Roxbury, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Town of Roxbury
|
|
|---|---|
Town hall
|
|
Location of the Town of Roxbury in Dane County and the state of Wisconsin.
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Dane |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.9 sq mi (93.0 km2) |
| • Land | 34.6 sq mi (89.6 km2) |
| • Water | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,047 ft (319 m) |
| Population
(2000)
|
|
| • Total | 1,871 |
| • Density | 49.1/sq mi (19.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 608 |
| FIPS code | 55-69850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1584070 |
| Website | http://town.roxbury.wi.us/ |
The Town of Roxbury is a small community in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. In 2020, about 1,871 people lived there. You can find smaller communities like Alden Corners and Roxbury within the town. Part of Lutheran Hill is also in Roxbury.
Contents
Roxbury's Rich History
The Town of Roxbury has a very interesting past. Some people even call it "Dane County's most historic township."
Early Events and Battles
One of the earliest big events here was the Battle of Wisconsin Heights in 1832. This was a major fight during the Black Hawk War. The United States militia fought against the Sauk and Fox tribes, led by Black Hawk.
Black Hawk's group was being chased from Illinois. They decided to make a stand near the Wisconsin River, right where Roxbury is today. Even though many of Black Hawk's warriors were hurt, their brave fight allowed hundreds of women and children from the tribes to escape to the Mississippi River. This saved their lives.
The "City of Superior" Dream
Five years later, in 1837, a man named Charles Floyd had a big idea. He wanted to build an amazing city in the Midwest. Floyd bought a lot of land in Roxbury and planned out streets, public buildings, and parks. He called his dream city the "City of Superior."
He made maps and wrote exciting descriptions, sharing them in big cities like Chicago and New York. People bought land, even famous ones like Daniel Webster. But no one actually moved there. By 1842, only two people lived in the town. Floyd's grand plan didn't work out.
First Settlers and a Hungarian Nobleman
The next big step for Roxbury came from a settlement across the Wisconsin River, now called Sauk City. In 1840, a colorful nobleman from Hungary, Agoston Haraszthy, arrived in the United States. He bought a large piece of land where Sauk City is now.
Haraszthy also built a hunting lodge in Roxbury, on a hill overlooking the river. He was busy as a trader, hunter, and even grew grapes for wine. His activities brought attention to the area. He started a ferry service across the river, connecting Roxbury with Sauk City. In 1841, the ferry operators, Robert Richards and Jacob Fraelich, became the first settlers in Roxbury after Haraszthy.
Father Inama and German Immigrants
For a few years, no more settlers came. Then, in 1845, a missionary named Rev. Adelbert Inama arrived. He was from Austria and was very impressed with Roxbury.
Inama wrote to his leaders in Austria, praising the area. He said it was healthy and fertile, near the Wisconsin River, and close to Madison. He also noted it had good water routes to major cities.
Inama's strong promotion helped bring many immigrants, especially from Bavaria in Germany. Within two years of his arrival, 15 families had settled in Roxbury.
Building a Community and a Church
Because of his important work, Inama was known as "the Apostle of the Four Lakes Region." He started the first Catholic church in Dane County, right in Roxbury. In 1845, he built a small log chapel. Later, in 1853, a small brick church was built.
Inama also bought a lot of land, and some was given to him by Haraszthy. He set aside some land for the church and a school. The rest he sold to immigrants at a fair price. This stopped people from trying to trick the new arrivals into paying too much.
Forming the Town of Roxbury
As more and more settlers arrived, they wanted their own local government. In 1849, the area became separate from the Town of Dane. The Town of Roxbury was officially formed on March 21, 1849. Burke Fairchild was chosen as the town's first chairman.
When it came time to pick a name, there was a tie vote. Some wanted "Nelson" after Admiral Nelson, a hero to the chairman's English wife. Others wanted "Roxbury" after a town in New York where some settlers came from. The secretary cast the deciding vote, and "Roxbury" won!
At first, many settlers were from New England. But Inama's work brought many Germans. Soon, Germans made up most of the population. A small settlement called Alden's Corners grew in the southern part of the town. By 1875, Roxbury had 1,151 people.
The church built in 1853 became too small. So, a new one was built in 1857. This building is still the main part of the church today, though it has been made bigger over time. The church stands on a hill, looking over the small settlement below. It has a beautiful painting of St. Norbert.
St. Norbert's Church has always been the heart of the community. School was first held in the church basement. A separate school building was built in 1864. In 1879, a convent was built for the Dominican nuns who taught at the school.
The only settlement in the town is the small area around the church, also called Roxbury. It used to have a blacksmith, a garage, two stores, and a meat market. Now, only the church, the school (used for religious lessons), a restaurant, and a tavern remain. More houses have been built there since the 1970s.
German Language and Traditions
Because most people in Roxbury were German, the German language was spoken there for over 80 years, even into the 1930s! It's said that only the Kelly family couldn't speak German.
School classes at St. Norbert's were taught in German until 1905. After that, they were taught half in German and half in English. For many years, the church also followed a German tradition: men sat on one side, women on the other, married adults in the back, single adults in the middle, and children in the front. Locals still call the small settlement "the Dorf," which means village in German.
Looking to the Future
Roxbury is close to the city of Madison. This means people are thinking about how the town will grow. The town's plan for the future focuses on several things:
- Keeping farmland and farming as a way of life.
- Protecting nature and wildlife.
- Saving important historical and cultural places.
- Making sure new buildings fit in with the town's current look.
Roxbury's Geography
The Town of Roxbury covers about 35.9 square miles (93.0 km²). Most of this is land (34.6 square miles or 89.6 km²), and a small part is water (1.3 square miles or 3.4 km²).
The land in Roxbury is hilly. There are tall limestone cliffs in the west, next to the Wisconsin River. You can find small areas of open grassland (prairie) mixed with oak trees. In the north, there are a few small lakes, like Crystal Lake and Fish Lake. Springs, ponds, and creeks are also found throughout the area.
Besides the small settlement of Roxbury, most of the town is used for farming. There's even a vineyard in the northwest, overlooking the Wisconsin River. It's a successor to one started by Agoston Haraszthy long ago.
People of Roxbury (Demographics)
Based on the census of 2000, there were 1,700 people living in Roxbury. The town had about 49.1 people per square mile (19.0/km²). Most of the people (99.65%) were White.
There were 603 households. About 39.6% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (76.1%) were married couples living together.
The average age of people in Roxbury was 38 years old. About 28.4% of the population was under 18.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,463. This means half the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 3.9% of families and 5.4% of all people in Roxbury lived below the poverty line.
Getting Around (Transportation)
U.S. Highway 12 goes through the town, running from northwest to southeast. Wisconsin Highways 78 and 188 run alongside the Wisconsin River on the western side of the town.
Schools in Roxbury
Most of the Town of Roxbury is part of the Sauk Prairie School District. A small part in the southwest is in the Wisconsin Heights School District. The very northeast corner belongs to the Lodi School District.
See also
In Spanish: Roxbury (Wisconsin) para niños
