Wisconsin, town by town

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Every Wisconsin Square, A to Z

Appleton, Wisconsin · since 1847 The Appleton Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin · since 1979 The Ashwaubenon Square Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 Beaver Dam, Wisconsin · since 1841 The Beaver Dam Square Home of the Golden Beavers Step inside Photo: Downspec, CC BY-SA 4.0 Bellevue, Wisconsin · since 1850 The Bellevue Square Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 Beloit, Wisconsin · since 1836 The Beloit Square Step inside Photo: Jason Dean, CC BY 2.0 Brookfield, Wisconsin · since 1836 The Brookfield Square Step inside Photo: Porterhse, CC BY-SA 3.0 Caledonia, Wisconsin · since 1842 The Caledonia Square Step inside Photo: Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0 Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin · since 1838 The Chippewa Falls Square Step inside Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 Cudahy, Wisconsin · since 1892 The Cudahy Square Step inside Photo: David Wilson (davidwilson1949), CC BY 2.0 De Pere, Wisconsin · since 1857 The De Pere Square Step inside Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Public domain Eau Claire, Wisconsin · since 1845 The Eau Claire Square Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 Fitchburg, Wisconsin · since 1847 The Fitchburg Square Step inside Photo: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 Fond du Lac, Wisconsin · since 1836 The Fond du Lac Square Home of the Cardinals Step inside Photo: Cmarsch, CC0 Franklin, Wisconsin · since 1839 The Franklin Square Home of the Sabers Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Germantown, Wisconsin · since 1842 The Germantown Square Home of the Warhawks Step inside Photo: Shawn Conrad, CC BY-SA 3.0 Glendale, Wisconsin · since 1950 The Glendale Square Home of the Knights Step inside Photo: Freekee, CC0 Green Bay, Wisconsin · since 1764 The Green Bay Square Step inside Photo: Jeff the quiet, CC0 Greendale, Wisconsin · since 1938 The Greendale Square Step inside Photo: TheCatalyst31, CC0 Greenfield, Wisconsin · since 1839 The Greenfield Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Hartford, Wisconsin · since 1844 The Hartford Square Step inside Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 4.0 Howard, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Howard Square Step inside Photo: TheCatalyst31, CC0 Hudson, Wisconsin · since 1840 The Hudson Square Step inside Photo: 123dieinafire (talk), CC BY 3.0 Janesville, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Janesville Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Kaukauna, Wisconsin · since 1793 The Kaukauna Square Home of the Galloping Ghosts Step inside Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0 Kenosha, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Kenosha Square Step inside Photo: Lord Laitinen, CC0 La Crosse, Wisconsin · since 1842 The La Crosse Square Step inside Photo: Jmlax, CC0 Manitowoc, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Manitowoc Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Marshfield, Wisconsin · since 1872 The Marshfield Square Home of the Tigers Step inside Photo: Jeff the quiet, CC0 Menasha, Wisconsin · since 1848 The Menasha Square Step inside Photo: Arnmhs, CC BY-SA 4.0 Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin · since 1836 The Menomonee Falls Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Menomonie, Wisconsin · since 1830 The Menomonie Square Home of the Mustangs Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 Mequon, Wisconsin · since 1957 The Mequon Square Step inside Photo: Freekee, Public domain Middleton, Wisconsin · since 1848 The Middleton Square Home of the Cardinals Step inside Photo: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Mount Pleasant Square Step inside Photo: Alinghi3, CC BY-SA 3.0 Muskego, Wisconsin · since 1964 The Muskego Square Step inside Photo: Aaron Volkening, CC BY 2.0 Neenah, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Neenah Square Step inside Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0 New Berlin, Wisconsin · since 1840 The New Berlin Square Step inside Photo: Bahrsoap, CC BY-SA 4.0 Oak Creek, Wisconsin · since 1840 The Oak Creek Square Home of the Knights Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 Oconomowoc, Wisconsin · since 1837 The Oconomowoc Square Home of the Raccoons Step inside Photo: MeropeRiddle, CC BY-SA 3.0 Onalaska, Wisconsin · since 1851 The Onalaska Square Home of the Hilltoppers Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 Oshkosh, Wisconsin · since 1818 The Oshkosh Square Step inside Photo: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 Pewaukee, Wisconsin · since 1840 The Pewaukee Square Step inside Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0 Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Pleasant Prairie Square Step inside Photo: Garrison Point, CC BY-SA 4.0 Racine, Wisconsin · since 1834 The Racine Square Step inside Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0 River Falls, Wisconsin · since 1848 The River Falls Square Step inside Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 Sheboygan, Wisconsin · since 1846 The Sheboygan Square Step inside Photo: AsherHeimermann, CC BY-SA 4.0 South Milwaukee, Wisconsin · since 1891 The South Milwaukee Square Home of the Rockets Step inside Photo: Freekee, Public domain Stevens Point, Wisconsin · since 1847 The Stevens Point Square Home of the Panthers Step inside Photo: Jeff the quiet, CC0 Sun Prairie, Wisconsin · since 1839 The Sun Prairie Square Step inside Photo: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 Superior, Wisconsin · since 1854 The Superior Square Step inside Photo: Randen Pederson, CC BY 2.0 Verona, Wisconsin · since 1921 The Verona Square Home of the Wildcats Step inside Photo: TheCatalyst31, CC0 Watertown, Wisconsin · since 1836 The Watertown Square Home of the Goslings Step inside Photo: I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:, CC BY-SA 3.0 Waukesha, Wisconsin · since 1834 The Waukesha Square Step inside Photo: TheCatalyst31, CC0 Waunakee, Wisconsin · since 1871 The Waunakee Square Home of the Warriors Step inside Photo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 Wausau, Wisconsin · since 1840 The Wausau Square Step inside Photo: WI-Photos, CC0 Wauwatosa, Wisconsin · since 1835 The Wauwatosa Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 West Allis, Wisconsin · since 1902 The West Allis Square Step inside Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 West Bend, Wisconsin · since 1845 The West Bend Square Step inside Photo: Jimmy Emerson, CC BY 2.0 Weston, Wisconsin · since 1856 The Weston Square Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin · since 1892 The Whitefish Bay Square Home of the Blue Dukes Step inside Photo: Gnome70, CC BY-SA 4.0 Whitewater, Wisconsin · since 1840 The Whitewater Square Home of the Whippets Step inside Photo: I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:, CC BY-SA 3.0 Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin · since 1838 The Wisconsin Rapids Square Step inside Photo: Wikideas1, CC0

