Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE MAN OF THE ROCK
In 1910, Milwaukee inventor Chester H. Thordarson plunked down $5,725 for
775-acre Rock Island. In the next 55 years, Thordarson gradually tamed the wilds
and carefully transformed at least part of the island into his own private retreat.
Thordarson initially restored a few squat settlers' cabins while he pondered plans
for his masterpieces—a boathouse hewn meticulously from island limestone and,
later,hisgrandmansion(itwasneverbuilt),aswellasgardensandotherexperiments
in horticulture.
This was no simple exercise in a rich man's indulgence. As prescient as he was
entrepreneurial (he made his fortune inventing more than 100 patentable devices),
Thordarson developed only 30 acres of the island, with the full intent of leaving the
remaining 745 as an experiment in ecological preservation. With a profound know-
ledge of the natural world, much of it the result of self-educated sweat, he spent the
rest of his days analyzing the biological minutiae of his island. Because of this, in
1929 the University of Wisconsin gave him an honorary Master of Arts degree. The
school also purchased his entire island library, containing one of the world's greatest
collections of Scandinavian literature.
ART AND NATURE CENTER
A mix of natural and cultural island history is displayed at the
Art and Nature Center
(1799 Main Rd., 920/847-2025,
www.wianc.org
,
10:30am-4:30pm Mon.-Fri.,
11:30am-4:30pmSun.mid-June-mid-Sept.,shorterhoursafterLaborDay,$1adults),atthe
corner of Main and Jackson Harbor Road in an unassuming building resembling an old
schoolhouse. Permanent artwork displays are housed within, and nature trails branch from
therear.Artclassesareoffered,andregularmusicaleventsareheldduringaweeklongmid-
summer festival.
MUSEUMS
The top stop for museum hoppers is the
Maritime Museum
(10am-4pm Mon.-Fri. Me-
morial Day-Oct., with some weeks open daily in summer, donations) at the east end of
Jackson Harbor Road, opposite the ferry landing. The museum retains a significant presen-
ce—whatlittleremainsoftheisland'scommercialfishingindustryoperatesoutofsecluded
Jackson Harbor. You'll find a reconstructed fish shed, a couple of ice houses, an old fish-
