While we’re all continuing to discover new uses for technology almost daily, Visit Oconomowoc is using it to remember 150 years of its past, and, spoiler alert; the past also looks really cool.

Recently, Visit Oconomowoc, along with the Oconomowoc Area Historical Society and Museum and Hoffman York launched a series of augmented reality experiences to go with the town’s self-guided walking tour. As of right now, five of the 29 locations along the walking tour can come to life, giving you a chance to see some of the most significant elements of Lake Country’s past. 

Amongst the historic elements that are brought back to life are the Majestic Hotel on Wisconsin Ave. and Main St., which housed guests from 1915-1975 before it was razed to make room for greenspace. You’ll also see the site of the Strand Theater (144 E. Wisconsin Ave.) which was chosen by MGM to host the world premiere of “The Wizard of Oz” in 1939. Why Oconomowoc? Because the studio wanted to test the movie, which would become an all-time classic, in the heart of middle America. The AR recreation of the theater features the marquee advertising the movie, which also is commemorated with a plaza near the theater site (which also makes for a great photo op!)

Also included on the tour are augmented renderings of the Lake Road Dam, which bridges Lake Fowler and Lake La Belle. Conveniently, it also made for a great place to take a minute to rest on a particularly hot day, as you check out an AR version of the original dam from 1837. You can also find a virtual boat docked in the Cable Car Marine Railway, not unlike the ones that were pulled across the road from one lake to another in the early 1900s. 

There’s also a virtual marker for the Oconomowoc Depot, which was built thanks to Albert Earling, then president of the Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Paul Railroad, and wealthy meat packing tycoon Philip Armour. Earling needed a place for his wealthy guests to stay while he called Oconomowoc home in the summertime, so the depot was built along the railroad, at a site currently occupied by Maxim’s Restaurant (115 E. Collins St.). The depot is the last stop on the tour, but completes a loop around Lake Fowler that will take you through historic sites on Wisconsin Avenue and historic Main Street.

How It Works

If you’re going to take the tour, it’s recommended that you download the free Adobe Aero Viewer app for either iPhone or Android. When you get to the following locations, open up the app:

• Strand Theater (144 E. Wisconsin Avenue)
• Majestic Hotel (105 N. Main St.)
• Cable Car Marine Railway (138 N. Main St.)
• Lake Road Dam (731 N. Lake Rd.)
• Oconomowoc Depot (115 Collins St.)

When you open up the app, you’ll need to give it a second to load the augmented reality experience. After a quick scan of your surroundings, the buildings of the past will appear on your phone, giving you a view of what life was like in a different era of Oconomowoc. You can also save video and photos of your scans while you’re walking around with the app open. 

While the augmented reality experience is a great way to look at some of the missing pieces of the past, the larger tour is a great way to spend an afternoon. When you make your way from one AR spot to the next, you’ll see an array of historic mansions and churches, as well as explore Veterans Memorial Park. Don’t worry, there are also plenty of great local businesses to support and grab bites to eat or a drink along the way, as well as plenty of great views of both Lakes Fowler and La Belle. 

For the full route of the walking tour, including the augmented reality spots, check out the Visit Oconomowoc website. You can also get a preview of the AR below, but it’s much better when you see it in the context of the city’s main streets. Take a day during the summer to experience all that Oconomowoc, both past and present, has to offer!