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- Driftless Tribe #0014
Driftless Tribe #0014
Weekly Breakdown
March Rain & Local Happenings
It’s early March, and rain is upon us. The kind that makes everything smell fresh and wakes up the streams. The roads shine, the trees drip, and maybe—just maybe—spring is thinking about showing up. At least I am hoping so!
Feels like a good time to grab a hot drink, watch the rain from a cozy spot, or take a slow drive down a backroad just to see where it goes.
Thank you for being part of Driftless Tribe. We truly appreciate your support..
Here’s what’s happening this week! 🌧️🌿
Community Weekend Happenings
What’s on your agenda this weekend? We’d love to hear about it!
At Driftless Tribe, we’re all about fostering community, and one way we can do that is by sharing the amazing events and plans happening across the Driftless Area. Let us know what you’re up to this weekend by filling out the form below, and we’ll highlight a few in our next newsletter.
Community Submissions:
Sarah from Norwalk - Alchemy: great drinks and appetizers; Riversend: great pizza; Wildcat: good burgers and atmosphere
Gary from Pepin: Bush Street Bev's Cafe - Best Ham Skillets
Dave from Reedsburg: Branding Iron Roadhouse in Lime Ridge - great farm to fork hamburgers & Saturday night Wood Fired Pizza
Trivia Time! 🧠
What is Governor Dodge State Park (Dodgeville, Wi) named after? |
The Town That Almost Was
Scattered across the Driftless are places that almost became something bigger—settlements plotted on maps, given names, and then, for one reason or another, left behind. Some faded into the landscape, swallowed by trees and time. Others still have a few remnants if you know where to look. One such place is Porter’s Mills, Wisconsin.
Established in the 1860s along the Chippewa River, Porter’s Mills quickly became a bustling logging town. At its peak around 1890, it had a population of over 1,100 and supported a thriving sawmill operation run by the Northwestern Lumber Company. The town boasted a school, post office, churches, blacksmiths, a general store, and even a hotel. It was a self-sufficient community built around the logging industry, drawing workers and their families to its streets.
But like many logging towns of its time, Porter’s Mills was only as strong as the forests around it. As the pine timber upstream was depleted, the town’s lifeblood began to disappear. By 1891, the sawmill started scaling back operations, and by 1904, the town was effectively abandoned. Residents moved on, many relocating to nearby Eau Claire and Stanley in search of new opportunities. The buildings, once filled with life, were left to decay, and the land slowly reclaimed what remained.
Porter’s Mills, 1880 - Wisconsin Historical Society, WHI-42697
Today, little is left of Porter’s Mills. If you visit the area where it once stood, you’ll find few traces of the town that once thrived along the river. Its story, like so many other forgotten places in the Driftless, lingers only in old maps and the memories of those who came before us.
The next time you drive down a rural road with a name that seems out of place, you might just be passing through one of these lost towns—places that almost were, but never quite lasted.
Happenings
WEDNESDAY 3/5
Onalaska, Omni Center – Bingo & Whole Pig Raffle Link
Viroqua, Library – Pollinators in Your Backyard Link
Brooklyn, Main Street Event Venue – Line Dancing Link
Mount Horeb, Buck & Honey’s – Good Morning Mount Horeb Link
Sparta, Blue Collar Bar and Grill – DJ Trivia Link
Reedsburg, J’s Pub & Grill – Magic with Ryan Link
Richland Center, Patchwork Acres – Winter Market Link
LaCrosse, Popcorn Tavern – Open Jam Link
Spring Green, Library – Explore the World of Watercolor Link
Mauston, Gravity Box Brewing Co – Trivia Link
Wonewoc, Chapparal Restaurant – Bingo Link
Winona, No Name Bar – Live with WJC Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel – Live with Kris Delmhorst
THURSDAY 3/6
New Glarus, Tofflers Pub & Grill – Live with the Jimmys Link
Baraboo, Balanced Rock Winery – Benefactor Bingo Link
Spring Green, Arthur’s – Casino Night Link
Lone Rock, Angel Dreams Studio – Community Art Class: Louise Nevelson: Assemblage Link
Fort McCoy, Fort McCoy MWR – Pickleball League Link
Avoca, Whiskey Row Saloon – Live with Remember With Randy Link
Wisconsin Dells, Grateful Shed – Open Jam Link
New Glarus, Whiskey Run – Disney Trivia Link
Guttenberg, Guttenberg Brewing – Music Bingo Link
Viroqua, Library – Beginners Collage Link
Brooklyn, Main Street Event Venue – Karaoke Thursday Link
Baraboo, Al Ringling Brewery – Swing Night Link
McGregor, Backwoods Bar – Trivia Link
Dodgeville, Duke’s – Trivia Link
Winona, Historical Society – 90th Anniversary Party Link
Winona, No Name Bar – Jazz Night Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard – Pick Your Own Charcuterie
