One weekend in the summer of 2016 my wife and I traveled to an area in Wisconsin known as the “Driftless Area”. It’s the southwestern corner of the state which was not glaciated during the last ice age which results in a beautiful landscape of rolling hills and deep river valleys that work their way toward the Mississippi River. This is the area where the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright grew up and built his own home and studio, Taliesin. I remember coming to this area as a child and camping at Tower Hill State Park, canoeing on the Wisconsin River with my dog and hiking up to the shot tower overlook.

We based ourselves in Wisconsin’s 3rd oldest city, the former Cornish mining town Mineral Point, home to a thriving artisan community and steeped in Wisconsin history. The town is full of historic stone buildings, quirky artisans, and  a handful of good local restaurants and bars. We stayed at the Tuckpoint Garden Suite we rented through Shake Rag Alley. It’s definitely one of the coolest places I have stayed. High stone walls from the 1800’s and finished with restored and reclaimed items, attention to every detail was considered when making it. There’s even a short book on the history of the building you receive just for staying there.

Here are some of the pictures from the trip:

Road trip through rural Wisconsin.

Swimmers at Devil’s Lake State Park.

Hiking at Devil’s Lake

The Devil’s Doorway rock formation at Devil’s Lake State Park.

Tuckpoint, our B&B rental in Mineral Point.

Stained glass window in the bedroom, Tuckpoint.

Flower arrangement at Tuckpoint

Stairs to Shake Rag Alley

Shake Rag Alley

Gardens at Shake Rag Alley

Blacksmith workshop at Shake Rag Alley

Shake Rag Alley entrance

Old house in Mineral Point.

Mineral Point

Downtown Mineral Point

Antiques in Mineral Point.

Artist’s studio. Mineral Point

Artist Tom Kelly in his studio. Mineral Point

Mrs. Gevelinger’s 4th Graders Pencil Stub Collection

Pottery Studio.

The banks of the Mississippi River along the Wisconsin state highway 35.

Mississippi River from Lansing, IA