a tiny town of about 2000 people called Cuba City, Wisconsin. The town is nestled snugly between the bustling and collegiate Platteville metropolitan area (pop. 11,000) and a cluster of even smaller towns like Hazel Green, WI (pop. 1256) to the south and Dickeyville, WI (pop. 1060) to the west. The town is fundamentally a strip of road lined with businesses which are surrounded on both sides by a grid of single story houses that stretches for a half mile outward in all directions.
Cuba City’s welcome sign
Along this strip of Highway 80, one immediately notices the signs with silhouettes of U.S. Presidents: all of the U.S. Presidents. One may also soon see the focal point of this, the main strip of Cuba City’s main street: a tourist attraction called the “Presidential Courtyard,” a monument to the city’s nickname, “The City of Presidents.” Cuba City is a time capsule of small town America filled with relics from the Cold War age of patriotism.
Part way through the main strip, you’ll see this rock marking the “Presidential Courtyard,” or the related red caboose pictured below. Photo by Jacob “Vinny” Klang.
Questions about the naming of Cuba City are so common that many shops have hung signs explaining how the city got its name. Every store, retailer, and restaurant has these signs which are written by the city, perhaps to help visitors get more confused.
Some storeowners have put up signs to let visitors know how Cuba City became known as the “City of Presidents.” Photo by Jacob “Vinny” Klang.
Around town there is a theory regarding the evolution of the town’s name: the town was originally “Yuba City” but since there was already a “Yuba” in Richland county, “Cuba” was chosen as an alternative.
How did “Cuba City” then become the “City of Presidents”? Let’s start there and work our way backwards to the presidential signs.
The official title was chosen in 1993 when the city’s common council changed the slogan from the “Parade of Presidents” by popular vote. But the patriotic naming scheme started in 1975 when the village was preparing to celebrate the United States Bicentennial Anniversary. The titular parade referred to plywood sigils featuring those silhouettes of every American president referred to earlier, which were and are still hung on every lamp-post along Cuba City’s main street. The sigils have since been replaced with durable weather proof plastic, and joined by the “Presidential Courtyard” near the center of the strip, one I’ll talk more about in a moment.
Presidential Caboose sits in the Presidential Court yard. Grant County, Wisconsin (where Cuba City is located) is named after President Ulysses S. Grant.
All of those signs seem like a lot of work for the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration, especially for a town of 2000 people. One theory about why the town leaned into such heavy participation in the bicentennial was that they wanted to ward off any suspected affiliation with communist Cuba. At that time in global politics, Cuba was a bastion of socialist thought and was the source of a much anxiety in the American consciousness (and had been so since the Bay of Pigs in the early 1960s.). Having this unpatriotic tie to Cuba would not have been good for the city’s tourism so they may have doubled-down and made a very American tourist attraction to counteract this association.
Is this true? One retired history professor commented that she had also heard this speculation, as had the editor of this blog. But neither could link it to documentary evidence, so a speculation it remains. In any case, since the original presidential signs in the 1970s, the idea has taken on a life of its own.
Since then, the Presidential Courtyard has been built upon a patch of grass along Main Street where the sigils ended. But of course more presidents have been added to the parade since the late seventies so the courtyard is now about two-thirds down the street.
The best and easiest way to experience the displays is to drive into town and park along the main street near the edge of town where you can casually walk the stretch of road at your own pace. There are benches to rest on along the way and plenty of shops and bars to sit or get distracted in. If you’re worried about parking on a busy street you can park in the residential neighborhoods for the same effect (remember to note what street you’re on so you can find your way back later). For the travelers short on time there is also a free and public parking lot at the Presidential Courtyard itself.
By the time you’ve soaked in the sights, sounds, and smells of the flowers you’ll find yourself back at the “Presidential Courtyard.” This courtyard was assembled from scratch in 2006 as an addition to the Parade of Presidents and it contains a bright red train caboose, several potted plants, informative signs, and a stray cat with a tuxedo pattern on its fur.