Made in Wisconsin

Wisconsin firsts

• 1850s
  The first kindergarten Watertown

  Margarethe Schurz began teaching her daughter and a few neighbor children through games and songs, and Watertown parents asked her to open a class. It is called the first kindergarten in the U.S., and it was taught in German. Source

• 1868
  The first typewriter that sold Milwaukee

  Printer Christopher Sholes and his partners worked on a writing machine in a Milwaukee machine shop, and their "Type-Writer" got its patent in 1868. It became the first typewriter to sell well, and its key layout led to today's QWERTY keyboard. Source

• 1881
  The ice cream sundae Two Rivers

  Two Rivers says the sundae was born in 1881 at Ed Berners' soda fountain, when a customer asked for chocolate syrup on his ice cream. A few other towns claim it too. Source

• 1882
  Early hydroelectric power Appleton

  On September 30, 1882, the Vulcan Street Plant on the Fox River in Appleton started up as the first Edison hydroelectric central station. Source

• 1884
  The Ringling Brothers circus Baraboo

  The Ringling Brothers set out from Baraboo on their first circus tour in 1884, and the town was their winter home until 1918. Circus World Museum sits there today. Source

• 1885
  The first Flag Day Waubeka

  Teacher Bernard Cigrand held the first known formal Flag Day at the Stony Hill School near Waubeka in 1885. The school has been restored. Source

• 1885
  Hamburger Charlie Seymour

  Seymour claims the hamburger: the story goes that 15-year-old Charlie Nagreen put a meatball between two slices of bread at the 1885 Seymour Fair so people could eat while they walked. Source

• 1885
  Colby cheese Colby

  Colby cheese was first made in Colby in 1885 and named for the town. It is a soft, mild orange cheese, moister than cheddar. Source

• 1911
  Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin Spring Green

  Architect Frank Lloyd Wright began building his home and studio, Taliesin, near Spring Green in 1911. It became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. Source

• 1960
  The giant muskie Hayward

  Hayward is home to the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, founded in 1960, and its 143-foot fish sculpture, the biggest muskie sculpture in the world. Source