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel – Cribbage Night
FRIDAY 3/7
Baraboo, Downtown Baraboo – Customer Appreciation Day Link
Rockland, The Vault – Coyote Hunt Link
LaCrosse, LaCrosse Center – Sesame Street Live! Link
LaCrosse, Popcorn Tavern – Live with Cassie Brandy Trio & Tennessee Stiffs Link
Dubuque, Library – Live with Simple Company Link
Muscoda, English Prairie Distilling Company – Live with Abbey Lane Link
Viroqua, The Historic Temple Theatre – Live with Ryanhood Link
Westby, Daily Brew – Trivia Night Link
Bangor, Leo & Leona’s – Live with Andy Hughes Link
Wisconsin Dells, Pals Brewing Co – Live with New Normal Link
New Glarus, Dirty Dog Taphaus – Live with Mark Croft Link
Wisconsin Dells, Grateful Shed – Live with Erich Mobley Link
Trempealeau, Muddy Watters Saloon – Live with Brian Beard Link
Trempealeau, Cat Daddy’s – Live with Bryce Thomaschefsky Link
Winona, No Name Bar – Live with Dilly Dally Alley & Martin Dosh Link
SATURDAY 3/8
Baraboo, Ringling House Bed & Breakfast – Murder at the Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball Link
Guttenberg, Guttenberg Brewing Co – Firefighter Takeover for the Bittner Family Link
Osseo, Jamie’s Last Resort – Live with Tippenback Ridge Link
Reedsburg, Sacred Heart Catholic Church – 13th Annual Food Fair Link
Dodgeville, Duke’s Brew Pub – Live with Jess + Aaron Link
Springfield Corners, Dane – Live with Lights Out Band Link
Baraboo, Library – Stomp and Sing Link
Lime Ridge, Branding Iron Roadhouse – Smoke Night Link
Brooklyn, Main Street Event Venue – Live with Saturday Morning Cartel Link
Holmen, 608 Brewing Co – One Year Anniversary Celebration Link
New Lisbon, Pine Cove – Mardi Gras Celebration Link
Mineral Point, Mineral Point Opera House – Live with Mariee Siou Link
Wilton, Hitchin’ Post – Meat Raffle, 2nd Annual Wilton Weenie Days Link
Wrightstown, Earthy Herbs – Make and Take Bath Soaks Workshop Link
Platteville, Library – Antique Appraisal Event Link
Baraboo, Balanced Rock Winery – Live with Justin Raudebush Link
Arkdale, Buske’s Bighorn Bar & Grill – Chili Cookoff & Dart Tournament Link
Viroqua, Library – Intro to the Ukulele Link
Belleville, Sugar River Lanes – Live with PTO Link
Onalaska, Omni Center – Street Market Indoor Garage Sale Link
Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret – Live with Tobias Meinhart Link
Wisconsin Dells, Grateful Shed – Live with Kaleb Woods Link
Potosi, Twisted Vines Pub & Eatery – Live with Jimmy Welty Band Link
Baraboo, Nautical Coffee Co – Live with Bree Morgan Link
New Glarus, Dirty Dog Taphaus – Live with Hwy 151 Link
Prairie du Sac, River Arts – Making Glass Beads Link
Dodgeville, Merrimac & Main – International Potluck Link
Soldiers Grove, Desperado’s – Live with Two County Lines Link
New Glarus, Bailey’s Run Vineyard – Live with Hi-Fi Comets Link
Baraboo, Con Amici – Live with Avian Aura Music Link
Baraboo, Broken Bottle Winery – Live with Noah Hittner Link
Wonewoc, Corkscrew Wine Bar – Live with Tom Burr Link
Prairie Du Chien, The Tavern – Live with Unicycle Michael Link
Spring Green, General Store – Bluegrass Jam Link
Wisconsin Dells, Showboat Saloon – Live with Pat McCurdy Link
Eleva, Eleva Legion – Chili Cookoff Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard – Live with Greg Gall Link
Winona, Library – Live with Author Diane Wilson Link
Winona, Elks Lodge – RC Race Night Link
Winona, Two Fathoms Brewing – Live with Andy Hughes Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel – Live with Luke Callen & Simon Cropp
SUNDAY 3/9
Merrimac, The Old Schoolhouse – Social Dancing Link
Brooklyn, Main Street Event Venue – Sunday Songwriters Showcase Link
Baraboo, Frankies – Sunday Sweetness Dessert Party Link
Mineral Point, Midway Lanes – 8 Pin No-Tap Team Tournament Link
Eastman, Latarnia Guest House – Three Pastas Demonstration Class Link
Onalaska, Omni Center – Family Fun Expo Link
Avoca, Whiskey Row Saloon – St. Patrick’s Celebration Fundraiser Link
Albany, Attica Bar – Live with Junkyard Kings Link
Baraboo, Tumbles Rock Brewery – Live with Derek Ramnarace Link
Wisconsin Dells, Showboat Saloon – Live with Chris Acker Link
Guttenberg, PromiseLand Winery – Live with Tangle Creek Link
New Glarus, Bailey’s Run Vineyard – Live with Top Shelf Link
Wonewoc, Corkscrew Wine Bar – Karaoke Link
Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge – River Valley Arts Trivia Fundraiser Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard – Live with Don Harvey Duo Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel – Live with Clay Fulton
MONDAY 3/10
TUESDAY 3/11
We will check in again next week.
Let us know any events / establishments you would like to be added to this list via IG @driftlesstribe or email [email protected]
If someone forwarded this to you, time to make the leap and join the Tribe!
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