Skip to main content Skip to main content

Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Be the first to know

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Already a Subscriber? Sign in

Terms of Service Privacy Policy

Enjoy unlimited digital access to agupdate.com

If you are an active subscriber and seeing this message, please click here log back in.

{{display_title}}

{{special_title}}

Sign Up

{{tagline}}

Already subscribed? Log in | Return to homepage

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits:

E-edition PLUS unlimited articles & videos

Personalized news alerts with our mobile app

*FREE access to newspapers.com archives

Hundreds of games, puzzles & comics online

*Refers to the latest 2 years of agupdate.com stories. Cancel anytime.

You have permission to edit this article.

Edit

Log In
Subscribe

Guest
Logout

Read Today's E-edition

Crops
Livestock
Markets
Farm Country
Technology
Business
Opinion
Weather
Marketplace
Jobs
Brand Ave. Studios
Shopping

Shop Local
Newsletters
Mobile Apps
Advertise with Us
Ag Publications

Facebook
Twitter

© 2026 Lee Enterprises

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Read Today's E-edition

Subscribe

Log In

Welcome, Guest
- My Subscription
  
  Help Center
- My Account
- Dashboard
- Profile
- Saved items
- Logout

Crops
Livestock
Weather
Technology
Markets
Opinion
Marketplace
Jobs

77° Sunny

Share This

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email

Catching Up: The Vilas Park shoe slide story gets a fairy tale ending

Share this

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Javascript is required to use this website.

CATCHING UP | WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ... ?

Catching Up: The Vilas Park shoe slide story gets a fairy tale ending

GEORGE HESSELBERG , 608-252-6140
Oct 5, 2015
Oct 5, 2015

The Old Woman in the Shoe — The Old Woman in the Shoe slide at the Vilas Park playground, as it appeared in an early postcard. For the past several years, the slide has been creatively painted every summer by young painters from Art Cart.
-- SUBMITTED

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

GEORGE HESSELBERG , 608-252-6140

After 55 years, the story of the Old-Woman-in-a-Shoe playground slide at Vilas Park has a fairy tale ending.

kAmxE :D :? E96 7@C> @7 2 D>2== >6E2= D:8? 2EE24965 E@ 2 A@=6 ?62C3J] %96 >@56DE D:8? 6IA=2:?D 9@H E92E A@AF=2C D=:56 8@E E96C6] w@H E96 D:8? 8@E E96C6 :D :?E6C6DE:?8[ E@@]k^Am

kAm%96 D=:56’D @C:8:? 925 366? 2 >JDE6CJ] qFE :? yF=J a_`c[ E96 $E2E6 y@FC?2= :?4=F565 E96 D=:56 :? :ED “k2 E:E=6lQ9EEAi^^9@DE]>25:D@?]4@>^HD;^2C49:G6D^63@@<D^>25:D@?`__^>25:D@?\:?\@3;64ED\8:2?E\D9@6\D=:56^2CE:4=60b44f_5e4\c373\d3`6\hh33\3c6`333cb`56]9E>=Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^9@DE]>25:D@?]4@>^HD;^2C49:G6D^63@@<D^>25:D@?`__^>25:D@?\:?\@3;64ED\8:2?E\D9@6\D=:56^2CE:4=60b44f_5e4\c373\d3`6\hh33\3c6`333cb`56]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm|25:D@? :? `__ ~3;64ED”k^2m D6C:6D]k^Am

kAmp 76H 56E2:=D H6C6 AC@G:565[ 3FE ?@ @?6 <?6H H9@ 3F:=E :E[ 2?5 E96C6 H6C6 ?@ AF3=:4 C64@C5D @C >2C<:?8D @? E96 DECF4EFC6 E@ AC@G:56 2?J :?7@C>2E:@?[ 6:E96C] tG6? :ED 52E6 @7 4@?DECF4E:@? H2D G28F6]k^Am

People are also reading…

System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Beware turkey bits, pieces
Dairy era ends in sadness
Modern farm shops feature high-end components, aesthetic appeal
Buckhouse cowboy known for strong work ethic
Get better hay, returns with small changes
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Laws restrict foreign land owners
Farmland values relatively stable amid volatile world markets
EPA makes latest attempt to define WOTUS
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term
From the Backroads of Wisconsin's Past
Illinois town weighs data center
Functional storage with easy access serves acreage owners

kAmqFE 27E6C AF3=:42E:@?[ C6D:56?ED H:E9 8@@5 >6>@C:6D 2?5 EH@ @7 E96 3F:=56CD 2?5 C6=2E:G6D @7 @E96CD 42>6 7@CE9i %96 D=:56 H2D 4@?DECF4E65 :? `hea 3J G@=F?E66CD 7C@> {2E96CD {@42= ```[ H9@ 7C2>65 :E H:E9 >6E2= =2E9[ 2?5 ~A6C2E:G6 !=2DE6C6CD 2?5 r6>6?E |2D@?D {@42= a_c[ H9@ D>@@E965 E96 A=2DE6C @?E@ E96 7C2>6]k^Am

