Twelve Mile Circle – An Appreciation of Unusual Places

Twelve Mile Circle

  • Apostle Islands / Bayfield Peninsula Index

    Index of Pages from the Visit to Wisconsin’s Apostle Islands (2007) Few areas can rival the natural beauty of the Apostle Island and the Bayfield Peninsula. The state of Wisconsin borders Lake Superior only briefly but this mighty wedge takes full advantage of its limited coastline. The islands are a national treasure full of rocky…

  • Visiting the City of Bayfield

    Bayfield, Wisconsin, USA (August 2007) Bayfield (map), the Apostle Islands gateway, owes its identity to Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield. He charted much of the western Great Lakes in the 1820’s as a Royal Navy Surveyor. That included Chequamegon Bay and areas surrounding present-day Bayfield and Madeline Island. When the Bayfield Land Company platted their town…

  • Mawikwe Sea Caves

    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore; Bayfield County, Wisconsin, USA (August 2007) Sea caves adorn several points along the Apostle Islands and the nearby mainland shore of Lake Superior. Sailors, sea kayakers and other adventurers flock to northern Devils Island, Swallow Point on Sand Island, and Mawikwe Bay along the Bayfield Peninsula, to explore these natural wonders…

  • Madeline Island Historical Museum

    La Pointe, Ashland County, Wisconsin, USA (August 2007) We rolled off the ferry and nearly onto to the doorstop of the Madeline Island Historical Museum (map). Flags from each era of European-American settlement fluttered in the wind, high above the stockade corner. The modern 50-star United States flag claimed its rightful prominence atop the pole.…

  • Big Bay on Madeline Island

    Ashland County, Wisconsin, USA (August 2007) With the exception of the immediate boundaries of La Pointe, the most popular spots on Madeline Island were the adjacent state and town park along Big Bay’s sandy hook. “Popular” was a relative term however. We never felt crowded anywhere on the island. We found Big Bay State Park…

  • Little Sand Bay & Hokenson Brothers Fishery

    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, USA (August 2007) Little Sand Bay hugged the northern edge of the Bayfield Peninsula. It fell between Point Detour and Sand Point, a gateway to the westernmost Apostle Islands. A National Park Service visitors center could be found there. It included a campground, a marina, and the historic…

  • Counties in West Virginia that I have Visited

    There are 55 Counties in West Virginia – “The Mountain State“ Also be sure to see my United States County Counting Page for the rest of the states. I have visited 55 Counties = 100% of Counties in West Virginia Counties visited are colored-in; counties still needing to be visited are blank.  Map created using…

  • New River Gorge

    Fayette County, West Virginia, USA (late 1990’s / early 2000’s) The momentous New River starts its journey in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, a part of the Appalachian chain, as it gently winds its northerly way through forests, valleys and fields. It continues its rural journey into Virginia and occasionally past towns like Galax and…

  • Counties in Washington that I have Visited

    There are 39 Counties in Washington – “The Evergreen State“ Also be sure to see my United States County Counting Page for the rest of the states. I have visited 30 Counties = 76.9% of Counties in Washington Counties visited are colored-in; counties still needing to be visited are blank.  Map created using Mob Rule.…

  • Return to Seattle

    Everett to Seattle, Washington (May 16, 1998) It promised to be a pleasant day as we drove the short distance into Seattle straight to the waterfront. Coincidentally the Seattle Maritime Festival was held that weekend and there were many activities to keep us busy. We started our tour by taking a ride around the harbor…

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  2. Park ranger at Chalmette (New Orleans) Battlefield let me pull up the Union Jack 20 years ago. My dad would…

  4. Dr Howder delivered me Feb 20 ,1935. Also my two sons 1957,1960. He was also my family doctor. I lived…

  5. In April/May 2025, I took a trip from home (south-central Missouri) to the 100th Meridian on the “River Road” west…