Edgerton, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edgerton, Wisconsin
City
Fulton Street in downtown Edgerton
Motto(s):  "Tobacco City U.S.A."
Location of Edgerton in Rock County, Wisconsin.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Counties	Rock, Dane
Area
• Total	4.16 sq mi (10.78 km2)
• Land	4.16 sq mi (10.77 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	817 ft (249 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,945
• Density	1,429.4/sq mi (551.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code	53534
Area code(s)	608
FIPS code	55-22575
GNIS feature ID	1564443
Website	www.cityofedgerton.com

Edgerton is a city located in the state of Wisconsin, in the United States. Most of the city is in Rock County, with a small part in Dane County. In 2020, about 5,945 people lived there.

Edgerton is often called "Tobacco City U.S.A." This nickname comes from the fact that growing tobacco was very important to the area's economy for a long time. Even today, Edgerton remains a center for the tobacco industry, though it is not as big as it once was.

History of Edgerton

Originally, Edgerton was known as Fulton Station. It was later named after either Elisha W. Edgerton, a businessman from the 1800s, or his brother Benjamin Hyde Edgerton, who was a civil engineer.

Tobacco Industry in Edgerton

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Edgerton was the main hub for the tobacco industry in southern Wisconsin. At one point, there were as many as 52 tobacco warehouses in the city. These warehouses stored the tobacco grown in the region.

You can still see signs of this wealthy past. Many beautiful Queen Anne style mansions stand along Washington Street. These homes show how rich and important some of the tobacco merchants used to be. A hotel called the Carlton Hotel, built in the 1890s, was also a reminder of the tobacco industry's influence. Tobacco buyers and sellers often stayed there.

Tobacco warehouse in Edgerton

The Edgerton Bible Case

In 1886, a legal case started in Edgerton that became very important for schools across the country. Catholic parents in the town were unhappy that the King James Bible was read in public schools. They believed the Douay version was the correct one.

The school board said that Catholic children could just ignore the readings or wait in another room. But the parents felt this went against the Wisconsin Constitution, which said public schools should not teach religious lessons.

The first court sided with the school board. However, the parents took their case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. On March 18, 1890, the Supreme Court decided that reading the Bible in public schools was indeed a religious lesson. This meant it illegally mixed church and state.

This case, known as the Edgerton Bible Case, was later used as an example by Justice William Brennan in 1963. This was when the U.S. Supreme Court decided to ban prayer from public schools nationwide.

Geography and Nature

Edgerton covers an area of about 4.14 square miles (10.72 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.

The city is very close to Lake Koshkonong, which is just a five-minute drive away. Lake Koshkonong is the third largest lake in Wisconsin. Even though it's not very deep, it's a great place for water sports. People enjoy water skiing, tubing, and fishing on the lake. The Rock River flows into Lake Koshkonong and continues all the way to the Mississippi River.

Population and People

The population of Edgerton has grown steadily over the years. In 1880, there were 869 people, and by 2020, the population had reached 5,945.

In 2020, the city had about 2,587 homes. Most residents were White, with smaller groups of Black, Asian, Native American, and other races. About 5.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, the average age of people in Edgerton was 35.7 years old. About 26% of the residents were under 18, and 12.7% were 65 or older.

Arts and Culture in Edgerton

Yearly Events

Edgerton celebrates its history with an annual event called Tobacco Days. This community festival includes many fun activities. You can enjoy live music, delicious food, and family entertainment. There's also a craft fair, an outdoor market, and demonstrations about the area's history. You can even find citywide rummage sales, a softball tournament, and a car show.

Another important event is the Sterling North Book and Film Festival. This festival happens every year in late September. It brings together authors and filmmakers with the community.

Places to Visit

• The Sterling North Home and Museum is the house where famous authors Sterling North and Jessica Nelson North MacDonald grew up. Sterling North's most well-known book, Rascal, was set in Edgerton. He often called the town "Brailsford Junction" in his books.

• The Pomeroy and Pelton Tobacco Warehouse is a historic building. It is also known as the T. W. Dickinson & Son Tobacco Warehouse. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest brick tobacco warehouse in Wisconsin that still stands on its own.

• Edgerton is also known for its connection to Pauline Jacobus. She was an artist who created beautiful pottery. Pauline and her husband, Oscar Jacobus, started making artistic pottery in Chicago in the 1880s. They later moved their business to Edgerton. Even after challenges, Pauline continued to make pottery in Edgerton. Her unique "Pauline Pottery" is now highly valued and displayed in art galleries around the world. A log cabin from her old property and the factory where she first made her pottery in Edgerton are still standing.

Notable People from Edgerton

See also

In Spanish: Edgerton (Wisconsin) para niños