The Romance of Wisconsin Place Names

“The names of places lie upon the land and tell us where we are or where we have been or where we want to go. And so much more.”—From the introduction

Fifty years ago, educator and writer Robert E. Gard traveled across Wisconsin, learning the trivial, controversial, and landmark stories behind how cities, counties, and local places got their names. This volume records the fruits of Gard’s labors in an alphabetical listing of places from every corner of Wisconsin, and the stories behind the...