MONDAY MASHUP: Wisconsin Coastal Guide

The Wisconsin Coastal Guide maps nature centers, boat ramps, lighthouses, parks and other attractions on the state's shorelines.

The old Michigan Island lighthouse was built by accident and a new one constructed in the correct location, LaPointe, Wisc.  Seven miles southeast of Kenosha, Wisc., Henry Ford may have helped build a steamer that sunk to Lake Michigan’s depths in 1929, taking a Hudson, Essex and Chevrolet down with it.

These are just a few facts and locations cabin-fevered Great Lakes residents can find in the Wisconsin Coastal Guide.

The mashup was created in hopes that other Great Lakes states would follow, forming a Great Lakes Circle Tour coastal access guide network.

This online coastal access guide gives home-dwellers the history as well as the ability to spy on the beaches during the winter months.

It has more than 200 panoramic views along the state’s Lake Michigan and Lake Superior shores. Zero in on a spot with the Webcam option. Find theaters, museums, exhibits, history and events by clicking on the Portal Wisconsin GeoRSS layer–readers can also subscribe to the event list and get e-mail updates. Find event locations by checking the GeoRSS box.

The mashup also has information about boat ramps, beaches, and park services.

The guide was created by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The project was funded by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.