▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁( near ▁present - day ▁Pra irie ▁du ▁Ch ien ). ▁ ▁The ▁road ▁was ▁under water ▁at ▁times ▁during ▁wet ▁seasons , ▁and ▁foot - high ▁st umps ▁in ▁the ▁road ▁complicated ▁travel . ▁The ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁work ▁The ▁History ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁described ▁the ▁road ▁as ▁" l ittle ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁l ane ▁through ▁the ▁tim ber ▁and ▁a ▁path way ▁over ▁the ▁pra irie , ▁with ▁streams ▁brid ged ▁and ▁sw amps ▁d itch ed , ▁the ▁road ▁was ▁cru de ▁and ▁often ▁imp ass able ; ▁but ▁it ▁never theless ▁filled ▁the ▁important ▁objective ▁of ▁travers ing ▁Wisconsin ▁from ▁east ▁to ▁west ". ▁Main ten ance ▁by ▁sett lers ▁attract ed ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁kept ▁the ▁road ▁pass able . ▁The ▁cost ▁for ▁initial ▁construction ▁and ▁maintenance ▁for ▁the ▁ ▁road ▁was ▁$ 1 2 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Rem ains ▁of ▁the ▁road ▁▁ ▁Its ▁modern ▁desc endant ▁follows ▁the ▁route ▁from ▁Green ▁Bay ▁to ▁F ond ▁du ▁Lac ▁along ▁Wisconsin ▁Highway ▁ 5 5 ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁ 1 5 1 , ▁then ▁west ▁on ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁High ways ▁ 6 8 ▁and ▁ 3 3 ▁to ▁Mad ison , ▁where ▁it ▁travel s ▁west ▁via ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁ 1 8 . ▁The ▁name ▁surv ives ▁as ▁one ▁for ▁local ▁streets ▁par alle ling ▁the ▁current ▁high ways . ▁Military ▁R idge ▁State ▁Tra il ▁runs ▁over ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁its ▁alignment .