Geog 326
Introduction
• Vernacular Regions
– Defined by the collective perception of a group of
people.
– Not defined by any higher authority like the
government or scholars
– Everyone knows where the region is, but the area is
not strictly defined
• This presentation will investigate multiple
features in order to better define the vernacular
region unique to Wisconsin.
• “Let’s Go Up North!”
Geog 326
UP NORTH
• Defining the northland region can
be done by filtering out regional
terms that appear in the greater
extent of northern Wisconsin
– Examples of Regional Terms acquired
from the area’s phonebooks
• Northwoods
• Northbound
• Northstar
• This is the methodology that Wilbur
Zelinski used in his study, “North
America’s Vernacular Regions”
Geog 326
Northland Terms
Figure 1:
5%
This map defines the
northland by the
percentage of “up
north” terms used.
Each isoline
represents the
percentage of
northern terms.
Highest
Concentrations
appear in Vilas,
Bayfield, and
Ashland Counties.
4%
5%
3%
2%
1%
COUNTY
−
North_1
Rest of State
"Up North"
Shape_Length
1.512077 - 6.223834
0
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15
30
60
90
120
Miles
Figure 2:
This choropleth map
defines the northland
terms weighted by
population in ten
thousands .
North Terms
Per 10,000 People
5%
4%
5%
3%
2%
Bayfield and
Ashland Counties
fall out as leaders
because the terms to
population are not as
significant of a ratio.
1%
COUNTY
NORTHPER10
0.0 - 0.7
−
0.8 - 1.8
1.9 - 4.2
4.3 - 8.9
Sawyer and Vilas
take the cake
9.0 - 14.8
Shape_Length
1.512077 - 6.223834
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0
15
30
60
90
120
Miles
Other Determining Variables
• Ask anyone why they go
“up north” and they will
almost always refer to
recreational activities
– Developed and
undeveloped recreational
land
– Boating, swimming,
camping, fishing, and
hunting to name a few
Geog 326
Forest Lake in Vilas County
Figure 3:
Recreational Acreage
as Percent of Total
The amount of land that
is set aside for recreation
also mimics the
vernacular regional
created by Zelinkski.
5%
4%
5%
3%
2%
1%
The map to the right is a
choropleth map showing
COUNTY
the amount of
TOT_REC_LD as Percent of Total
land devoted to
recreation as a %
of total.
0.000000000 - 0.5220
−
0.5221 - 1.385
1.386 - 3.353
3.354 - 5.448
5.449 - 7.635
Shape_Length
0
Geog 326
15
30
60
90
120
Miles
Figure 4:
Recreational land
can be divided into
two classes:
developed and
undeveloped
recreational acreage.
The northland
dominates when it
comes to
undeveloped
recreational land.
The rest of the state
holds the majority for
developed.
Recreational Acreage
4919957
5000000
4500000
4000000
3500000
3000000
2500000
rest of state
2000000
1277656
1500000
1000000
500000
68793 24940
0
Developed Rec Land Undeveloped Rec
Land
Geog 326
up north
Figure 5:
This choropleth map uses lake name data to show which
counties hold the greatest density of lakes. Where there are
lakes, there are recreation opportunities
Lake Toponyms
Figure 6: This graph
reinforces the fact that there
are more lakes in the North
than the rest of the State
5%
4%
5%
3%
2%
1%
Lake Names
COUNTY
4500
Lake Names
4000
0.02 - 0.40
3500
3000
0.41 - 1.16
2500
1.17 - 3.15
2000
3.16 - 6.41
1500
−
6.42 - 10.88
1000
Shape_Length
500
1.512077 - 6.223834
0
South
North
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0
15
30
60
90
120
Miles
Figure 7:
Another good indicator of
the region tourism and
recreation is the amount
of hotel and motel beds
available.
The data in the map is
weighted by population.
The darkest values
indicate that there is 3 to
41 people per hotel/motel
bed in the given county.
Hotel Beds
Per Capita
5%
4% 5%
3%
2%
1%
COUNTY
POPULATION / Hotel_Beds
−
3.175 - 41.36
41.37 - 82.99
83.00 - 183.5
183.6 - 351.6
351.7 - 1506
Shape_Length
1.512077 - 6.223834
0 15 30
Geog 326
60
90
120
Miles
Figure 8:Fishing Licenses are a perfect example of types
of data acquired by the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources.
Figure 8 shows the
distribution of fishing
licenses sold in a county
based on its population.
Darker counties show
lower amounts of people
per fishing license sold.
Anomalies around the
map may correspond with
known tourist/fishing
areas, such as the
Wisconsin Dells, and Lake
Winnebago.
Resident
Fishing License
Per Capita
5%
4%
5%
3%
2%
1%
COUNTY
COUNTY.POPULATION / RES_FISH
1.004 - 3.703
3.704 - 5.942
5.943 - 9.318
9.319 - 14.49
14.50 - 27.24
Shape_Length
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−
Figure 9: Using the 1985 and 2005 data from the
Department of Natural Resources, a comparative analysis is
possible for some components.
Keeping in mind that
Resident Fishing Licenses Per Capita
this graph is a
measure of fishing
12
10.18
licenses per capita; it is
10
possible to see that
8
7.16
fishing licenses have
Up North
6
been on the rise.
4.97
Rest of State
Up North went from
4.97 people per license
in 1985 to 3.31 in
2005. The rest of the
state went from 10.18
to 7.16 people per
license
3.31
4
2
0
1985
Geog 326
2005
Figure 10: Camping opportunities is another variable that
can be compared between two decades.
The graph is not
weighted at all so the
numbers actually
show a decline in
camping opportunities
over the years.
Camping Opportunities By Year
620
600
596
589
580
560
It is interesting to note
that the rest of the
state actually has
more camping
opportunities.
Up North
540
534
529
520
500
480
1985
Geog 326
2005
Rest of State
Figure 11:
Another great
indicator of the
northern vernacular
region, is the
presence of seasonal
homes.
Seasonal
Homes
5%
4%
5%
3%
2%
Often referred to as
cabins or cottages,
people use their
seasonal home as a
launch pad to nearby
recreation.
1%
COUNTY
Cottages
110 - 1148
−
1149 - 2519
2520 - 4922
4923 - 7586
7587 - 12587
Higher concentrations
appear in Vilas and
Oneida counties.
Shape_Length
1.512077 - 6.223834
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0
15
30
60
90
120
Miles
Conclusions
• Developing a better perspective of the Up
North Vernacular Region takes a multitude
of different variables; even then, the area
of the region is not definite.
• Primary features of this region include:
toponyms, recreation lands, location of
seasonal homes, hotel/motel rooms, and
recreational activities
Geog 326
Bibliography
• Cover Photo Taken by David Speer. Location: Lake
Owen, Cable, Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, State
Recreational Resources Inventory, 1985, 2005
• Zelinsky, W., “North America’s Vernacular Regions,”
Annals, The American Association of Geographers,
Vol. 10 (1980). pp. 1-16.
• 2000 Census, U.S. Bureau of Census (Information
and Research Services 2002).
• Geographic Names Information CD-ROM, U.S.
Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey,
National Mapping Division, 1993.
• ProPhone CD-ROM, Select Software, 1995 Edition.
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