Wisconsin Dells in the 1960s and '70s

Take a trip back in time to the Wisconsin Dells before the era of the mega resorts.
In this video, we'll be taking a look back at some great old places from the Wisconsin Dells of the Past, including theme parks, attractions, restaurants, and a look at Broadway in Downtown Dells.
Relive scenes from Fort Dells, Xanadu, Storybook Gardens, and others from a time before Kalahari, Mt. Olympus, or The Wilderness had even been imagined.
This was a time when Sir Goonies was the king of the water slides, the resorts and motels were all independently owned, and Tommy Bartlett was filling the stands for "Three Shows Daily - Rain or Shine!" Stay tuned to see some great old places and unique attractions that are now long gone.
WE LOVE THE DELLS: Robin and Kevin have been visiting the Wisconsin Dells for decades - several times per year and in all seasons. We love the family-owned places that have been around for years, and always patronize the mom-and-pop shops whenever possible. We know the Wisconsin Dells remains a special place for all those who've visited through the years, and we hope that this video brings back some great memories!

[@h.l.b.6122]

I brought my preschool kids to the Dells and into their late teens. Then my grandkids. Now, at age 70, my wife and I still visit this special place. There's no place on earth like it. I love the Dells.

[@bigearl791]

What makes it great is you can go with a pocket full of cash or just a tank of gas and it's always a blast

[@bigpun4780]

Big shout out to the Wonder Spot...80s kid here love the Dells

[@iloverwd]

I’m a 2000s kid and I still visited the wonder spot! It was a fun place

[@Papalugnut]

I believe it went out of business about 15ish years ago. I went there too!

[@karenrockemam7921]

My parents took us, I took my kids, my kids all go with their cousins now. Amusement parks, Tommy Bartlett shows and robot world, Duck rides, and always breakfast at Paul Bunyon.

[@ralevo]

OMG, I had all but forgotten Fort Dells and being deputized to catch Black Bart. I remember the Totem Tower and Haunted House. Thanks for the great memories.

[@chiukiegirl]

My family owned a motel right on Highway 12 and County A in the Dells from 1960 to 1991. Good old memories!

[@user-zx8de8op9l]

My mom and her large family would take day trips there in the 50's and 60's. She will remember a lot this.

[@vogmar1]

I miss the old Dells. Great memories.

[@The-Noc]

I captured and took Black Bart to jail in 1978! I can remember it like it was yesterday! 😊

[@joycewichman4232]

The wonder spot

[@smitastic7030]

I started going to the Dells around 1982. It was great when you had all these different individually owned attractions and motels. Unfortunately Mt Olympus has bought up most of the strip, dumbing it down and cheapening it. It's just not as unique as it once was.

[@Papalugnut]

I went every year with my grandparents from 1989-2006. Finally went back in 2023 and was shocked by that fact. All these former places are now named “Mt Olympus campus #22” etc etc. it was very sad

[@louisbertaux5193]

Great flashback video! Thanks

[@beats_per_mile]

What a great trip back in time. Brought back memories I didn't even realize I had. Love the music as well. Thanks for this!

[@midwesttraveldestinations]

Thanks for watching - glad you liked it!

[@genghis_connie]

Same! Thanks for posting this. It was so nice to have joyful flashbacks!

[@marylopez6173]

My favorite part was the cinema downtown, they stopped the film in the middle for intermission, so you could go to the bathroom and refresh your drinks and popcorn, it was awesome!

[@laurenmesker3174]

I remember Sir Goonies water slide and the Indian ceremonial.

[@subtlebluntduality5997]

I remember going to the Dells for the first time in June, 1983. I remember going on the Totem Tower and it was the only time I was ever on it.

[@bridgetmccarthy7333]

I miss Fort Dells. Wish my kids could have experienced it along with the Indian Ceremonial.

[@lauralowry9895]

Does anyone else remember Biblical Gardens? Or going to Paul Bunyan's and how amazing the milk taste in the tin mugs? Or the Indian Museum? Or the Indian Ceremony at stand rock?

[@seemev2.0phuckbootube78]

Yes , I went to school there 80s high school 90-94

[@donnaglogowski3619]

I was going to mention Biblical Gardens too!! What a beautiful, peaceful place. We have some wonderful pictures.

[@drewhunkins7192]

Ha! I remember as a kid catching Black Bart!

[@dankamp2872]

0:55 I still stay at "Indianland" every time I travel and have to stop at a run-down motel.

[@omarsoliman2355]

Remembered Storybook Gardens from when I was a little kid. Thanks for the comments and music. it really made it a cool historical film. There are other like super 8 home movie type things around that have little or no context in them.

[@1208bug]

Storybook Gardens 1959, when I was 4yrs old Dad took pics on stereo slide film.😎

[@user-uo4qg6lp7x]

I remember the Totem Tower you could see the other theme park through the trees lol and picking up bullets after the gun fight they were white plastic blank shells. Also Wes Harrison sound effects master... from Tommy Bartlets show.

[@hammy6275]

I remember Sir Goonies Waterslide and mini golf. I remember they gave you a color mat that determined how long you could go watersliding. Speaking of mats, if you lost your mat mid way down the slide....ouchie!!!

