Mirror Lake, Retreat of a Circusman--Earlier Bed of Dell
Creek--Congress Hall Near Village
At the edge of the village of Delton, ten miles north of Baraboo, on
Trunk Line 12, Dell Creek once flowed unhampered through a narrow
canyon of unusual beauty. When a dam was thrown across the slender
stream, a lovely lake, whose placid bosom mirrors daily the changing
verdure of its banks, was created, some three miles in length. Boatmen
make regular trips on the lake, always before nightfall as the narrow
course requires expert piloting. So quiet are the waters that every
detail of sky and shore and passing craft are reflected therein; often
there is not a ripple, not a cat's paw to mar the mirror. The banks,
which are high and rocky, are covered with a dense growth of pine,
cedar, hemlock and many other varieties of timber. Underneath is a
wonderful carpet of ferns and wild flowers from the meshes of which
occasional rabbit or squirrel emerges, or the drumming of a partridge
is heard, to divert the attention.
Many cottages are hidden among the trees, but a few being visible from
the water's edge. Most of them have an outlook over the lake but are
not easily discerned through the wealth of foliage. Occasionally one is
seen perched on an outstanding rock, thereby gaining a charming view of
the lake. The resinous atmosphere created by the heavy growth of pine
is particularly refreshing to the city dwellers who come to this lake
in increasing numbers, season after season. The slopes of the lake are
the home of the trailing arbutis whose delicate pink blossoms, half
hidden, half exposed, are eagerly sought by visitors in early spring.
Of cultivated land one sees but little, and that in the hazy distance.
The axe has remained at a respectful distance from the shore, leaving
the slopes native clad.
The best fishing grounds are where the lake throws an arm to the left,
as one ascends the wild watery defile. Usually one may see disciples of
Walton grasping their rods, indifferent to the torrid sun or drenching
rain. The patient anglers cast their lines right and left, frequently
luring an unsuspecting bass or smaller fry from the undisturbed depths.
Before glacial ice covered a great portion of Wisconsin, Dell Creek
probably flowed in a southeasternly direction through a gap in the
north range of the Baraboo Bluffs and emptied into the Baraboo River at
Baraboo. Its old bed being filled, in a manner similar to the Wisconsin
River at the Dells, it was forced to seek a new course and cut a canyon
through the sandstone formation.
Places of Interest
A ride from end to end brings into view the following interesting
features:
The Devil's Postoffice is in a recess at the mouth of a ravine.
The Devil's Five Fingers are all that is visible of a sunken tree. The
limbs have been protruding from the water for almost half a century.
Echo Rock is a high promontory on the left, a distinct echo being heard
opposite this interesting feature.
Fern Dell is one of the most attractive places in the whole region.
[Illustration: SCENE AT MIRROR LAKE]
The narrow valley, with overhanging crags and luxuriant verdure,
astonishes the beholder.
Retreat of Great Circusman
The erection of a commodious hotel in Delton by Mrs. Eliza Ringling,
adds to the convenience of those desiring to visit the popular resort.
Mrs. Ringling's late husband, Al. Ringling, eldest of the circusmen,
spent many delightful days in his cottage in the woods at the upper end
of this attractive inland body of water.
Congress Hall
A short distance east of the village of Delton, on the south side of
the highway leading to the Wisconsin river, is Congress Hall. Here a
rivulet has cut a ravine, much of the work evidently having been done
in times long past, when there was more water than at present flowing
along the course. Early in the spring a creek finds its way through the
narrow gorge, but in late summer, after the May showers and June rains
have passed, one may explore the elongated, eroded canyon without
inconvenience from moisture. The Hall is wildly broken and much
distorted in its windings. Often there are spacious openings as if for
rooms, narrow passages leading into other chambers sufficiently ample
for a congress to gather. These views are quite different from others
in the region and will well repay a visit.