This was and is, first and foremost, a river town. The mighty Mississippi is worked, revered and enjoyed here by locals and visitors alike. The region was designated as the Iowa Territory in 1838 and was included in the newly created State of Iowa in 1846. Dubuque serves as the main commercial, industrial, educational, and cultural center for the tri-state area and has a population of roughly 60 thousand.
Green Lake is about seven miles wide, and its maximum depth is 237 feet, making it the deepest natural lake in all of Wisconsin. It’s a great spot for fishing, golfing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, biking, and pretty much any relaxing outdoor activity you can think of. Some people even come here to SCUBA dive.
Sandy beaches, lovely lake breezes and a charming downtown still make South Haven a popular summer tourist destination. South Haven is in southwestern Michigan, along Intestate 196 at the mouth of the Black River on the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s home to about 4300 people and 1100 boats. Do the math –that’s a lot of boats, people!
It was originally known as “Midway Village” because, for travelers, it was halfway between Chicago and Galena. This city was known for industrial manufacturing in the last century but today it’s been retooled into a center for healthcare and aerospace technology.
So why here? Well… when Wisconsin became a state in 1848, that left people west of the St. Croix river “high and dry” with no government. So, the people of Stillwater held a territorial convention right here and voted to send a delegate to Washington D.C. to organize a new territory called “Minnesota” which became a territory in 1849, and a state in 1858.
The history of this midwestern city is rooted in the river it sits on and how it’s had to evolve with industry’s past and present…Oh, and also a very famous University that’s next door. Established in 1865, South Bend saw a business boom in industry thanks to the St. Joseph River. Studebaker, Oliver Chilled Plow, and Singer Sewing machines were just a few of the big names. But we can’t forget the University of Notre Dame. It’s a huge influence on the economy and culture in South Bend to this day.
Water leads the way in this Milwaukee neighborhood, on the cusp of a renaissance. The Harbor District begins at the mouth of the Lake Michigan Harbor and stretches south down the river. It surrounds Milwaukee’s Inner Harbor–the place where our three rivers come together –The Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic River all flow into the harbor of Milwaukee at Lake Michigan.
This charming town in northwest Illinois is named after a mineral mined here 20 years before the gold rush in California. It was a booming mining town in 1860 with a population of over 12000 when Ulysses S Grant moved here. Grant and the lead mines are no more, but the buildings still are.
Rochester is located in Southeastern Minnesota. It’s about an hour and a half drive southwest of the Twin Cities and about 50 miles due east of Winona on the Mississippi River. Today, Rochester has residents and visitors from all around the world. The city’s population is about 120,000 and the Mayo Clinic employs over 40,000 of them.
Formed more than 10-thousand years ago by glaciers, the area was first the home of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. The area quickly thrived thanks to its location to not just Lake Michigan, but also rivers –helping the fur trade and eventually steel production, flourish. But the water wasn’t the only mode of transpiration that brought in commerce. Railroads brought in goods and people. Today, the Indiana Dunes are a hot spot for visitors in the Midwest and beyond.
Le Claire is a storied river town, a classic Mississippi River port that boomed in the mid–19th century. The old river pilot homes are still here, which are testament to the fact that river pilots were needed because here is where the river makes a sharp turn to the west. LeClaire is about 15 miles northeast of the Quad Cities and is so close that it’s considered by some to be a suburb of the Quad Cities.
In 1900, Kalamazoo was the celery capital of the world! No kidding. The nearby “mucklands” are perfect for growing celery! In the second half of the 1800s, Kalamazoo was known as paper city. The Bryant Paper Company here in Kalamazoo became the largest Michigan manufacturer of book paper. And by World War II, a score of local mills made Kalamazoothe largest paper producer in the nation.
If you googled popular Wisconsin tourist spots, Sister Bay would definitely be at the top of the list. Sister Bay was named after the unincorporated Sister Islands just off the horizon in the bay.Its endless shoreline has been a hotspot for tourists since the late 1800s.
Tucked away in the north side of Chicago, the Lincoln Square neighborhood is as charming as it is busy. It boasts a main street straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. During his visit, John McGivern enjoys the German roots still present, but also finds many ethnicities in this diverse neighborhood.
De Pere, WI is sometimes called a suburb of Green Bay, but don’t say that to anyone who lives there. John McGivern loved visiting both sides of downtown, the only Norbertine College in the world, making his own blend at Luna Coffee, opening the manual lock on the Fox Locks system and tasting all that Seroogy’s Chocolates has to offer.
Bloomington Minnesota is home to the Mall of America, and the behind-the-scenes tour was full of surprises for John McGivern. The rest of the city was also full of surprises. He didn’t expect to find a ski-jump, the largest bicycle products distributor in America, the first tap room in Minnesota and a goat farm!
What’s in Holland, Michigan, besides tulips? Get ready for all things Dutch, and much more. John McGivern clomps around in wooden shoes at Windmill Gardens, satisfies his sweet tooth at Nelis’ Dutch Village and DeBoer Bakery, cherishes his wooden bowl from the Holland Bowl Mill, and is enthralled at the only Delft factory in North America.
Iowa’s Amana Colonies are not Amish! Come meet the past while enjoying right now. Iowa’s Amana Colonies lived communally until 1932. Today their innovative past and welcoming hospitality draw visitors by the thousands. John McGivern is reminded of a simpler time at the Meat Shop, the Woolen Mill and Schanz Furniture, and very grateful for present amenities at Whirlpool Corp, the Ox Yoke Inn and Millwright Hotel.