[@hammy6275]

Great video, thanks for sharing! I would love to see one of the 70s and 80s!

[@RobK1001]

Wow I remember everything well

[@Ligers81]

That is really cool to see some of the things that were gone before I ever knew about the dells and then the things that are still there today. I miss Family Land and Riverview/Waterworld- where Timbavati is now. I also miss the prices!

[@chiliman7662]

Terrific video!

[@bobpauly9671]

Santa Claus Land, Paul Bunyans, Storybook Gardens, Fort Dells and The Ducks

[@toddswansby7271]

The old WARF bar picture is where wizard quest is now. It was also the Tower pub and the Wax museum.

[@coachwhitaker3286]

Does anyone know what use to be where the Wilderness Resort is now? A family member told me it was a camp ground owned by the same family.

[@mikebolton3460]

Wow unfortunately I was not able to enjoy the dells in the 60’s and 70’s because I was born in 83 but this was still a nice video. I’m just curious do you remember a restaurant by the name of howies? I believe it used to be located across the street from natura treescape resort where top secret is now because me and my mom used to walk across the street from our hotel to have breakfast there and the line used to be out the door plus they had the best chocolate milk I ever tasted😂. And I think there was a shop called old kilbourne but I can’t find pictures. Well anyway…lol awesome video and can’t wait to see the next one.

[@midwesttraveldestinations]

Hi, Mike! I definitely do remember Howie's Restaurant, and I believe it was located just where you described. I remember the sign said, "Howie's Huge Breakfast," and if I recall it was quite a bargain for a lot of food. One of my parents' friends who vacationed each summer at the same resort on County Road A would always head up to Howie's at the crack of dawn and be back before any of us were even out of bed. There is (or, recently was) another breakfast restaurant by the name of Howies off of Highway 23 near the Crystal Grand Theater that advertises the 'Huge Breakfast.' We gave it a shot a number of years ago, and didn't find it to be the same experience as the original Howies. I remember Old Kilbourn mini-golf, but I do not recall the store by that name.

[@toddswansby7271]

Mike, the restaurant was called Kountry Cousin's. It went out of business in the mid to late 90's..... and yes Kounrty was spelled with a K. It's not a spelling error. 😀

[@mikebolton3460]

@@toddswansby7271 ok thanks for clearing that up I used to live that place. So much has changed in the dells but I still love vacationing there.

[@jenfest7295]

The Indian Dance

[@danschuster9174]

Favorite memory......the Holiday Motel. Would love to see photos.If I'm correct, the site is where the new LaQuinta sits.

[@acidgougewaltz]

before it closed Ft Dells became Dells Crossroads for a short time the photo at 2:20 is broadway looking east towards eddy st. badger restaurant is 38 broadway gifts, the indian looking building with the free parking sign is now Vintage Photos, the Sand Bar is currently Bella Goose Coffee at 3:11 you'll see badger restaurant/38 broadway as something even older at the 10:00 position in the photo just old enough to remember ft dells, but xanadu was one of my favorite dells things. i miss it terribly the emerald castle briefly became part of Crazy King Ludwigs before becoming part of Mt Olympus. if you go along Trout Rd behind all the attractions and look carefully you can see a 14 ft tall Ruby Slipper, a remnant of the wizard of oz theme park that almost was. it is also visible from google maps satellite view if i had to guess the tommy bartlett pancake and pizza sits where robot world/exploratory sits today thanks for this great video

[@kathiehawley]

I remember the ruby slipper

[@acidgougewaltz]

@@kathiehawley still there, if you know where to look

[@hammy6275]

Thanks for sharing your memories too! I will have keep an eye out for the Ruby Slipper next time we head up there!

[@paulstefanich8124]

No Paul Bunyans?

[@brianbartulis9709]

Black Bart robbed the train back in the 60s and took my father captive. Thinks I was 5 yo or so. I remember going ballistic out the window at Black Bart. yoiks!

[@seemev2.0phuckbootube78]

I remember we would super glue quarters on sidewalks and watch people walk by and try picking it up they use to have the Penny arcade downtown in front they had benches for people to sit on. As a kid growing up in town, i always had something fun to do. That place can trap certain people or use to be that way in the 70s,80s,90s,. Just was a fun place to be even in the winter there are things to do.

[@luminouslight488]

It's too bad that all the cool attractions that made the Dells authentic and unique are now gone. Replaced by common attractions fueled by greed.

[@hibbo1351]

Before it devolved into the sad tourist trap it has now become.

[@seemev2.0phuckbootube78]

They had a White Castle Burger in that emerald city. The place didn't last long. Bomberino's Pizza, underground House. Place was awesome. Now its all run down attractions aren't what they use to be and if they had no waterparks the place would become a dump. Place use to be a blast.

[@sphexes]

When I first saw Nig's, I thought, " that's interesting". Pronounced " Nygh's"

[@mikekelley8291]

I live by Tomah. Back in the 50's there was a billboard by our place that said "Have a swig with Nig - Wisconsin Dells.