MONROE - For someone who enjoys history and politics, a trip to the Capitol in Madison is like going to Mecca.
It's interesting just to walk up to the building and know that so many famous people have entered its doors.
Former governors and representatives who changed history and made Wisconsin famous for its progressive politics walked the halls.
Visitors can see some amazing paintings and sculptures in the Capitol. They can visit the Assembly and Senate chambers when the rooms are empty or when lawmakers are in session.
They can walk into the room where the Wisconsin Supreme Court makes decisions about issues that will affect them and their children for years to come.
More people have visited the United States Capitol in Washington than the Capitol in Madison.
People tend to travel hundreds of miles to see things rather than just a few miles to see things in their own backyards.
As people start to plan their summer vacations they might want to remember some of the places close by. There are many places to visit that can be fun as well as educational.
There are local museums around Green County that contain rare items and tons of information about local history - Monroe, Brodhead, New Glarus, Monticello as well as mines and museums in Lafayette County.
Just walking around local communities can be interesting for people who want to see historic homes and architecture from more than 100 years ago.
There are also festivals and community activities to keep people busy; Green and Lafayette counties have county fairs every summer.
This year is also the year for Cheese Days.
For families who prefer the outdoors, there are bike trails, camping sites and places to fish or just observe nature.
There is a little bit of everything for everyone and Green County has a tourism Web site, www.greencounty.org, to help people decide what to visit.
With gas prices expected to be high again this summer it might not be a bad idea to take shorter trips and see what's in your own backyard.
- Brian Gray is a reporter for the Monroe Times.
He can be reached at
bgray@themonroetimes.com
It's interesting just to walk up to the building and know that so many famous people have entered its doors.
Former governors and representatives who changed history and made Wisconsin famous for its progressive politics walked the halls.
Visitors can see some amazing paintings and sculptures in the Capitol. They can visit the Assembly and Senate chambers when the rooms are empty or when lawmakers are in session.
They can walk into the room where the Wisconsin Supreme Court makes decisions about issues that will affect them and their children for years to come.
More people have visited the United States Capitol in Washington than the Capitol in Madison.
People tend to travel hundreds of miles to see things rather than just a few miles to see things in their own backyards.
As people start to plan their summer vacations they might want to remember some of the places close by. There are many places to visit that can be fun as well as educational.
There are local museums around Green County that contain rare items and tons of information about local history - Monroe, Brodhead, New Glarus, Monticello as well as mines and museums in Lafayette County.
Just walking around local communities can be interesting for people who want to see historic homes and architecture from more than 100 years ago.
There are also festivals and community activities to keep people busy; Green and Lafayette counties have county fairs every summer.
This year is also the year for Cheese Days.
For families who prefer the outdoors, there are bike trails, camping sites and places to fish or just observe nature.
There is a little bit of everything for everyone and Green County has a tourism Web site, www.greencounty.org, to help people decide what to visit.
With gas prices expected to be high again this summer it might not be a bad idea to take shorter trips and see what's in your own backyard.
- Brian Gray is a reporter for the Monroe Times.
He can be reached at
bgray@themonroetimes.com