Wisconsin's Hidden Communities

This project explores Wisconsin communities that often do not appear on maps, or conversely, appear on maps when they shouldn't. Some hidden communities are small population centers that have thrived, while others have disappeared or barely hung on.Three categories of hidden communities for the state have been mapped. 1: Unincorporated communities are places that still exist, have a name, but are not legally incorporated. 2: Cartographic phantoms appear on maps, but there's nothing on the ground to suggest they still exist. 3: Unverified locales are places that need more research. They might be unincorporated communities, cartographic phantoms, or something in between.