kAmxE EFC?65 @FE E96 4:EJ’D =2E9:?8 2?5 A=2DE6C 4@?EC24E@CD[ F?56C E96 5:C64E:@? @7 (2CC6? (2=56C[ 925 366? 255:?8 2 ?:4<6= 7@C 6G6CJ 9@FC H@C<65 E@ D6E FA 2 7F?5 E92E H@F=5 AC@>@E6 E96 F?:@?D’ H@C<]k^Am

kAm%96 >2E6C:2=D 7@C E96 D=:56 H6C6 A2:5 7@C 7C@> E92E 7F?5[ E96 H@C<6CD G@=F?E66C65 E96:C =23@C[ 2?5 E96 D=:56 H2D E@ 36 565:42E65 E@ v6@C86 |@C6==[ 2 =2E96C^4@?EC24E@C H9@ 925 5:65 J62CD 62C=:6C]k^Am

kAmp >2C<6C[ 9@H6G6C[ H2D ?6G6C A=2465 E96C6[ 2?5 4@?E6>A@C2CJ 244@F?ED D2:5 E96 @C:8:?2= A=2? E@ :?4=F56 2 D>2== A=2BF6 H2D ?:I65 3J 4:EJ @77:4:2=D]k^Am

kAm{2DE 72==[ E96 4:EJ’D !2C<D s:G:D:@? E@@< k2 E:E=6lQ9EEAi^^9@DE]>25:D@?]4@>^HD;^?6HD^=@42=^`__\@3;64ED^G:=2D\A2C<\D=:56\H2D\8:7E\2?5\H@C<\@7\EC256D>6?^2CE:4=6066bc67_3\3cf4\df4c\g`72\hbge3c_6e3`4]9E>=Q 9C67lQ9EEAi^^9@DE]>25:D@?]4@>^HD;^?6HD^=@42=^`__\@3;64ED^G:=2D\A2C<\D=:56\H2D\8:7E\2?5\H@C<\@7\EC256D>6?^2CE:4=6066bc67_3\3cf4\df4c\g`72\hbge3c_6e3`4]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm2== E92E :?7@C>2E:@?k^2m 2?5 3@:=65 :E 5@H? E@ 2 @?6\A2C28C2A9 DF>>2CJ 2?5 AFE :E @? 2 D:8?] k^Am

kAm%96 >@56DE D:8? — H9:49 4@DE =6DD E92? S`__ — H2D :?DE2==65 ?62C E96 D=:56 E9:D A2DE yF?6[ 2=@?8 H:E9 2 D:8? =:DE:?8 A=2J8C@F?5 D276EJ CF=6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ p?? $962[ A2C<D DA@<6DA6CD@?]k^Am

Have an idea for Catching Up? Send it to justaskus@madison.com

Be the first to know

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Related to this story

Vilas Park slide gets its marker

Vilas Park slide gets its marker

After more than 50 years waiting, the Old-Woman-Who-Lived-In-A-Shoe playground slide has a sign explaining how the slide got there. Mystery solved.

Watch Now: Related Video

Hosting solar could have been a financial lifeline for this Ohio farmer

Apr 9, 2026: Elvis Concern | Classic Plains Severe Risk | Split-May Jet?

Apr 9, 2026: Elvis Concern | Classic Plains Severe Risk | Split-May Jet?

Apr 9, 2026: Elvis Concern | Classic Plains Severe Risk | Split-May Jet?

Apr 7, 2026: Multi-Day Severe Episode for Plains Likely | El Niño Drought Risks | Mid April Trends

Apr 7, 2026: Multi-Day Severe Episode for Plains Likely | El Niño Drought Risks | Mid April Trends

Apr 7, 2026: Multi-Day Severe Episode for Plains Likely | El Niño Drought Risks | Mid April Trends

Apr 6, 2026: Eye-Popping El Niño Forecast from the ECMWF | Very Dry Southeast | WET Corridor in...

Apr 6, 2026: Eye-Popping El Niño Forecast from the ECMWF | Very Dry Southeast | WET Corridor in...

Apr 6, 2026: Eye-Popping El Niño Forecast from the ECMWF | Very Dry Southeast | WET Corridor in...

Marketplace

Recently Listed

Burwell Livestock Market

Sale Barn

Burwell Livestock Market

Updated 2 hrs ago

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Auctions

Featured

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

18 hrs ago

Burwell Livestock Market

Sale Barn

Burwell Livestock Market

Updated 2 hrs ago

Creighton Livestock Market

Sale Barn

Creighton Livestock Market

Updated 2 hrs ago

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Facebook
Twitter

Contact Us
Advertise with Us

Sites & Partners

Agri-View
Cattle Seller
Farm & Ranch Guide
Farm & Ranch Network
Illinois Farmer Today
Iowa Farmer Today
Livestock Roundup
Midwest Marketer
Midwest Messenger
Minnesota Farm Guide
Missouri Farmer Today
The Prairie Star
Midwest Messenger Kansas
Tri-State Neighbor

Services

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Hay Equipment
Trucks & Trailers
Livestock
Seed, Feed, & Hay
Shopping

© Copyright 2026 AgUpdate, 707 S 13th Street Tekamah, NE 68061

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertising Terms of Use | Do Not Sell My Info | Cookie Preferences

Powered by BLOX Content Management System from bloxdigital.com.

Notifications
Settings

You don't have any notifications.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Topics

Breaking News

Subscribe