The Birth of National Weather Service

On a high hill that offers a glimpse of Milwaukee's skyline to the east; deep blue lakes to the north; and sprawling farm fields and tree-covered hills to the west and south it came as somewhat a shock that this hill was one of the original National Weather Service signal stations.

Lapham Peak received data sent from Pikes Peak, Colorado and relayed it onto to the Weather Bureau in Chicago.

Increase Allen Lapham (why don't parents name their kids Increase any more?) was Wisconsin's premier naturalist, archeologist, and scholar.

On this hill (no, the observation tower was not part of it) he made observations; published maps, and worked with the Smithsonian as a weather observer.

Increase was concerned about potential weather disasters on the Great Lakes that could damage shipping and farming, and urged the state to create a forecasting service in 1850. Historical note - this is prior to the Civil War.

Lapham tried again - at the national level and in 1870 Congress approved the creation of the National Weather Service.  On November 8, 1870, Lapham made the first published national weather forecast: "high winds and falling temperatures for Chicago, Detroit, and the Eastern cities."

The forecast sounds pretty solid for almost any early November day, but it helped lead to Doppler Radar and a 24-hour Weather Channel.

It is easy to see why Mr. Lapham wanted to be forecasting weather from this high point in Waukesha County.

The view is spectacular looking at the ground and into the sky.

Lake Delafield gleams to the north just beyond Interstate 94 with it's constant stream of traffic.  (I bet Lapham hated that never ended stream of traffic noise.)

Lapham State Park is part of the greater Kettle Moraine State Forest that marks the southern boundary of the last glacier.

For this visit, it provides beautiful vistas and an opportunity to pause and gaze at the horizon and the clouds stretching west.

The park itself has a lot to offer, but the climb up five flights of stairs is worth every step.