TH file photo

A civil War reenactment takes place each year in Boscobel.

Attractions

French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette made their way down the Wisconsin River in 1673. They were the first white men to make the trip. And on the way they noted the wooded hills and hollows.

"Bosque belle," they said. This is a place of "beautiful woods."

The name, as it turned out, stuck to a river town.

Today's Boscobel, population 2,706,"Wisconsin's Wild Turkey Hunting Capital," is a good place to rent a canoe or stop by the A&W; for a root beer float.

After your float - the river kind or the root beer kind - follow the signs through Boscobel until you find Wisconsin Avenue. You'll be on your way to Boscobel's historic downtown.

There you'll find stone buildings built at the turn-of-the-century. You'll find all the businesses that make any small town go, plus the historic Hotel Boscobel.

At the hotel, according to the roadside historical marker, two salesmen met by chance in September 1898 and then met few more times the following summer. John H. Nicholson and Samuel E. Hill, with the help of William J. Knights, had established the Gideon Commercial Travelers Association. The Gideons have since distributed some 15million Bibles to hotels, the armed forces and young people.

Head a few blocks north and you'll find the newly restored Boscobel Depot. It was the Milwaukee-Prairie du Chien Railroad, established in 1854, which helped supply and populate the Wisconsin River Valley.

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Area Events

Fennimore, WI

Nov. 28: 33rd Annual Christmas Creations Craft Show and Sale. A wide arrage of vendors (home made items only) set up booths at Fennimore Memorial Building and Fennimore Elementary School gym. Something for everyone and a wide variety of prices. For more information, call 608-822-6497.

Platteville, WI

Nov. 29: Big Band Bash with Ken Kilian Saxtetplus, 2 p.m., Platteville Convention Center, U.S. 151. Tickets: $10 available at the door.

Nov. 29: Ken Killian's Big Band Bash, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Governor Dodge Convention Center, Platteville, Wis.

Dec. 4-23: Twas the Night Before Christmas at Rollo Jamison Museum, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Exhibits include period rooms, children's toys, a 12 foot Victorian Christmas tree, pre WWII electic toy trains and Activities for children.

Dec. 4: 20th Annual Love Light Trees Ceremony, 6:30 p.m., Southwest Health Center, Platteville, Wis. Hundreds of people buy a light or treetop to pay tribute to a friend or family member or in memory of a loved one. For more information, call 608-348-2331.

Parks

* Kronsage Park, rest rooms, playground facilities, softball diamonds, tennis courts, three shelters, volleyball, basketball and horseshoe courts. Swimming pool and school athletic area nearby.

* West Side Park has rest rooms, shelter, playground area, basketball court and a softball diamond.

* Memorial Park features playground facilities and a monument dated 1907 for the Unknown Soldier, honoring the Civil War veterans and all unknown dead veterans.

* Boy Scouts Park, playground area, fishing and basketball.

* Fireman Park, rest rooms, softball diamond and playground area.

* Moran-Daugherty Park, playground area.

* Boscobel - Kronsage Park features rest rooms, playground facilities, three shelters and volleyball, basketball and horseshoe courts. Swimming pool and school athletic area nearby.

* West Side Park has rest rooms, shelter, playground area, basketball court and a softball diamond.

* Memorial Park features playground facilities and a monument dated to 1907 for the Unknown Soldier, honoring the Civil War veterans and all unknown dead veterans.

* Boy Scout Park features playground area, fishing and basketball.

* Fireman Park features rest rooms, softball diamond and playground area.

* Moran-Daugherty Park features a playground area.

Area Camping

Bagley, WI

* River of Lakes Resort and Campground, one-and-a-half miles south of Bagley, has 150 50-foot campsites, three modern rest rooms, 10 showers, electricity, water and sewer hookups, dumping station, boats, motors, canoes, paddle boats, bicycles, recreation hall, RV rentals, cabins and seasonal sites.

* Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground, 15 miles south of Prairie du Chien on County X, has 200 campsites, cabin rental, heated pool, 18-hole miniature golf, snack shop, rest rooms, general store, laundry facilities, playground, cartoons in Yogi's Theater, wagon rides with Yogi, hiking and trails. 608/996-2201.

Cassville, WI

* Campgrounds in Nelson Dewey State Park, one mile north of Cassville, with picnic, showers and rest room facilities. For reservations call 888/947-2757.

* Big H campground, located on County N. Call 608/725-5921.

* K-7 Korral campground, located on Jack Oak Road. Call 608/723-6167.

Dickeyville, WI

* Kieler - Rustic Barn Campground, five miles north of Dubuque at 3854 Dry Hollow Road, just south of Dickeyville, Wis. 608/568-7797. Features back-ins, pull-throughs, tent sites, dump station, flush toilets, showers, laundry, groceries, RV supplies, cable television and firewood.

Kieler, WI

* Rustic Barn Campground, five miles north of Dubuque at 3854 Dry Hollow Road. 608/568-7797. Features back-ins, pull-throughs, tent sites, dump station, flush toilets, showers, laundry, groceries, RV supplies, cable television and firewood.

Lancaster, WI

* Klondyke Secluded Acres, is a camping and recreational area three miles north of Lancaster. Enjoy swimming in a private, spring-fed lake. It also offers 37 campsites in a 160-acre setting overlooking the lake, with water and electrical hookups, showers and a variety of tent sites. Activities include fun at the beach, volleyball, canoeing, paddleboats, hiking and visiting the farm petting zoo. Also on site are four shelters, a convenience store, picnic area and game rooms.

Hayrides are on the weekends. Catch-and-release fishing has been added in a special area of the lake. Throughout the summer, mud bogs are a popular activity.

Platteville, WI

* Mound View Park has trailer camping court (12 sites), rest room and shower facilities, picnic area, shelter, playground equipment and natural area. For reservations, call 608/348-2313.

Potosi-Tennyson, WI

* Grant River Public Use Area, two-and-a-half miles south of Potosi, with camping, boating and picnic grounds.