Mount Vernon, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Mount Vernon is an unincorporated community
in the town of Springdale
, Dane County
, Wisconsin
, United States
.
and 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Madison
. It occupies land on the eastern edge of Wisconsin's Driftless Area
, and is bordered on two sides by Donald Park, a 480 acres (1.9 km²) county park at the headwaters of the Sugar River
.
In 1847, the Britts family acquired 200 acres of land in the area and built a mill on the river. Having migrated from Virginia, the Britt family named their settlement Mount Vernon after Mount Vernon, Virginia. The village was platted in 1850. By 1852, there were 12 families living in Mount Vernon. The Hotel De Allen, which had a saloon and a stable, was built on the West side of the river.
In 1858, a grist mill was built on the river. Farmers from the region brought grain into town to have it milled and bought supplies from the general store. Men hauling lead from Western Wisconsin to Milwaukee often stayed in town as well.
In 1852, much of the Britts land and additional adjoining lands were acquired by Dr. Philander Byam and his two brothers, and Byam's Addition to Mount Vernon was platted. The Byams came to be infamous for their fraudulent business dealings. They sold to local farmers worthless "patent rights." They also sold village lots for exhorbitant prices to buyers in New York State using false and misleading sales materials. In one example, they showed a picture of Mount Vernon with a large settlement and a steamboat on the Sugar River. The river is actually only 15–20 feet wide and 1–2 feet deep in most areas.
On October 24, 1859, a group of approximately 70 residents held a meeting, and the group proceeded to Dr. Byam's residence to request his attendance at the meeting. Dr. Byam's wife falsely claimed that he was not at home, so the citizens began to tear down Dr. Byam's house until he eventually came outside. The group proceeded to the mill where a trial was held. The verdict was that the Byams were given the option to leave within 24 hours or to stay and be hanged. One of the Byam brothers was tarred and feathered. The Byams left town the next morning, but one of the brothers returned the next day for a load of hay. The townspeople spotted him and burned the hay wagon.
By 1880, the village had over 100 residents. Local businesses included two hotels with saloons, a leather goods and tanning shop, the general store, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, and a slaughter house.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in the town of Springdale
Springdale, Wisconsin
Springdale is a town in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,530 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Klevenville, Mount Vernon, and Riley are located in the town.-Geography:...
, Dane County
Dane County, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile . There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Geography
Mount Vernon is located 7 miles (11.3 km) south of Mount HorebMount Horeb, Wisconsin
Mount Horeb is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,009 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. It occupies land on the eastern edge of Wisconsin's Driftless Area
Coulee Region
The Driftless Area or Paleozoic Plateau is a region in the American Midwest noted mainly for its deeply carved river valleys. While primarily in southwestern Wisconsin, it includes areas of southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and extreme northwestern Illinois...
, and is bordered on two sides by Donald Park, a 480 acres (1.9 km²) county park at the headwaters of the Sugar River
Sugar River (Wisconsin)
The Sugar River is a tributary of the Pecatonica River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois.It rises in the hills of southwest Wisconsin, in southwest Dane County, approximately southwest of Madison. The headwaters are at the southern terminus of the last North...
.
History
The "Big Spring" on the Mount Vernon Creek branch of the Sugar River is located in what is now Donald Park. The "Big Spring" has been known since at least the 1800s and is one of the features that made Mount Vernon an attractive place for settlement. A cabin built near the "Big Spring" is currently the subject of an archaeological dig and dates from the 1840s. The cabin is believed to be the home of the George Patchin family who were the first Western settlers in the area after migrating from Ohio in 1846.In 1847, the Britts family acquired 200 acres of land in the area and built a mill on the river. Having migrated from Virginia, the Britt family named their settlement Mount Vernon after Mount Vernon, Virginia. The village was platted in 1850. By 1852, there were 12 families living in Mount Vernon. The Hotel De Allen, which had a saloon and a stable, was built on the West side of the river.
In 1858, a grist mill was built on the river. Farmers from the region brought grain into town to have it milled and bought supplies from the general store. Men hauling lead from Western Wisconsin to Milwaukee often stayed in town as well.
In 1852, much of the Britts land and additional adjoining lands were acquired by Dr. Philander Byam and his two brothers, and Byam's Addition to Mount Vernon was platted. The Byams came to be infamous for their fraudulent business dealings. They sold to local farmers worthless "patent rights." They also sold village lots for exhorbitant prices to buyers in New York State using false and misleading sales materials. In one example, they showed a picture of Mount Vernon with a large settlement and a steamboat on the Sugar River. The river is actually only 15–20 feet wide and 1–2 feet deep in most areas.
On October 24, 1859, a group of approximately 70 residents held a meeting, and the group proceeded to Dr. Byam's residence to request his attendance at the meeting. Dr. Byam's wife falsely claimed that he was not at home, so the citizens began to tear down Dr. Byam's house until he eventually came outside. The group proceeded to the mill where a trial was held. The verdict was that the Byams were given the option to leave within 24 hours or to stay and be hanged. One of the Byam brothers was tarred and feathered. The Byams left town the next morning, but one of the brothers returned the next day for a load of hay. The townspeople spotted him and burned the hay wagon.
By 1880, the village had over 100 residents. Local businesses included two hotels with saloons, a leather goods and tanning shop, the general store, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, and a slaughter house.
Notable people
- Herman DahleHerman DahleHerman Bjorn Dahle was a United States Congressman in the House of Representatives from Wisconsin.-Background:...
- U.S. Representative - Fred HaefligerFred HaefligerFred Haefliger served in the United States Marine Corps during World War I. He would receive the Distinguished Service Cross and Navy Cross.His Distinguished Service Cross citation reads:His Navy Cross citation reads:...
- highly-decorated U.S. Marine