Begin at the emotional heart of the journey: the Sterling North Home & Museum. This is where Rascal watched young Sterling build his canoe in the living room, stole sugar lumps from the kitchen table, and curled up with his best friend in bed at night. If you slow down on the front porch, you can almost see it: horses prancing down the street on their way to the fair; Wowser, the family dog, snoozing in the shade while Rascal climbs on his back; and Poe the Crow, Rascal’s equally mischievous and sometime foe, darting back to his belfry nest at the Methodist church next door after snatching some shiny prize.

Take your time. Edgerton doesn’t rush you. It is small, sincere, and unhurried—and that is part of its appeal.

Then pack a picnic and head to Lake Koshkonong ____ Park (need to confirm best park), a spacious public park on Lake Koshkonong just outside town. This is the lakeshore Rascal explored with Sterling as a kit. It is also where Rascal and Sterling said goodbye. Sit by the water. Walk the trails. Feel the wind moving across the lake.

This is the idyllic setting that inspired a beloved story.