Woodstock, Illinois, is a picturesque small town mixed with a little bit of tinsel town. Woodstock, Illinois, may have been put on the map by the movie Groundhog Day, but it’s what John McGivern finds in real life that deserves the spotlight. Beside the movie tour stops, places like Cherry Tree Inn, Boss Straws, Ethereal Confections and Dented Gate Flower Farm make Woodstock the perfect little community.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, is such a great city to visit, but residents say the best part is living here. John knew it was home to Vera Bradley and Sweetwater Music Store, but he didn’t expect a Diocesan Museum, a public library with genealogy center and Abe Lincoln collection, the most perfect children’s zoo or Coney Island hot dogs.
Winona is a Minnesota city of 26,000 people, built on a Mississippi River sandbar. At Willet Hauser, artists make stained glass while The Watkins Co. employees make tons of vanilla, and the crew at Wenonah Canoe make – guess. Sugar Loaf Bluff is paradise for climbers, Yarnology is home for knitters and NOSH Scratch Kitchen is heaven for John!
Escanaba, Michigan has “yooper” culture all their own. Taste it in the delicious pasties at Dobber’s Pasties and in the sweet wines at Leigh’s Garden Winery. You can hear it in Ludington Park when the century-old city band plays. You can feel it in the great outdoors while you fish with Beaver’s Lures or watch the sun rise at Terrace Bay Hotel.
In Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley, the Harley-Davidson Museum, Palermo’s Pizza, Potawatomi Casino and BBC Lighting are well known. But there’s more happening here. Do you like pickled foods? Bay View Packing is for you. Art? Warehouse Art Museum is unreal. How about eating and drinking? Twisted Fisherman and Third Space Brewing got you!
Iowa City is a college town. Go Hawkeyes! It’s also a literary town, home to Prairie Lights Books and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. It’s a farming town, growing well at Urban Greens and Wilson’s Orchard & Farm. And it’s an innovative town, with one-of-a-kinds like the National Advanced Driving Simulator, Unimpaired Dry Bar and Crêpes De Luxe Café.
Goshen is in Elkhart County, Indiana, where 85 percent of recreational vehicles in the country are made. John visits Dynamax, Janus Motorcycles, Goshen College and Radio Horizonte. He takes in local cuisine, including Mexican food and Neapolitan pizza. A visit to the Old Bag Factory and Quilt Gardens rounds out the trip.
Dodgeville has some legendary Wisconsin treasures, like Governor Dodge State Park and The House on the Rock. There are legendary people, like softball coach Gene Van Dyck and the Reilly brothers. Dodgeville more recently attracted Steph’s Sweet Treats, White Oak Savanna and John McGivern, who has his eye on a house – again!
In Springfield, Illinois, you could spend a week just taking in the incredible Abraham Lincoln history. But then you’d miss the “new” Capitol, horseshoe sandwiches, the Route 66 experience and cozy dogs. John McGivern and Emmy Fink didn’t miss any of it, so come along for their visit.
Davenport is the largest of the Quad Cities, and the third largest city in Iowa. It’s where chiropractic began, and music is celebrated. Now it’s home to the most incredible Ethiopian food, a great art museum and is where work vehicle seats are made. Who knew? It’s also a city John wants to visit again soon.
Grand Rapids, Michigan, was once known as “Furniture City.” Now, thanks to craft brewers, it’s self-coined as “Beer City.” The top tourist attraction is probably The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. But ArtPrize, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the Amway Grand Plaza hotel and Max’s South Seas Hideaway make this city attractive!
Michigan City, Indiana, surprised John by having so many of his favorite things: incredible sandy beaches and dunes (so unlike Milwaukee), the Barker Mansion (very Downton Abbey), beautiful consignment and local stores (an addiction for sure), large scale manufacturing (so much to learn), and, of course, delicious food (yes, pierogies please)!
Red Wing, Minnesota isn’t named after the famous shoe company, it’s the other way around. See the world’s largest boot and do some shoe shopping, but also be sure to walk down to the Mississippi River to watch boats, spend time in charming downtown, climb Barn Bluff and celebrate the return of the bison with the Prairie Island Indian Community.
Oak Park, Illinois is only a short ride on the “L” from Chicago, but location isn’t the only good thing about this close-knit community. Famous past residents Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway are proudly claimed by this city, as are current favorites, like Maya Del Sol, Hole in the Wall Custard Shoppe, Addis Café and so much more!
In Madison, Wisconsin, there’s a famous street that connects the Wisconsin State Capitol to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. State Street has been a pedestrian mall since the 1970s and is lined with diverse shops, restaurants and art that makes it the go-to place to experience the Madison vibe.
Waukesha, Wisconsin, is known as Guitar Town because it’s where Les Paul was born. But it’s also home to Carroll University, Chef Pam, an active civic theater, beautiful parks, and a main street that’s made for TV. But it’s the people with their hometown pride and giant hearts that make it shine.
Decorah, Iowa, draws in many people with its charm. History lovers with Norwegian lineage come to research at Vesterheim. Students come to learn at Luther College. Gardeners come to be inspired at Seed Savers Exchange. What everyone finds are smiles!
Marquette, the largest city in Michigan’s U.P., is for everyone! Want incredible views and outdoor adventure? Start at the Light House. White fish? Try Vierling’s. Theater? Lake Superior Theatre’s got you. The largest wooden dome in North America? NMU’s got it. And if you still don’t get the picture, you can get that too, at Lake Superior Photo!
Some of the best moments that happened while filming “Main Streets” this year didn’t make it into any episodes, but they do make a hilarious finale to the season. Uncover those miscues, interruptions and favorite things that didn’t make the final cuts of the episodes because, well, they shouldn’t!
Per the website: Season 4 Begins January 2025