Hidden Valleys of Southwestern Wisconsin

u
lafayette County u
with water and electricity for $15
per night. A dump station is a short
distance away. The campground is
within walking distance of village
pubs and restaurants. A bathroom and
shower facility are available.
In May there is a Ride for a
Reason Fundraiser, along with a
car show and dance. Gratiot fire
department fish boils are always the
last Saturday in April and the first
Saturday in November; and the annual
chicken barbecue is held the Monday
of Labor Day Weekend, along with a
great parade, music and ballgames.
St. Joseph Catholic Church has a
roast beef dinner the first Sunday of
October.
Gratiot is at the junction of the
Pecatonica and Wolf
rivers. Its train depot was one of
the largest in the area, serving the
bustling community that had three
hotels
and a thriving commercial district.
Volunteers are restoring the depot.
Other historic buildings have
found many new uses, including a
restaurant-hotel, pub and grill, and
specialty stores.
New Diggings
Nestled in the hills about five
miles southeast of Benton, is New
Diggings. If these hills could talk, they
would tell the story of the early miners
who flocked to the area making this
a small city in the early 1800’s. The
rise and fall of the mining industry
brought prosperity and then decline as
people moved, buildings and business
disappeared. Nevertheless, there are
remains of this rich history. At the
top of the hill is the only remaining
wood church of the two dozen that Fr.
Anton’s Saloon, LLC
“Home of the Macho Burger”
New Diggings, Wisconsin
(608) 965-4881 • digs98@mhtc.net
Mazzuchelli
designed and
had built. St.
Cheesefest
Augustine
Catholic
Church, built
in 1844,
stands without
alterations. It
still has the
altar, pews,
Stations of
the Cross,
and other
furnishings
that were
there when
Mazzuchelli served as pastor. A miracle attributed to him needs to be proven for
him to be named a saint, and, for some, the survival of St. Augustine Church is
a miracle in itself. Is it divine providence that a wooden church could stand 160
years? The Meneely bell in the steeple, forged in 1847, not only called people to
Mass, but also signaled the end of the work day in the mining community.
In contrast, at the foot of the hill, a busy bar and a thriving saloon greet
visitors, many arriving on motorcycles. Anton’s Saloon serves Macho Burgers next
to a round oak wood stove, often with live music for entertainment. Antiques adorn
the walls and with a little imagination, you might glimpse a bit of an early miner’s
life. In summer, visitors can relax in an outdoor beer garden out back. Special
“Taco Thursdays” brings carloads of people from the tri-state area.
Shullsburg
Welcome to Shullsburg, Wisconsin’s oldest Irish community and third oldest
city. Shullsburg is rich in history, architecture, and commerce.
Fur traders first traversed the area as early as 1815. Locations of rich lead
deposits were made known to Jesse Shull in the summer of 1826 at present day
Shullsburg. A great “Lead Rush” immediately followed. Lead and zinc mining
continued for 150 years.
The “architecture” of the first 1826 prospectors consisted of crudely covered
holes dug in the ground. These prospectors were appropriately called badgers
after the small ornery animals that lived in dug-out burrows. Impressive
rock structures by Cornish and Irish immigrants sprang up in the 1830s and ‘40s.
Brick was the popular choice by the 1880s. Many of the buildings from the 1830s
on are still in use. Styles include Federal, Greek Revival, Romanesque, Gothic,
Italianate, Victorian, and many very interesting vernacular types.
The first commerce in the area was fur trapping and hunting, followed by lead
mining. Mercantile and professional endeavors soon followed. Shullsburg started as
a true wild-west prospecting town.
Shullsburg is proud of its Nationally
Registered Historic Water Street
Business District. Forty-four buildings
are listed on the National Register. Many
are restored and occupied by thriving
businesses. Thirty unique specialty shops
in 12 buildings, several restaurants and
pubs, historic inns for lodging make
your visit memorable. Enjoy great
meals and drinks. Shop for antiques,
furniture, accessories, jewelry and more.
Shullsburg is the home of Shullsburg
Cheese, a local brand and time honored
tradition since 1934, now marketed
throughout the country.
Featuring:
Dunbarton Blue TM
A handcrafted artisan
cheddar blue cheese.
100% natural with no
artificial hormones or
ingredients. Shelf cured.
Order online at:
roellicheese.com
A Family
Tradition
of Making
Handcrafted
Specialty
Cheeses for
Nearly 100 Years!
Visit our artisan cheese factory and sample from a
wide variety of delicious, Wisconsin made cheeses.
Watch cheese being made from our new
viewing room. Call ahead for schedule.
15982 State Road 11, Shullsburg, WI 53586
Just a few miles east of Shullsburg, corner of Hwy. 11 & 23
(608) 965-3779
email: roellicheese@hotmail.com
lafayette County
Hidden Valleys u www.hiddenvalleys.com u
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