Moving Back-to-the-land in Southwestern Wisconsin

• In Event: People on the Move: American Migration Stories

Abstract

History books offer social and political contexts of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, movies show scenes from Woodstockian events, modern television shows look back at the era wistfully, but none offer the personal interpretations of what motivated people to make the decisions they made. This project is about the lived experiences of people moving to and living in Crawford, Richland, and Vernon Counties, rural counties in the Driftless area of southwestern Wisconsin between 1965-1985. “We could recreate ourselves,” one participant explained. How was that possible and why was this needed? This is what stories from this study illuminate. People literally and figuratively moved to a new place and recreated their professions and their communities. They challenged norms, gave up what had been acceptable in their own families and communities, and caused a bit of friction in order to self-actualize and establish more conducive working and living environments. Broader political and economic considerations had to be made. Whereas land was affordable, it was not always farmable as much of the land was unglaciated with rolling hills and unfertile soil. Relearning how to be and connect to land in this time period, people sought out resources, most often their neighbors, to educate themselves about building houses, growing food, unfreezing wells and general ways to live and survive in this new place. This presentation will include accounts from both people moving to this area and people living in this area, how they formed communities and friendships that formed social and cultural landscapes, some which have sustained from that time period and many that have transformed with changing people, land, time period, and needs.

Authors

• Christine Lemley, Northern Arizona University

• Joshua J Feyen, Back to the Land in the Kickapoo Valley Co-Director