Refurbished Cuba City State Bank clock which contains a time capsule scheduled to be opened in 2056. Photo by Jacob “Vinny” Klang.
As you enter the courtyard from the front you will notice a large refurbished clock hanging above you like it has hung over Cuba City since its construction. Inside the clock is a time capsule made by the Cuba City high school and is scheduled to be opened on the 50th anniversary of the courtyard’s construction in 2056.
The train caboose is a refurbished and well maintained train car. Along with the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, one sees a variety of informational signs. Next to the train on the same track is a utility cart with a display of railroad tools. Opposite the track is a gazebo optimized for family picnics and a few benches, all of which have more signs for visitors to learn from.
The caboose acts a mini-museum of presidential history. Also, one of the presidential sigils hangs here in the corner instead of on the street: the one with a silhouette of George W. Bush, the only U.S. president to actually visit Cuba City. President Bush signed it when he visited in October of 2004.
A leading figure in Cuba City, Joe Goeman, explained that it was “one of the biggest things to happen to Cuba City [when] the president came to visit. Of course, that didn’t happen by itself. We had people write to the presidents for several years until finally it happened.”
George W. Bush presidential sigil replica housed in Presidential Courtyard Caboose signed by former president George W. Bush. Photo by Jacob “Vinny” Klang.
The rest of the caboose has displays of memorabilia from presidential campaigns and other Americana. The caboose is open to the public on Saturdays between Labor Day and Memorial Day and also on the third Wednesday of every month or by appointment.
Behind the caboose is a smaller car called a “Speeder Car” which has a tray of tools hitched to the back. The speeder car adds depth to the train display by showing the variety of tools needed to build and maintain a train network and implying the hard work and skill needed for America to have such powerful industry. Opposite the speeder car is a milk trolley with a trio of vintage milk canisters on one side. The milk trolley has plenty of room for visitors to climb up on and take photos as a family. The milk trolley is included as part of Wisconsin’s history of milk processing.
The tool cart outside of the Presidential Courtyard. Photo by Jacob “Vinny” Klang.
This location is a fun place to visit firstly as a relic of 1970’s patriotism, secondly as a testament to Cuba City’s talent of maintaining public works projects, thirdly as a unique slice of Midwestern culture, and lastly as a unique place to discover by oneself or as a group of domestic explorers.
Last week, we looked at some of the beautiful views and took a walk down the south ridge. But the real fun lies to the north!
Caves, Crevices and Campfires
If you’ve made it to the top of the mound for a hike, the north path is a lot longer and, to me, more fun. If you go, take a compass (or make sure you know how to use the one on your cell phone!) Unlike the easier south path, this trail is one you can get lost on.
You’ll spend the first quarter-mile just walking along the ridge, but the trail is fairly well-marked for this first little bit. Eventually you’ll be under the trees… just stay on the trail!
Even once you get in the woods, the trail is fairly well marked.
“Stay on the trail.” Sounds like an easy concept to follow, right? But if you’re like most of us, pretty soon you’ll notice that more of the coller-looking things — ravines, jutted up rock formations, climbable treefall, views of “the other side of the mound” — all lie off to the right (or east), which is also where its easiest to get lost. But after all, you did bring a compass and cell phone, so…. pretty soon, in spite of yourself, you may find yourself tempted off-trail!
The trail will lead you past lots of fun hide-aways.
… and past lots of “rockfall” …
Sometimes you even find some cave-like hiding places. But that’s only if you’ve given into temptation and left the main trail.
When you get to the far north end of the trail, you’ll see how the Mound ridge has narrowed. Any time except late summer, you’ll have a view off to the north. There’s almost always some sort of campfire pit there. Recently, a local rock artist built this little pyramid!
The north end of the Platte Mound in winter.
One the other side of this particular ridge, you can see nearby Belmont Mound.
