Helena, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helena, Wisconsin
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Houses on Helena Road
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 Helena, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Helena, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Iowa |
| Town | Arena |
| Elevation | 217 m (712 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 608 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1566276 |
Helena is a small, unincorporated community in the town of Arena in Iowa County, Wisconsin. An unincorporated community is a place that is not officially part of a city or town. In the 1800s, Helena was a busy village. It was very important for making and shipping lead shot, which was used in guns. The buildings in Helena also played a key role during the Black Hawk War in 1832, even though they were empty at the time.
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History of Helena
Helena has actually been in three different spots over time, always near the Wisconsin River.
First Location: A Lead Mining Port
The very first village of Helena was started by Henry Dodge. He chose a spot on the river that was good for shipping lead. This lead was found in nearby areas like Dodgeville and Mineral Point. In 1831, a businessman named Daniel Whitney decided to build a shot tower nearby. A shot tower is a tall building used to make lead shot by dropping melted lead from the top.
Helena and the Black Hawk War
In 1832, most people left Helena to join groups fighting in the Black Hawk War. This war was between the United States and Native American tribes led by Black Hawk. After a battle, Black Hawk and his allies crossed the Wisconsin River. To follow them, the U.S. army, led by Henry Atkinson, marched about 15 miles (24 km) to Helena. They arrived on July 26, 1832. The soldiers tore down many of Helena's empty buildings to build rafts. About 1,300 soldiers were ferried across the river from Helena over the next two days. They eventually caught up with Black Hawk's group and ended the war.
Second Location: Growth and Decline
After the war, Daniel Whitney and his company moved the village of Helena a few miles northeast. It was now right next to their Helena Shot Tower. More settlers came, and the village grew. Helena was at its busiest and most successful in the mid-1850s.
However, a bridge was built across the river further upstream. Because of this, the railroad was built through Spring Green instead of Helena. This meant Helena missed out on the benefits of the railroad. Then, a big economic problem called the Panic of 1857 made things even worse for Helena's economy.
Third Location: A Smaller Community
The town was moved again, about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the northeast, so it could be along the new rail line. But Helena did not grow much in this new spot. By the mid-1860s, Helena had only about 50 people living there.
Helena Today
Today, you can still see parts of Helena's second location inside Tower Hill State Park. This includes a rebuilt version of the old shot tower. The Old Helena Cemetery is also located across the road from the park.
Notable People from Helena
Owen King was a lumber dealer from Helena. He served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 1870s. The State Assembly is a part of the state government that makes laws. Owen King was first a member of the Reform Party and later joined the Greenback Party.
