Rustic Road

Following Wisconsin legislation authorizing the maintenance and identification of scenic roadways under the State Rustic Roads Board of the Department of Transportation, this became the first official Rustic Road in Wisconsin. With its dedication on September 27, 1975, it became one of the first roads in the nation preserved for its rustic and scenic characteristics. Rustic Road Number One winds for approximately five miles from this site through outstanding forested glacial topography. When it was originally laid out as a town road in 1895, surveyors attempted to follow surveyed section lines, but the road had to curve around the numerous lakes it encountered. Over time, the road witnessed the cutting of the original pine and hardwood forest, the collection of hemlock bark for the now-defunct tanning industry, and the creation and later abandonment of dairy farms. Rustic Road Number One was intended by the Rustic Roads Board to be the first of a statewide network of Rustic Roads maintained for unhurried, quiet, and leisurely enjoyment.

Rib Lake, Wisconsin · United States