Remember how I told you in the last article how you could see Sherrill Mound from the Platte Mound? Well, you can also see the Belmont Mound, if you walk off the trail far enough to the east and find a high ridge. You just can’t get the best picture through the trees. There’s also another little mound (literally called “Little Mound”) that sits half-way between them.
Icicles on the north trail, from early November 2019
If you’re lucky enough to take your hike just after a freeze (but when things have thawed enough on the sunnier side next to the “M” that you can get up the stairs), you’ll find all sorts of cool icicles, dripping out of the limestone. That’s because 1) it stays colder up in the shade, obviously, and 2) Since limestone is very porous, water easily flows out of its crevices and makes icicles. (You’ve probably seen this same phenomenon on highways, where a road has been blasted through limestone. In winter, it seems to spew icicles faster than the surrounding area.) They’re a lot of fun to see!
Now for the anticlimax…
You can hear all sorts of local stories about different caves up on this trail. Some people swear there really aren’t any. They’re either lying to you or didn’t look very hard. I’ve been in a couple of these caves and listened to stories over beer about lots of others. True, some of the stories were crazy-sounding (like the guy who used to sit at the old Ed’s Cafe and opine that their were Egyptian hieroglyphics inside the mound somewhere). Others, like the story of a child who fell into on of the caves many years ago resulting in that cave being sealed off (either with concrete or by dynamiting it), can’t be easily proven true or false.
But there ARE many places visited not just by me but by seasoned spelunkers with hard-hats, lights and lines. I won’t be the one to tell you how to get to them. Any cave beyond the size of the one shown earlier in this article is a place you shouldn’t go into without someone who knows what she’s doing . . . and that person is not yours truly.
But I can tell you some brief stories about them,
One of the caves, reports long-time resident Garry Prohaska, is more than thirty feet long. Another has multiple rooms. How many caves does the Platte Mound house? Well, retired professor Tracy Roberts has pointed out that the Mound’s limestone ravines, and the way they were formed through stream erosion, suggests that there likely are many unseen sunken caves where water has already created a crevice. That cave-making process takes literally thousands of years: one property of limestone is its ability to maintain its structural integrity for a very long time. There’s no record anyone has made of where the caves are (though you can find Facebook discussions where some locals are telling others to keep quiet about the locations!) But chances are pretty high that, if someone was in a cave 20 years ago, it’s still there, though perhaps covered with surface debris.
Another long-time Platteville resident, now sadly deceased, once described how to get into his favorite cave. Luckily for us, he did it in general enough terms that you can get an idea of the process but not actually locate the cave.
He reported, “if you go into that crawl space [under a particular rock] you’ll get into a small room. [Shine your flashlight] to the left and look for a crack. Crawl on your belly through the tunnel, spiral down to the right, and when you are able to get off your belly, climb down and you’ll have room to stand up. Move slowly to the left, and there’s a second entire room.”
By the way… caves like this pockmark the Driftless Region, especially wherever you find ravines and limestone. But you’ll need to find someone else to show them to you. My time wriggling through rocks belonged to a younger, thinner, and slightly crazier version of myself. My advice is to just enjoy the hiking… that’s beautiful enough!
One last story though… here a (very) old road trip story from a preacher’s journal about one particularly large cave somewhere in the mound (Thanks to my friend Laurie Graney for locating this article. It’s from November 26, 1835, and the various spelling mistakes are from the original.)
A Methodist Circuit Rider’s Tour
West Platt mound. Preached at night. This mound with its mate 3 miles east of it, rises 200 feet above the common levil of the country. They are each about a mile in circumference, & mostly covered with timber. The west one has in it a cave which has been explored 1[oo] or 200 yards [in], & after winter set in a rattlesnake was found crawling about as in summer.
Wisconsin Historical Collections Volume XV. “(1835 ) A Methodist Circuit Rider’s Tour. “
Do any of the caves really go in 100 or 200 yards? I don’t know. It’s fun to think so!
