Weird Wisconsin
Curious Places & Mysterious History
VIDEO: Ed Gein Tour of Plainfield, WI
See where Ed Gein’s house was, visit his grave, and see the crime scenes in this video tour of Plainfield where the Wisconsin ghoul murdered and robbed graves.
Looking for weird things to do in Wisconsin?
Welcome to weird Wisconsin. The backwoods of this bizarre state are not only the source of numerous haunted places, disturbing legends, deviant serial killers, bizarre creatures and alien encounters, it also serves as Cult of Weird headquarters – a base camp from which brave explorers mount an expedition into the dark corners of Wisconsin lore.
From roadside attractions like the surreal House on the Rock, Circus World and the dark side of Wisconsin Dells, to the mysterious Kettle Moraine where UFOs, Goatman, tentacled lake monsters and the Beast of Bray Road lurk, this guide will take you down the weirdest roads and around the strangest corners of Wisconsin history.
Have you seen something weird in Wisconsin? Experienced anything mysterious or unexplained? We would love to hear about it! Send us a message.
Weird Wisconsin
Monsters lurk in the woods. There are some backroads you don’t want to drive down at night. Historical mysteries are hidden around every corner. Explore Wisconsin oddities and curiosities, as well as the eccentric weirdos that make it all happen with these uniquely weird Wisconsin stories.
Wisconsin Travel Guide
Grab this free travel guide to all things weird and creepy in Wisconsin.
House of Gein
The story of Ed Gein, Wisconsin’s notorious murderer, cannibal and grave robber, may have ended decades ago, but the legacy of his crimes lives on. Where is Ed Gein’s grave? What happened to his gravestone? What is the story of Ed Gein’s cauldron now on display at Zak Bagan’s Haunted Museum?
Witherell House
Is the Witherell House cursed? Whether or not a murder actually took place here, as local legend suggests, this abandoned house on the outskirts of Fond du Lac has a long and weird history with surprising connections to Jeffrey Dahmer, the formation of the Wisconsin Territory, and a disturbing practice of divine healing from the Middle Ages.
Cursed by Death: The Mystery of the Witherell House
The true story of the Witherell House’s original builder is as bizarre and tragic as the legend that haunts it.
UFOs in Dundee
Strange things have been seen in the skies over Dundee Mountain and nearby Long Lake for decades, bringing crowds from around the world to the annual UFO Daze at Benson’s Hideaway. Here’s a look at Dundee’s unusual UFO activity over the years.
Wisconsin UFO Sightings
From alien pancakes to a UFO base inside a glacial formation, Wisconsin has always been a hotspot for extraterrestrial activity. There are three towns vying for the title of “UFO Capital of the World” – Dundee, Elmwood, and Belleville – and a 1934 sighting in Barron, when Coral Lorenzen was just 9 years old, inspired her to pioneer UFO research as we know it today.
Mayville Crop Circles
On the morning of July 4, 2003, Mayville resident Arthur Rantala was watching a storm roll in over his neighbor’s wheat field across the street. He had no idea he was about to see crop circles form right in front of his eyes. But what caused the Mayville crop circles?
Was it strange weather or an invisible UFO?
Digging up weird history in Milwaukee’s historic cemeteries
The “man they couldn’t hang,” a priest’s lonely crypt, the Midwest’s first crematorium, and other strange bits of history can be found in Milwaukee’s historic cemeteries.
Wisconsin Death Trip
Wisconsin Death Trip is a bizarre and disturbing look at life in a small Wisconsin town around the turn of the century. The book includes photos taken by Black River Falls photographer Charles Van Schaik, with some of the era’s strangest news articles such as a woman who traveled around the state throwing rocks through store windows, and a world famous French opera singer who died in misery in a Wisconsin swamp.
Into the dark, weird and dead of Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Dells is the quintessential family vacation destination, with wave pools, go-karts, mini golf, and boat rides. But the “Water park Capital of the World” is also home to the severed head of a sadistic German serial killer.
Occult Rituals in the Kettle Moraine
The Beast of Bray Road and Goatman have something in common: They are both encountered in areas once known as hotbeds of Wisconsin’s Satanic activity throughout the picturesque Kettle Moraine State Forest.
Wisconsin Monsters
Books by Wisconsin researchers about the creatures lurking in our neck of the woods and beyond.
Haunted Bunk Bed Terrifies Family in Horicon
In 1988, the Tallmann family fled their home on Larabee Street after a series of harrowing supernatural disturbances. These recently discovered photos were taken during a paranormal investigation soon after, and are the only known photos of the infamous haunted bunk bed.
More Haunted Places in Wisconsin
Giant Skeletons of Mound Builders in Wisconsin
Newspapers reported bizarre discoveries inside Native American burial mounds: Giant skeletons. Some with elongated skulls, six fingers on each hand, and multiple rows of teeth. Were these the remains of a previously unknown race, or the product of turn of the century clickbait?
The Exorcism of Joe McCarthy’s Grave
In 1968, beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg and members of The Fugs gathered at the grave of Senator Joe McCarthy in Appleton to exorcise and purify his spirit.
The Man Who Shot President Garfield
This Wisconsin ghost town may be almost entirely forgotten, but history will not forget its most deranged resident – the man who assassinated President James A. Garfield in 1881.
