The Madison guide book, Madison, Wisconsin - Surrounded by Reality

J. THE CITY OF MADISON.September 14,1848, was appropriately named WisconsianaPeck. The first school-house stood on the northeastcorner of S. Pinckney and E. Dayton streets, on thespot now occupied by Dr. Lyman's home. Becomingcrowded, a broad shelf reached by a ladder was placedacross one end of the room for the little pupils. DavidA. Wright, still living in Madison, taught this school in1844. The legislature first met here November 26, 1838.A hotel was put up and a newspaper started that year.A church was built in 1846. It still stands on S. Websterstreet. Tiie telegraph came in 1848. A grand eventwas the arrival of the first railroad train. Twenty-fivehundred people came in thirty-tw^o coaches; fire companiesfrom Milwaukee rode on flat-cars; there w^as agrand procession, with dinner and speeches in the park.The University of Wisconsin was opened in February,1848, in the building of the Female academy — wdierethe High School now stands. This was a preparatorycourse. The college courses date from 1850.Madison became a city March 4, 1856. Its growthhas been slow but substantial. In 1855 Dr. Lyman C.Draper said: "We now have a population of 6,800; byi860 we shall number 20,000." But the tide of immigrationpassed to Milwaukee, St. Paul and other places.Dr. Draper's prophecy did not come true for half a centur\\The folio w^ing figures show the city's growth:1837, population 3