03. Wisconsin Death Trip

Badger Bizarre

Michael Lesy's 1973 book Wisconsin Death Trip examines the harsh lives of many Wisconsinites during the years leading up to, and just after the turn of the twentieth century.

Murder, suicide, disease, and madness devoured the state, though the era was seemingly mysteriously forgotten until, in 1968, Lesy came across the work of former Black River Falls photographer Charles Van Schaick, and newspaper articles of the day, to paint a truly horrific period of our state's and nation's history.

Combined into an art, and quasi-history book, Wisconsin Death Trip has since become one of the most iconic "cult classics" in American pop culture history.

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Attribution for logo design:

Red Claw Scratch Photo

Attribution for Music:

Trailer: Composer: Adam Phillip Zwirchmayr https://www.pond5.com/

Intro: https://pixabay.com/

Outro: Composer: Viacheslav Sarancha https://www.pond5.com/

Opening Trailer:

Ed Gein Sound Byte : "Hard Copy" - Paramount Domestic/CBS Televsion

Frank Lloyd Wright and Jeffery Dahmer Sound Byte - WISN 12 News - Milwaukee, WI

Jeffery Dahmer Quotes: "Inside Edition" - King World/CBS Television/CBS Media

Photo from book. Man next to child's open coffin. Photo from book. Van Schaick's studio work.

Photo from book. Van Schaick's studio work.

Still image from movie. Man hanging from tree.

Static X 1999 Album "Wisconsin Death Trip," inspired by the book.