The Best Sight In The World Is Actually A Road Sign That Says Welcome To Wisconsin
By Ben Jones|Updated on April 09, 2024(Originally published August 02, 2022)
×
Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
While some say that you can’t go home, when you see that big sign by the border, you might think otherwise. For generations, Wisconsin has greeted visitors with 23 large wooden signs that say, “Wisconsin Welcomes You.” The rustic signs are made from wood, with a log frame holding a large cutout of the state. The frame also highlights the state’s economic strengths: recreation, industry, and agriculture. But for many of us, they are just a symbol that we are finally back where we belong. Welcome to Wisconsin!
How do you feel when you see one of the “Wisconsin Welcomes You” signs? Many of Wisconsin’s welcome signs are located near travel plazas – see locations and amenities for all the state rest stops on the Wisconsin DOT’s website. If you need some inspiration for an iconic Wisconsin road trip, here’s a fun route that will take you on the cheese trail!
Want to show off your Wisconsin state pride? Grab some apparel from Wear Your Roots!
Every Welcome to Wisconsin sign is a product of Wisconsin. The 11-foot-wide signs are made by Madison’s Brunsell Lumber and Millwork, a company that’s been around since 1938.
When you arrive from the south and enter Beloit, the Wisconsin welcome sign will remind you that you’ve finally left the tollway. Wisconsin has long resisted calls to install tolls on the highways. While some complain about the state’s taxes, you can drive in Wisconsin unencumbered by any toll plaza.
If you arrive from the west and crossing the border from Minnesota, you’ll be leaving the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Here’s a little secret: Wisconsin has a lot more than that. Try 15,000 lakes! Wisconsin is a state where you’re never far from water and the chance to go fishing, swimming, or boating.
In far northern Wisconsin, the sign will welcome you as you enter Superior. This is one of the most beautiful areas of the state – it’s the gateway to Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, and endless wild forests.
In Marinette, a welcome sign will remind you that you’ve left Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. You won’t have to go far from the sign to find something beautiful. Marinette County is home to 15 gorgeous waterfalls!
Thousands of visitors travel to Wisconsin from Chicago each year, passing the Kenosha sign. The visitors bring a lot of tourism dollars into the state, and give locals plenty of fodder for “Illinois driver” jokes.