Lodi

In the Peaceful Valley

Lodi, meaning peaceful valley, is located in the heart of scenic south central Wisconsin in Columbia County. The city is situated in a beautiful valley among gently rolling hills near the Wisconsin River. Spring Creek meanders through the city including the Main Street Area. From Lake Wisconsin to Gibraltar Rock, the natural landscape surrounding Lodi affords breathtaking views to the hiker, cyclist, or motor tourist.

The wrought iron arch above Spring Creek says it all: Home of Susie the Duck. One of the most common inquiries heard in Lodi concerns the history of Susie, a country mallard who settled in downtown Lodi in 1948. She laid her eggs in a masonry flower basket at the bridge where guests could observe her brood. The duck captured the imagination of the Lodi Police chief, whose granddaughter named the special duck “Susie”. Soon, word of her faithful return to the flower basket to hatch two clutches of eggs each year gained national media attention. The city fathers decided to seize the spotlight and host the first “Susie the Duck Festival”. That tradition of recognizing Susie and her feathered friends continues to this day.

While touring Lodi be sure to stop on Main Street to visit local merchants and an area farmer’s market. Next, visit Lodi’s quaint shops and businesses that carry everything visitors and residents could want: unique shops and restaurants, a grass airstrip, and full-service banking. The City also offers a nine-hole public golf course.

You can spend the day seeing the sights, visiting attractions, enjoying Lake Wisconsin, exploring the inexhaustible natural wonders of the area, or visiting with the interesting people and return to Lodi’s peaceful hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, or campgrounds to relax and reflect on the day’s activities. City residents enjoy several beautiful city parks and a free public pool in Goeres park. Lodi is a city that preserves a peaceful, quality lifestyle and takes pride in all that it has to offer.

f you’re a first-time visitor, be sure to take a ride across the Wisconsin River aboard the Colsac III, Wisconsin’s only free auto ferry.The ferry, which crosses the Wisconsin River at Merrimac, is Wisconsin’s only free ferry. It shuttles WIS 113 traffic between Okee on the east bank and Merrimac on the west. The ferry is open for service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, normally from April 15 through November 30.