Beetown (community), Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beetown, Wisconsin
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![]() Looking north at Beetown from WIS 81
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Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
County | Grant |
Town | Beetown |
Elevation | 250 m (810 ft) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Area code(s) | 608 |
GNIS feature ID | 1561503 |
Beetown is a small place in Wisconsin, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community," which means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government. Beetown is located in Grant County, and a road called Wisconsin Highway 81 goes right through it.
A Look Back: Beetown's History
How Beetown Started
People first mapped out the area where Beetown is now around 1847 or 1848. By 1850, the community was doing very well. It even had three hotels!
However, two big events caused many people to leave. One was the California Gold Rush, which made people want to move west to find gold. The other was an outbreak of cholera, a serious illness that spread quickly. These events almost made Beetown empty.
The Story Behind the Name
Beetown got its unique name from an early settler named Cyrus Alexander. In 1827, he made an amazing discovery. He found a huge block of lead, weighing about 425 pounds (193 kg), hidden under a tree where bees lived.
He called his discovery "bee lead." Over time, this name stuck, and the community became known as Beetown.