Most People Don’t Know There’s A Lost City Hiding In The Underbrush Of A Wisconsin Arboretum

Among the greenery, flowers, and wildlife that fill the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, lies the remnants of a failed housing development. The ill-fated community was to include thousands of homes along with lavish extras, such as canals and lagoons, playgrounds, schools, and more. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had a different plan and the expansive residential mecca never came to fruition. Take a look:

Located in Madison, the University of Wisconsin Arboretum spans 1,200 acres and includes an array of protected habitats and 20 miles of walking trails.

One of the arboretum’s most interesting features, though, is Lost City Forest, which is situated in the southeast corner of the arboretum.

A reminder of what once was, Lost City Forest is all that remains of Lake Forest, an up-and-coming suburb.

Construction began in the early 1900s. Around the same time, a publication called Lake Forester was created to keep Madison residents informed on Lake Forest's progress.

According to plans, the new community, which was dubbed the Venice of the Midwest, would encompass 800 acres and include 7,000 houses.

Plans for the suburban utopia included much more than thousands of homes, though. The new neighborhood would also feature a circular plaza with a civic center. Canals, lagoons, street-car service, playgrounds, schools, gas and electric lines, and a water supply were also part of the plans.

However, there was one major problem - the land was unable to support the new community. Nearly as fast as they were built, roads, sidewalks, and foundations shifted or began to sink.

Inadequate land combined with the start of the Great Depression quickly put an end to Lake Forest.

Though long gone, signs of Lake Forest, which has been deemed the Lost City, remain. Decaying steps and sidewalks are just a couple of reminders of the failed community.

For more information about the Lost City Forest, visit the UW-Madison Arboretum website or Facebook page.

So, did you know about Lake Forest? Ever explored its remnants? Know of more hidden ruins? If so, tell us in the comments section.

This isn't the state's only abandoned site from the past. Read about another here.