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Madison WI

 City by the lakes. Two big ones.  Mendota and Monona. State capital of WI.  Madison.  A school town. Largely just that and seat of government.  The Capitol itself, a 100 some years old sits on a high hill in the middle of an isthmus that separates the two lakes that straddle the land on the north and south ends.  The city is compact otherwise.

The Capitol is like many US state buildings a sight to see.  This one claims to have the largest dome by volume among the 50 capitols including the one in DC. Dome is topped by a statue of lady Wisconsin. Her motto 'Forward'. 


by day


and night

It is also a unique design where it has four wings, one each in the primary cardinal directions. One holds the Assembly, another the Senate, one has the Supreme Court and another a hearing hall.

All in all it has some pretty impressive stats and features.  Marble from six countries adorns its interior walls as well as featuring a variety of tropical woods and a bell that resembles the Liberty Bell in Philly.

Our visit also included side trips into the nearby burbs and some driving further northward.

It was a great time to see the surrounds, Canadian wildfire smoke and poor air quality for a couple days notwithstanding.

A visit to a local Botanic Garden named after a lawyer and Republican called Olbrich who turned donor /philanthrope was very calming and enriching - to see some unique flora and fauna along with artifacts from Thailand to name a few.


Thai pavilion at Olbrich gardens


pond outside the pavilion with wonderful lotus flowers

Among our side trips was one to see geological wonders in the form of carved limestone and rivers - the place locally called the WI Dells.





Another was to visit with the home of and see the architectural wonders by Frank Lloyd Wright circa turn of the 20th century completed our trip to this Midwest town.


a pond along the way somewhere


restaurant designed for Ladybird Johnson by Frank Wright at Taliesin compound in WI


restaurant and gift shop building from outside at Taliesin WI


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