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Photos: Remembering the Great Ice Storm of 1976
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Photos: Remembering the Great Ice Storm of 1976

  • Teryl Franklin
  • Mar 3, 2026
  • Mar 3, 2026 Updated Mar 3, 2026

The Great Ice Storm of March 1976 knocked television stations off the air, caused Madison's reservoirs to dry up and left more than 600,000 Wisconsin residents without power for days.

March 1976 ice storm

It may be wishful thinking proclaimed by this road sign in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, because a blizzard probably would not have done as much damage as the March 1976 ice storm that downed this power pole and the electric lines it carried.

JOSEPH W. JACKSON III, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
March 1976 ice storm cleanup

Mount Horeb High School students help clean up broken limbs on North 2nd Street.

ED STEIN, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
March 1976 ice storm fence

Icicles on a barbed-wire fence in the aftermath of the March 4, 1976, ice storm.

J.D. PATRICK, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
March 1976 ice storm power pole

Wires short out on a utility pole at 6209 Bridge Road in Monona, Wisconsin, during the ice storm of March 1976.

BRUCE FRITZ
March 1976 ice storm cars

Cars slide off the road during the Madison ice storm of March 1976.

BRUCE FRITZ
March 1976 ice storm fence

A fence along Wisconsin Highway 73 shows the aftermath of the ice storm of March 1976.

BRUCE FRITZ
March 1976 ice storm devastation

The March 1976 ice storm devastated the countryside between Cambridge and Stoughton in eastern Dane County, Wisconsin.

J.D. PATRICK, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
March 1976 ice storm front page

Front page of the Wisconsin State Journal from March 5, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm page

Page from the Wisconsin State Journal from March 6, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm front page

Front page of the Wisconsin State Journal from March 6, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm page

Page from the Wisconsin State Journal from March 6, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm cleanup

Mount Horeb High School students help clean up broken limbs on North 2nd Street.

ED STEIN, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
March 1976 ice storm fence

Icicles on a barbed-wire fence in the aftermath of the March 4, 1976, ice storm.

J.D. PATRICK, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
March 1976 ice storm front page

Front page of the Wisconsin State Journal from March 5, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm page

Page from the Wisconsin State Journal from March 6, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm front page

Front page of the Wisconsin State Journal from March 6, 1976.

March 1976 ice storm page

Page from the Wisconsin State Journal from March 6, 1976.

Locations

  • Wiscnews
  • Madison
Teryl.Franklin

Teryl Franklin

  • Author email

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