Valley Junction, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valley Junction, Wisconsin
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Looking north along Wisconsin Highway 173 at Valley Junction, March 2012
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 Valley Junction, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Valley Junction, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Monroe |
| Elevation | 282 m (925 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 608 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1576019 |
Valley Junction is a small, quiet place in Wisconsin, United States. It's not a city or a town with its own government. Instead, it's an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that are part of a larger area, in this case, the Town of Byron in Monroe County.
You can find Valley Junction where three roads meet: Wisconsin Highway 173, Monroe County Trunk Highway G, and Monroe County Highway N.
A Look at Valley Junction
Valley Junction got its name because of its location. It sits in a valley where different roads and even train tracks meet. This "junction" was very important for travel and trade in the past.
How Valley Junction Got Its Name
The name "Valley Junction" makes a lot of sense! It comes from the fact that the community is located in a valley. Plus, it's a "junction" because several roads and, historically, two important railroad lines met there. The community even had its own post office with this name way back in 1900.
The Railroad History
Trains played a big role in Valley Junction's past. Two major railroad companies, the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway and the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway, had tracks that crossed right in the middle of the community.
- These two companies shared a special "joint station." This means they both used the same building for passengers and goods.
- Over time, things changed. The Milwaukee branch line, which ran between Tomah and Babcock, is no longer there.
- However, the Omaha line is still active today! It's now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. This line connects the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) with Milwaukee, showing how important Valley Junction once was for train travel.