All right, I guess the least we could do is show you an old hideout or two. These places, all off of the east side of the trail (the side towards Belmont Mound), are all safe and easily hiked through. Sometimes you notice that folks have been camping there. The Boy Scouts used to, but now and then older folks do, too.
Walking just below the ridge of the mound in fall, you are bound to find something.
[Editor’s note: since the Platte Mound is so heavily associated with Platteville, the most populous city in Grant County, though it’s actually across the county line in Lafayette County, we’ve tagged it for both places.]
We’ll be back with more on the Platte Mound and its history after winter comes! Now let’s head north to Vernon County, Viroqua, and a great bookstore….
Unless noted, all photos by Terry Burns
Tell us about your favorite place in the Driftless Region!
Make no mistake about it: people in tiny Platteville, Wisconsin love this Mound. It is definitely the most famous (though not the highest) of the mounds in group of mound complexes you can find in the southwest part of the Driftless Region, simply because the big “M” makes it hard to miss. In fact, the Platte Mound is featured on Platteville postcards you can buy at the Chamber of Commerce (see below). Kip Schreck took this with his Powered Parachute… now tell me that isn’t cool!
Two hundred and sixty-six of the stairs leading up to the top of the “M” have been sponsored by “M” aficionados.
But you don’t have to parachute in to get to the top of the “Big M.” Just drive to the base and walk up. Actually, it’s a great way to get in shape, and in summer, you may see the more athletic of visitors running up and down the wooden stairs: almost 300 of them, 266 of which bear the names of the sponsors that helped fund its building. From the top, there’s a spectacular view of the surrounding area.
Almost to the top of 266 stairs. (That’s counting the named ones… a few more have been added at the bottom, as some visitors tended to “slide” down the final bit of the hill if the grass was too wet!)View of the M & M farm from the top of the Mound.
So… let’s say you’ve pulled into that parking lot at the base of the “M,” and maybe you wonder why it’s there. Well, yeah, you could read the sign, but it won’t help you much… it says “the World’s Largest M” is the symbol for UW-Platteville’s College of Engineering (which would mean it should be an E, maybe?)
“The World’s Largest M,” sign at the bottom of the Platteville or Platte Mound.
But if you have someone with you who’s from around here, maybe they’ll jump in and tell you that the “M” is for “Mining,” because the part of what’s now the University of Wisconsin-Platteville that was an old mining school got into a battle with the Colorado School of Mines to see who could make the biggest “M”… back in the 1930s. But the mining engineers did build it, and current engineering students keep it whitewashed, just like it’s some alphabetic version of Tom Sawyer’s picket fence. In fact, the “M” was until recently part of UW-Platteville’s logo. But all of that is another story, one that winds back through the mining history of Platteville’s recent past. It’s a good story, though not one we’re going to hear today.
Maybe like me, you also wonder what people thought about the Mound before the miners arrived. Surely it was some sort of sacred sight. Did people live on it it? Or maybe you’ve heard stories of UFOs doing fly-bys on the mound… or maybe you just think all this storytelling is just sort of Mickey Mouse.
Guess what? You’re right (at least about the last thing)! On July 4, 1998, the big “M” lit up with Mickey between its peaks (see below). Maybe your guide was part of the Disney Hometown Parade that came to Platteville that year… or maybe they helped whitewash the Mound (especially if your guide is an engineering graduate of UW-Platteville) or danced or played with the band at the annual Miner’s Ball held at its base. Dancing in the twilight of a torch-lit giant letter may be strange, but its a lot of fun.
The Big “M” with Mickey Mouse ears, on July 4, 1998. (Why? If you’re local, probably you remember the Disney Hometown Parade. If not, come back for another article on the “M”‘s history this winter.)
But for me– not being an engineer, band member, stair runner, or even a good rock whitewasher– the real fun comes from hiking around on top of the Platte Mound and taking pictures. Since every season *but* winter is a good time for hiking, I thought I’d talk about that first, and save the history for another post this winter. So if you want to know more about the Mound’s history… I’ll get to it, but not today.
