Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way
⎯⎯⎯
Philip and Elizabeth Lewis

The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Christopher Archuleta

1. The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way Marker

Inscription. The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way The original vision for the Nine Springs E-Way began in 1970 as a demonstration project funded by the National Endowment of the Arts. In 1971, Dane County adopted the "Environmental Loop Plan". After a series of parcels were acquired by the County, the E-Way officially opened to the public in 1987. The seven-mile corridor currently extends from the shore of Lake Waubesa westerly to Dunn's Marsh and includes multiple springs that give rise to Nine Springs Creek. The E-Way ("E" represents educational, environmental, esthetic, and ecological) was designed to encompass and protect many significant natural and cultural features including wetlands, prairies, forests, and Native American mound sites. The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way was the first of its kind and helped foster environmental corridor planning as a land use tool worldwide.

Philip and Elizabeth Lewis Philip and Elizabeth Lewis were the dynamic couple most responsible for the creation of the Nine Springs E-Way. Professor Philip H. Lewis, Jr., taught landscape architecture at UW-Madison from 1965 until 1995, chaired the department and

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became founder and director of the Environmental Awareness Center. Recruited by Governor Gaylord Nelson. Lewis's new environmental corridor concept was included in the Wisconsin State Recreation Plan.

Phil married Elizabeth (Libby) Thompson in 1953. They shared a passion for environmental causes throughout their 58-year marriage. While also raising a family, Libby earned her master's degree in plant ecology at UW-Madison. She served on the County's Park Commission for 26 years. Dane County dedicated the Nine Springs E-Way to Phil and Libby in 2013 in recognition of their many contributions to the Dane County park system.

Erected 2021 by Dane County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Environment • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1970.

Location. 43° 1.884′ N, 89° 20.946′ W. Marker is in Madison, Wisconsin, in Dane County. It is on Moorland Road 0.3 miles east of Raywood Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1947

Philip and Elizabeth Lewis Marker Side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Christopher Archuleta, April 19, 2022

2. Philip and Elizabeth Lewis Marker Side

Capital City Trl, Madison WI 53713, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Wisconsin. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: MMSD Wildlife Observation Area (here, next to this marker); The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Wildlife Observation Area / From Wastewater to Habitat (a few steps from this marker); Lewis Nine Springs E-Way (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memory of Bud Morton 1907-1992 (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Gilman Mounds (approx. 0.4 miles away); Mounds for the Future (approx. 0.4 miles away); Destroying and Saving a Sacred Landscape (approx. 0.4 miles away); Carlos J. Martin Memorial Native American Interpretive Site (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.

The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way / Philip and Elizabeth Lewis Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. Makali Bruton

3. The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way / Philip and Elizabeth Lewis Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 13, 2022, by Christopher Archuleta of Madison, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 746 times since then and 94 times this year. Last updated on June 26, 2025, by Michelle Richardson of Madison, Wisconsin. Photos: 1. submitted on April 19, 2022, by Christopher Archuleta of Madison, Wisconsin. 2. submitted on April 19, 2022, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on April 19, 2022. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way⎯⎯⎯Philip and Elizabeth Lewis

The Lewis Nine Springs E-Way
⎯⎯⎯
Philip and Elizabeth Lewis