Sunday drives with AJ Page find me heading west these days. For one reason or another, we keep winding up in Watertown. Or the surrounding areas. (See my October post of Sandhill Station State Campground in Lake Mills, and a forthcoming blog on Johnson Creek and Hi-Way Harry's.) Anyhoo, Watertown is an old burg, established in 1849. It boasts a rich history and charm. One of it's claims to fame is the Octagon House and museum, built in 1854 by Watertown pioneer and settler, John Richards. In the summer time, there are plenty of music fests to choose from, most notably Riverfest, held in Riverside Park. They offer every type of tour you could hope to take, from breweries to scenic park drives to ghosts. Here are some of the other recent highlights that we discovered.
The Rock River Trail runs 320 miles, all the way from Fond Du Lac County through the Mississippi River in Illinois. We followed a segment of it from the downtown area along the river leading to the old upper "Rough and Ready Dam" and remnants of the sawmill on the east side. There are two dams that residents and business people of Watertown have attempted to have repaired to produce electricity. This has been an ongoing project for years. The lower dam is in better shape, and in 2014, the council approved a request to be made for financial assistance from Wisconsin DNR to complete work on the lower dam. We envied the homes across the way from the path with spacious backyards and canoes parked there, ready to drop in and go. The sounds of the rapidly rushing water must be soothing at night. Who needs a clock radio nature sound when you've got that? In the unseasonably warm December weather, the ground was soft on our feet and the light mist in the air was refreshing.
Also along the Rock River was the County Park of Harnischfeger, in nearby Ixonia. There looked to be a challenging disc golf course on the trail that we explored there. A mix of woods and farm country marked our way. At the top of one hill, we discovered an intriguing abandoned farmstead, complete with outhouse out back. If ever a place looked to be haunted, this was it. Too bad we didn't have the ready cash for a fixer upper. Not to mention that it was part of a barn preservation project. Ah, well. Back down the hill.
After a bit of hiking, there's nothing like a hearty din-din at an old-fashioned supper club to set things right. Donny's Girl is a family owned business, first run by Jaclyn Mueller's parents Donny and Sue Bartelt in 1982, now by herself and husband Lorn, since 2004. They have a homey menu with options like a Sunday night special of slowly tender roasted pork loin that falls apart on your fork, with sides of sauteed vegetables, choice of potato, and applesauce. AJ went with his favorite filet of course, and he rhapsodized that the 8 oz. top sirloin was "done to absolute perfection –" black and crispy on the outside, juicy and flavorful within. The all-you-can-eat-salad bar was well-stocked, with additional items that you'd enjoy on a relish tray: crinkly carrots, tiny dills, and breadsticks. They also offered a hot bacon dressing warmed in a nearby slow cooker. A seasoned bartender behind the vintage bar was serving up Brandy Old-Fashioneds with the club's own blend of bitters, and most of the patrons looked to be regulars. The feel was relaxed and inviting. With all of the generous food included in your meal, pacing was key. For more info on on Donny's Girl, visit their website listed at the end of this article.
Perhaps one of the best parts of Watertown is what brought us there in the first place – their Humane Society. Located at 418 Water Tower Court in Watertown. This is a fantastic, clean, and friendly facility. The caring staff was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Somehow all of them, young and old, knew the exact personality and background of each of their 100-some cats. The setup was great in that you had one huge room to interact with quite a few – all in various stages of playing, eating, or chilling out. One jumped into my arms from the floor upon our arrival, and many milled around, curious about new visitors.
They also had about four smaller rooms with four felines to an apartment, where you could go in and sit with them and see if a bond would form. After touring all of the rooms, we made our way back to the "great room" once more. At this time, all of the cats had went back to doing their cat business, their curiosity about us satisfied. Except for one little girl, who made a beeline for us and promptly began rubbing at our ankles and purring loudly. She let both of us hold her, and never tried to bite or scratch. I thought I recalled her trying to get close when we first came in, but she was a little intimidated by all the other cats. Now was her chance to make an impression, and that she did. We adopted Tessa on November 23, and brought her home where she joyously acclimated without hesitation. Bootsie would most certainly approve.
Resources:
http://www.watertownchamber.com/eat-shop-play/things-to-do/history-and-art/
http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/octagon_house_mainpage.htm
http://www.watertownriverfest.com/
http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/roughreadydam.htm
http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/GlobeMillDam.htm
