National Register of Historic Places listings in Vernon County, Wisconsin facts for kids

Location of Vernon County in Wisconsin

Hey there, future historians! Did you know that all across the United States, there are special places that are super important to our country's history? These places are listed on something called the National Register of Historic Places. It's like a hall of fame for buildings, sites, and objects that tell amazing stories about the past.

In Vernon County, Wisconsin, we have 24 of these cool historic spots! They include old barns, ancient Native American sites, and important buildings. Let's explore some of them and see what makes them so special.

Amazing Old Barns

Vernon County is famous for its unique round barns. These aren't your typical rectangular barns! They were built in a circle, which was thought to be more efficient for farming back in the day.

George Apfel Round Barn

• Location: Clinton area
• When it was listed: 2006
• What it is: This awesome round dairy barn was built in 1914 by George Apfel and his neighbors. It has a special cupola on top for air and a 12-foot silo right in the middle!

Bert and Mary Cunningham Round Barn

• Location: Viroqua area
• When it was listed: 2014
• What it is: Another fantastic round barn, this one has walls made of clay tiles and a tile silo in the center. It was designed so cows could be on the lower floor and hay could be stored above. It might have been built by Alga Shivers, who was known for building many round barns in this area.

George and Mable Harris Round Barn

• Location: Forest area
• When it was listed: 2017
• What it is: This round barn is still in great shape! It has a wooden silo in the middle and was also built by Alga Shivers, back in 1906.

Ancient Sites and Rock Art

Vernon County is home to many ancient sites that tell us about the people who lived here thousands of years ago. Some of these places have amazing rock carvings!

Archeological Site No. 47 VE-881

• Location: Sterling area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1993
• What it is: Also known as Baumgartner Mound, this is an important archaeological site. Its exact location is kept secret to protect it.

B. Lawrence Site I

• Location: Rockton area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1975
• What it is: This is a prehistoric village site, meaning it was once a place where ancient people lived. Its location is also protected.

Cade Archeological District

• Location: Newton area
• When it was listed: 1988
• What it is: This district includes rock shelters and special mounds shaped like animals, called effigy mounds. You can find mounds shaped like a bear, a panther, a turtle, two birds, and two long, linear mounds here.

Hanson Petroglyphs

• Location: Viola area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1974
• What it is: These are carvings, called petroglyphs, of bird figures etched into a sandstone wall. They are located on a ridge high above the Kickapoo River.

Larson Cave

• Location: Westby area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1988
• What it is: This shallow cave contains petroglyphs of stick-like human figures and other interesting shapes.

Markee Site

• Location: Rockton area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1975
• What it is: This site was an early campsite from the Archaic period, a very long time ago!

Tollackson Mound Group

• Location: Harmony area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1997
• What it is: This is a group of 11 effigy mounds, shaped like birds and mammals. They are located on a hillside above a stream and were likely built during the late Woodland period.

Upper Kickapoo Valley Prehistoric Archeological District

• Location: La Farge area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1999
• What it is: This huge district has more than 450 ancient sites! They date back as far as 10,000 BC. These sites include rock shelters, burial mounds, petroglyphs, and old campsites.

Viola Rockshelter (47 Ve 640)

• Location: Kickapoo Center area (Address Restricted)
• When it was listed: 1987
• What it is: This rock shelter is in a ravine along the Kickapoo River. It has petroglyphs that might show a boat and a tepee, but we don't know exactly when they were made.

Important Buildings and Structures

Vernon County also has many historic buildings that show us how people lived, worked, and gathered in the past.

Bekkedal Leaf Tobacco Warehouse

• Location: 504 E. Decker, Viroqua
• When it was listed: 2003
• What it is: This brick warehouse was built in 1906 for Martin Bekkedal, who was the biggest tobacco seller in the area back then. It was later bought by a tobacco co-op.

Charles Lord House

• Location: 113 South Street, Ontario
• When it was listed: 1998
• What it is: This beautiful home was built in 1912 for Charles Lord, who was a photographer and grew ginseng (a special plant). It's designed in a style called Neoclassical architecture.

Masonic Temple Building (Viroqua, Wisconsin)

• Location: 116 S. Main St., Viroqua
• When it was listed: 2000
• What it is: This two-story cream-brick building was built between 1921 and 1922. The second floor was used by a Masonic lodge, and the first floor had a theater and shops to earn money. It's a great example of Classical Revival style architecture.

Norwegian Evangelic Lutheran Church and Cemetery

• Location: Coon Prairie and E. Coon Prairie Rds., Westby
• When it was listed: 1986
• What it is: This stunning rural Lutheran church has two tall 80-foot towers! It was built from 1909 to 1910 in the Gothic Revival style. Imagine how grand it looked when it was finished!

Nils Skumsrud House

• Location: Southeast of the junction of SR 162 and U.S. 14/61, Coon Valley
• When it was listed: 1990
• What it is: This small, one-room log cabin was built in 1853 by Nils Skumsrud, an immigrant from Norway. It's the oldest known house still standing in Vernon County and is now part of a place called Norskedalen.

Vernon County Courthouse (Viroqua, Wisconsin)

• Location: N. Dunlap Ave., Viroqua
• When it was listed: 1980
• What it is: This impressive two-story limestone courthouse was built in 1880. It has a tall three-story tower and belfry, designed in a style called High Victorian Gothic. Inside, you can see cool murals, including one showing settlers arriving in Vernon County long ago.

Vernon County Normal School

• Location: 410 S. Center Ave., Viroqua
• When it was listed: 2011
• What it is: This three-story building was built in 1919. It was a school where nearly 2,000 teachers were trained before it closed in 1972. Today, it's home to the Vernon County Museum!

Viroqua Downtown Historic District

• Location: Main St., Viroqua
• When it was listed: 2003
• What it is: This district includes many of Viroqua's old commercial buildings. It's like stepping back in time to see how the town's businesses looked. Some buildings include the Casson-Purdy Block (1882), the Fortney Hotel (1899), and the Masonic Temple/Theatre (1921).