Have You Heard About the Wisconsin Town That Completely Disappeared?
Legends say one Wisconsin town and all of its residents completely vanished in the early 1990s, but is there any truth behind the stories?
The Legend of Doveland, Wisconsin
Sometimes we come across things on social media that really confuse and/or infuriate us, but sometimes you find something that fascinates you like this post I saw on the Strange Wisconsin Facebook Group...
If you read through the comments on that post you will see a lot of people commenting that the story is completely made up, but still, I wonder, how did all this hoopla about Doveland, Wisconsin begin?
The 'History' of Doveland, Wisconsin
After searching for information about Doveland, Wisconsin I discovered quickly that no one really knows exactly where this mysterious town was supposedly located, only that it was a small community located in "the heart of the state".
A website called ObscUrban Legends says;
Doveland, Wisconsin was supposedly a small town which somehow disappeared in the 1990's. Some people in Wisconsin allegedly have shirts, mugs, souvenirs, etc. from the town, and some even remember it or had relatives who lived there.
There are no historical documents that prove Doveland, Wisconsin actually existed. There are no mentions of Doveland on any old Wisconsin maps. Doveland might only be "real" in people's imaginations, but let's pretend for a minute that it WAS a real town that really DID vanish...what could have happened to it?
Theories About the Disappearance of Doveland, Wisconsin
Many theories have been put forward to explain the disappearance of Doveland, but none have been proven. Some say that the town was swallowed up by a sinkhole or was the victim of a massive earthquake. Others believe that the town was cursed by a vengeful spirit, who caused the town and its people to disappear as punishment for some long-forgotten transgression.
Ranker and ObdscUrban Legends also offer more theories as to how Doveland, Wisconsin may have completely vanished including;
- Damming destroyed Doveland - History can prove that several towns in Wisconsin have been wiped out by damming, so could this have happened to Doveland too?
- All of Doveland's residents moved away due to a failing economy
- Doveland was a military town that ceased to exist after the operation was over
- Doveland was destroyed by a military science experience that went horribly wrong
The most chilling part of the Doveland legend that I found in my Google research was that some people claim that the town and its people have not truly vanished, but have merely been hidden from view. They say that on certain nights, the ghostly outlines of buildings and homes can be seen in the mist and that the ghostly residents can be heard walking the deserted streets. (But remember, no one really knows where those streets even exist).
So, after reading more I think I agree that the stories about the mysterious disappearing town of Doveland, Wisconsin are complete BS, perhaps we should be on the lookout next time we're in the "heart of Wisconsin"...just in case.