Situated Between Madison And Cedar Rapids Is Wisconsin's Serene Village With Folk Art Vibes

Wisconsin has 250 miles of highway that hug the Mississippi River as part of the Great River Road, one of America's most underrated highway drives. Along with striking geological features like sky-high bluffs, quiet hiking trails through state-park forests, and vineyards laid out over rolling landscapes, there are 33 small Wisconsin towns along the Great River Road. Dickeyville is one of those villages. Named after surveyor and Civil War veteran Charles Dickey, who was an early resident, the town is now best known for the colorful monuments of the Holy Ghost Parish. In 1925, Father Matthias Wernerus began work on the unique mosaic sculptures, which are made of cement and stone and decorated with pieces of colorful glass and marbles.

Located an equal distance (about 80 minutes each way) between Madison and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dickeyville is tucked in the southwest corner of Wisconsin, a stone's throw from the Iowa and Illinois borders. It has a population of 1,100 and is a serene stop for anyone looking to drive the Great River Road or explore the greater Wisconsin Driftless Area and all its natural wonder. Beyond the open-air folk art exhibition Dickeyville is famous for, visitors will also find coffee shops, highly rated American dining establishments, and nearby vineyards for locally made wine.

Being located in the Driftless Area — and near the Mississippi — means it's a short drive to recreation areas and state parks with world-class nature, like Wyalusing State Park, one of Wisconsin's best state parks, according to reviews. Dickeyville is not particularly close to a major airport, but it is essentially equidistant from O'Hare in Chicago and Mitchell in Milwaukee, both about 160 miles away.

The statues and art next to the Holy Ghost Parish are known as The Dickeyville Grotto and Shrines, and they include an artificial cave and various statues. Matthias Wernerus was a German-American Catholic priest who decorated the cement with colorful mosaics of stones, marbles, shells, pieces of china, and colored glass. Religion and patriotism are themes throughout, leading to quite a unique exhibition.

Father Wernerus clearly put a lot of time into creating a one-in-a-million destination, and the scope of the work and intricate details on display are tough to compare to anything. The entire location was fully renovated in 2023, including a chemical cleaning. After visiting, one Google reviewer wrote, "Beautiful and unusual, religious and patriotic stations," while another said, "I love gaudy religious shrines. This place is a lot. Very cool, the [amount] of work that went into it [...] Totally worth it." 

On your way to see the artsy parish, stop by The Local for a coffee or the highly rated Millie's Diner for a meal. For breakfast, it's got omelets, breakfast burritos, and massive pancakes spilling over the edges of the plate, while the lunch menu has salads, burgers, and — this being Wisconsin — cheese curds. You can head next door is Kueper's Tavern for a cold beverage, or you could head 15 minutes up the road to the Potosi Brewing Company, which was originally founded in 1852. It brewed beer for over a century before shutting down in 1972, until it was brought back to life in 2008.

For overnight stays in Dickeyville, there are two options: the Tri-States Wood Inn and the Wisconsin Wood Inn. Both are small and affordable, while more name-brand options can be found nearby in Dubuque (15 minutes south), which is Iowa's oldest city and also one of its most underrated. In Wisconsin, you're also never too far from some camping. Grant River Recreation Area is on the Mississippi River, 15 minutes north of Dickeyville, and has a highly rated campground.

For those looking to taste quality Wisconsin wines grown among the green hills overlooking the Mississippi, the Whispering Bluffs Winery is located in Potosi. It serves as the tasting room for the Whispering Bluffs Vineyard, which grows over 2,100 grape vines in nearby Cassville. The winery is in a renovated bottling plant building, with high ceilings and daily tasting flights available. They also have fruit wines made from Wisconsin apples and cranberries.

To go deeper into nature, there are many recreation areas near Dickeyville worth visiting, like Potosi Point for birdwatching, but the best outdoor experience can be found at Wyalusing State Park. Almost an hour north of Dickeyville, Wyalusing sits at the meeting place of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers, making it a rich green area with kayaking, camping, and miles of hiking trails. It's a well-loved Wisconsin state park and could serve as a stop on a Driftless Area itinerary or a home base for exploring all the small towns in the region, like the serene and artistic Dickeyville.