Seasons on the Mound
If you just want to see the view, summer is definitely the best time. Want to watch a beautiful sunset? The easiest direction to look from the top is west.
Sunset from the top of the M
Also, if you just want to exercise by running up and down the steps, any time where the temperature’s above freezing will do. (Trust me, you don’t want to run up those stairs when there’s any chance of ice.)
Or… if you’ve read our earlier article on the mound complexes and know how the tallest Blue Mound and Platte Mound and Sherrill Mound all line up, then maybe you want to know how to see Sherrill Mound. (After all, it doesn’t have a big letter on it to make identification easy.) Just look for the two irrigation ponds you see in the photo below, then look up to the horizon. There it is!
Here’s another view (with Sherrill Mound in the distance) except its from the base of the Platte Mound rather than the top.
That’s Sherrill Mound in the distance, on the other side of the Mississippi River.
But if you really want to explore, then take a hike on the top. The best time for that is early fall or late spring, not summer. For one thing, the foliage that grows thick during the summer months includes plenty of stickers and berry bushes–gooseberry and black raspberry, mainly–with thorns. Also, if you like the view, you won’t be able to see much through all the greenery in summer.
Once you climb the stairs to the top, you’ll be facing some ugly cell phone towers (all of the local mounds have cell phone towers on their tops, for obvious reasons–they are the highest spots in the area– though these towers really are eyesores and sometimes give off an annoying hum.)
At the top, you’ll see unlabeled yet pretty obvious paths heading right (south) or left (north). For the shortest and safest hikes, turn right. For more adventure and wilder scenery, turn left.
The Right (South) Path
From the south trail looking … of course … south. That’s West Moundview Road in the distance.
The path that heads south will give you a great view of nearby farm country, including several Amish farms which regularly advertise fresh produce through late summer and fall, and fresh eggs year-round. After you wind along the ridge for a very short while, you’ll run into various forks. Don’t worry… you can’t really get lost on this side. If you decide to go off-trail, all you need to do to find that trail again is uphill. If you stay on the gravelly top, you may actually wind up walking on to the cell phone tower service road (which used to be open, but is now locked to keep non-service-people from driving up.)
View from the south end of the Mound.
If you veer off to the right or south side (that is, if you have turned right then turn right again), and if you’re a lot taller and more athletic than I am, you’ll find several places where you can scramble up rocks that have quite an overlook, like this one to the left.
You can also get an idea of how the mounds were formed. Platteville limestone, formed by crushed invertebrates from some ancient sea, is named for this part of Wisconsin. You’ll see layers of this hard-to-erode stone that have been pushed up by even stronger geologic forces.
Some pushed-up layers of Platteville limestone on the south trail.
This limestone became the canvas for some local graffitist.
The old Nodolf residence is the subject of many excellent stories, but it is also structurally unsound. Do not go inside!
Anyway, the south ridge is the easiest to explore if you don’t have a lot of time. If you wind too far down the slope, you could actually be taking an alternate route to the bottom, but I wouldn’t. Yes, those are private residences at the bottom. But there are reasons beyond general respect for privacy that you might want to head back up rather than down.
Time for a little teaser: there’s one backyard in particular you want to be careful of not because of the owners (who are quite nice) but because the house itself is structurally unsound.
You may have heard of it, sometimes called the Platte Mound’s “Haunted House,” or written up in various accounts as the site of the “Nodolf Incident.” That’s yet another story for a different day. For now, our advice is to just stay away! Do not go inside. It isn’t safe. But it’s a fun story for some later cold, winter day… one where the mound liikes like this:
The Platte Mound in winter
We’ll leave hikers with this thought: what if, at the top of the mound, we went left or to the north instead? That’s another whole story! Be back next week with
[Editor’s note: since the Platte Mound is so heavily associated with Platteville, the most populous city in Grant County, though it’s actually across the county line in Lafayette County, we’ve tagged it for both places.]
