First Capitol Historic Site (Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Capitol
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The museum in 2013
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | N of Belmont off U.S. 151 |
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| Nearest city | Belmont, Wisconsin |
| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000036 |
| Added to NRHP | April 28, 1970 |
The First Capitol Historic Site is a cool museum you can visit for free! It's located just outside Belmont, Wisconsin, in the United States. This special place has two of the very first buildings used by lawmakers when Wisconsin was just a territory.
Today, the Wisconsin Historical Society owns and takes care of the site. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical landmark.
Contents
Wisconsin's Early Days
Before 1836, the land we now call Wisconsin was part of Michigan Territory. But in 1836, Michigan became its own state. So, the U.S. Congress created the Wisconsin Territory. This new territory was huge! It included parts of what are now Minnesota, Iowa, and even the eastern Dakotas.
Back then, not many people lived here. The total population was only about 22,000. For example, Milwaukee had fewer than 2,000 people. And Madison was just wooded hills and swamps! A man named James Duane Doty and some friends had just bought that land. They hoped to build a city there one day.
Choosing a Capital City
The new territory needed a place for its leaders to meet. This meeting place would be the "capital" city. Some people who bought and sold land, called speculators, saw this as a chance to get rich. They thought if the capital was built on their land, it would become very valuable.
One of these speculators was John Atchison. He was a businessman from Galena, Illinois. In 1835, he planned out the village of Belmont, Wisconsin. In 1836, he started building four public buildings there. He hoped these buildings would convince lawmakers to choose Belmont as the capital. These buildings included a council house for meetings, a lodging house for lawmakers to stay, a house for the governor, and a courthouse.
On September 9, 1836, Governor Henry Dodge announced that Belmont would be the temporary capital. This meant Atchison's council house became the very first capitol building! Belmont was likely chosen because it was in Wisconsin's lead mining area. This was the most populated part of the territory at the time.
First Legislative Session
The first meeting of Wisconsin's territorial legislature began in Belmont on October 25, 1836. Soon after, Governor Dodge gave a speech. He explained that the lawmakers needed to create a government system. They also had to choose a permanent capital city.
The lawmakers didn't really like Belmont as a capital. The lodging house was small and crowded. None of the buildings had heat or running water! Many cities wanted to be the capital, like Burlington, Cassville, Fond du Lac, and Madison.
James Doty, who owned the land for "Madison City," worked hard to convince the lawmakers. He even brought buffalo robes to keep the freezing lawmakers warm! After much discussion, the legislature decided to move the capital. First, they would go to Burlington for a year. Then, they would move permanently to Doty's "Madison City" once buildings were ready.
While debating the capital, the lawmakers also set up the new government. They approved 42 new laws. These laws organized Wisconsin's government and created a court system. They also established several new counties. The legislature never met in Belmont again. They met in Burlington until the new capitol in Madison was finished. In 1838, Burlington became part of Iowa Territory. This made the legislature move to Madison even sooner than planned.
What Happened Next
As Madison grew into a city, the village of Belmont slowly became less important. Many people who had moved to Belmont left for Madison. Still, Belmont survived. In 1867, most residents moved about three miles southeast. This means the First Capitol building is now three miles northwest of the current town of Belmont.
After the government left, the capitol building and other structures were used as homes. Later, they became barns for animals. People even took pieces of the building as souvenirs!
In 1910, the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs started a project to fix up the old council house. They finished restoring it in 1924. Later, the lodging house was also restored in 1956. It had been moved and used as a home by Chief Justice Charles Dunn. But it was brought back to its original spot.
These two restored buildings became the First Capitol Historic Site. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources first managed the site. Then, in 1994, the Wisconsin Historical Society took over. They are now in charge of running the museum.
See also
