Jefferson County Historic Alliance - Jefferson County, Wisconsin

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T he towns of Aztalan, Lake Mills, Milford, and Cambridge make up a group of some of the oldest places in the county. The date of the founding of these towns go back to the very beginnings of the county.

Aztalan was founded in 1836 by Thomas Brayton, Jared F. Ostrander, Stephen Fletcher, and others. Prior to the arrival of white settlers, Native Americans of a culture far more advanced than that of the simple woodland tribes had built a stockaded village on the west side of the Crawfish River. The tribes had flourished there for perhaps 200 years before the arrival of European settlers. The town takes its name from this early tribe, which many believe was the founder of the Aztec culture in South America.

Situated at the junction of two well-traveled roads, Aztalan, it was felt, was destined for greatness. It quickly became the largest city in the county. But when the railroad passed it by, it became a virtual ghost town. Today, approximately 1,472 people live in the township.

Lake Mills also traces its roots to 1836, the year when Captain Joseph Keyes came to the area and laid claim to the lands that now encompass the city. Like many Wisconsin settlements, the towns early industries were related to agriculture, some of which gained national importance. In 1841, Ann Pickett started a small dairy cooperative, the first dairy cooperative in the United States. The Phillips family, which arrived in 1849, is credited with starting the first commercial creamery in Wisconsin. All of this happened in Lake Mills.

Diverse business enterprises and a love of fun have made Lake Mills a wonderful spot to live. With its lakeside parks, multiple boat landings, and public beaches, Lake Mills has remained a source of enjoyment in southeastern Wisconsin.

The towns of Milford and Cambridge have a long history. Milford, as its name implies, was noted for its mills and, at one time, had one of the largest in the county, the old Milford Mill with seven millstones. When this mill burned down in 1883, the town gradually lost businesses and citizens to nearby Lake Mills. Today, it is a small crossroads town.

Cambridge has always been noted for its location. Situated on scenic Lake Ripley, Cambridge has long been a popular vacation spot for tourists seeking to get away from it all. Among the many well-known residents of the village were Arthur Davidson, the co-founder of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company, and Ole Evinrude, the inventor of the first outboard motor. Today, Cambridge is still a popular tourist haven. It is home to several fine gift shops as well as the Rowe Pottery Works. There is something for everyone in Cambridge.

The old stockade at Aztalan is now located in Aztalan State Park. This village was first seen and claimed by Timothy Johnson, later founder of Watertown, and sold to Judge Nathaniel Hyer in 1836.

The Ancient Village site was originally a tribal village that housed two large pyramidal mounds, houses, and cornfields. The village was first seriously studied and surveyed by Increase Lapham, state geologist, in 1850.

Since the 1940s, there has been a serious effort on the part of individuals, such as the late Albert Kracht, seen here, to preserve the site of the ancient village. Kracht was the first curator and is shown with the Aztalan Historical Societys collection of Native American artifacts. In 1968, he was given a special award of merit from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin for his efforts in helping to preserve this rich archaeological site.

Once the town was founded, settlers began to flow in, and by 1837, the first post office in Aztalan was established. Nathaniel F. Hyer served as the first postmaster. This shows the post office as it looked in the 1890s.

The first Aztalan school, made of wood, stood in the south public square. It was later replaced by a brick building in 1850.

The Aztalan Baptist Church was built in 1852 with Milwaukee brick. It is the only remaining building left of pioneer Aztalan. Today, it serves as the Lake Mills-Aztalan Museum.

The interior of the Aztalan Baptist Church shows the simplicity of the settings.

The Ancient City House was Aztalans first hotel. It was built in 1840 to accommodate the ever-increasing flow of settlers. County judge Thomas Brayton also used the building from 1843 to 1846 to hear probate cases.