This page is devoted to give you a taste of my old Wisconsin roots

A little bit of background about my home state of WISCONSIN!

This page is devoted to give you a taste of my old Wisconsin roots. I was born and raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Oshkosh is approximately 75 miles North of Milwaukee and 45 miles South of Green Bay in the Eastern part of Wisconsin. The city is named in honor of Chief Oshkosh of the Winnebago tribe of Native Americans that founded the region. Oshkosh is nestled on the Western shore of Lake Winnebago (the second largest inland freshwater lake in the United States). Based on the latest 2000 census figures, Oshkosh has achieved a population of approximately 62,500 people. Below are some images of Oshkosh and the surrounding areas:

Above: Oshkosh, WI looking towards the Northwest. The body of water at the bottom of the photo is

Lake Winnebago. The river dissecting the city is the Fox River, which then leads into the two bodies

of water to the Northwest, Lake Butte des Mortes and Lake Poygan, respectively.

Source: The Carl Guell Slide Collection, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Department of Geography

During the winter, you can find many of the "locals" on Lake Winnebago enjoying one of Wisconsin's most favored pastimes....ice-fishing. The picture below shows Lake Winnebago during the peak of a Wisconsin winter:

Above: Aerial photo of Lake Winnebago looking towards the North. The city of Fond du Lac is located at the Southern

end of the lake, with Oshkosh located in the far left section of the picture. Lake Winnebago is approximately 10 miles

wide and 35 miles long with a maximum depth of 36 feet.

Source: The Carl Guell Slide Collection, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Department of Geography

After graduating from Oshkosh West High school in 1996, I decided to pursue a college education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in September of 1996. Whitewater is a college town of approximately 12,500 people located in Southern Wisconsin. The city is approximately 40 miles West of Milwaukee and 35 miles East of Madison.

Above: James R. Connor University Center, UW-Whitewater.

Source: James R. Connor University Center.

After 4 successful years at UW-Whitewater and graduating in May of 2000, I accepted a job with Grant Thornton, LLP in Madison, Wisconsin. I worked for Grant Thornton from September of 2000 to August of 2003. These were 3 great years of my life because I got the chance to meet a lot of wonderful friends and co-workers in Madison during that time. Also, I received the opportunity to head to a city that I really fell in love with; Madison. Madison is one of the greatest cities that I have ever been to, let alone to live there. The city has a multitude of characteristics, some which include: vibrant, inviting, whimsical, diverse, and a very well educated city. Visually, the city is very appealing as well. The pictures below illustrate the city's beauty and charm.

Above: The Wisconsin State Capitol building in Madison, WI. The Wisconsin State Capitol

building is one of the largest State Capitol buildings in the county and was

at one point taller than the US Capitol building. The State then lowered the

statue so that the Wisconsin Capitol building now stands 3 feet below the US Capitol.

Source: Department of Administration, State of Wisconsin.

Above: This photograph depicts the skyline of Madison during an evening sunset. The picture is taken from

Olin Park and shows Lake Monona. Madison is one of the only major cities in the county to be on an isthmus.

On the other side of the Capitol building is Lake Mendota (see the Memorial Union Terrace below). The other

item of note in this particular picture is the low profile white building on the right hand side of the photo.

This building is the Monona Terrace, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Source: Kevin W. Paulisse

Above: This photo is taken from the University Memorial Union Terrace with Lake Mendota in the background. The Terrace provides a

great atmosphere for relaxation, enjoying time with friends, and soaking up the feel of Madison on a warm summer day. This is a

must see for any visitor to Madison.

Source: Photo courtesy of Jim Witkins

During 2002, my Mom and Stepfather completed their luxurious cabin in the North woods of Wisconsin. During the past year, our family has found this site to be a great place to retreat to on warm, humid summer days. The photo immediately below is a picture of the Northern Wisconsin landscape that the cabin is on. As you can see, this area of the state is heavily wooded and covered with small lakes which are due to the glaciers from the last ice-age.

Above: North woods in Wisconsin.

Source: The Carl Guell Slide Collection, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Department of Geography

Above: The "Driftless Area" of Southwestern Wisconsin. This corner of the state was the only area of

the state that was not affected by the glaciation of the last ice age. Due to that phenomenon, this area

of the state is one of the most aesthetic parts of the state.

Source: The Carl Guell Slide Collection, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Department of Geography