MADISON, Wis. — Leave it to the coronavirus pandemic to create a passionate one-of-a-kind 3D-printed pay-it-forward project.  

What You Need To Know

  • Ken Fager bought 3D printer and learned how to make mini state capitols, now called ‘Mini WI’s’
  • Fager uses his own capital and resources to print the happy-meal sized historic toys
  • He sets them out around the Downtown area for the community to find

Since February, one plastic historic Happy Meal-sized piece has been found in nooks and crannies all across the downtown square.  

"So I hope people dig in deeper to the history of Wisconsin and the Capitol, because of it," artist Ken Fager said.

After probably hundreds of prototypes, the talent created what is today known as the "Mini WI." 

"I would describe this project as a stimulus funded pandemic distraction," he said.

During the long winter months, Fager became bored, so he purchased a 3D printer. While passing one of his favorite little landmarks one day, he came up with a plan.

"At East Washington and Pinckney, there's two miniature capital models, and it struck me one day that oh, 'I could probably make something like that on my 3D printer,'" he said.

So the self taught "Tiny Capitol King" came up with the creation, using his own capitol. The best part, he makes them for his city, his community.

"I live down here, I see all the shuttered buildings and I wanted to give people a reason to come back to the Isthmus," Fager said.  "To get them out of the house to be like, hey, there's this art project going on there's this treasure hunt. Let's go, let's go do that."

It takes Fager about 90 minutes to bring one of the Mini WI's and they can only be found; they aren't for sale.

"I hope that when activity returns to normal on the Isthmus, that people will continue to search them out," he said.

You can learn more about when he plans to make his next drop here.