Brodhead, Wisconsin

In the extreme eastern portion of Green county lies the village of Brodhead - one of the most important business centers in the southern part of the State. It is beautifully located, on an undulating prairie, which extends eastward from the Sugar river. The civil town in which the village is located is one of the banner subdivisions of Green county. The Sugar river, which winds its course to the west of the village, furnishes excellent water privileges here, which have been utilized, and now comprise a valuable concomitant of the village in propelling a vast amount of machinery. The inhabitants here are almost wholly Americans - people from the New England and northern States, who have brought with them the culture and refinement of the eastern States, the absence of which, in some portions of the west, is so painfully apparent. Brodhead is by no means an old town, yet a quarter of a century and more has passed since its inception. Almost a generation has come and gone since Brodhead became a fixed fact. While there is nothing remarkable in the changes that have been wrought, there is a great deal to occupy the attention of the historian and attract the interest of the reader.

Passage source: History of Green County, Wisconsin, published 1884.

The plat of Brodhead covers all of section 25, and portions of sections 24 and 36, township 2 north, range 9 east. The Mineral Point branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway passes through the village from east to west, and a branch of that line of railway has been extended from this place to Albany. The Sugar river touches the northwest corner

Passage source: History of Green County, Wisconsin, published 1884.

Early in 1856 E. D. Clinton, agent for the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad, started west from Janesville to secure the right of way for the railroad through Green county, and also get subscriptions for stock. Arriving in the eastern part of the county, he went to Decatur to see what he could do in the way of "inducement" for the railroad. He received no encouragement there, however, neither as to right of way or taking stock. At that time Decatur was quite an important point. The stage road from Janesville to Monroe passed through the village, and this was the commercial center of all this country, there being a number of stores, a hotel, wagon, blacksmith, shoe and other shops, a postoffice, and all the concomitants of a healthy, thriving village. Here it was supposed the railroad must come, and the people of Decatur did not imagine that the railroad could afford to leave them in the cold. Deacon Clinton negotiated with them for some time, but could not arrive at anything satisfactory. He then visited several villages in this region, and held public meetings in many of the school houses. He finally arrived at the present site of Brodhead, and determined, if possible, to secure a site and right of way here. The owners of the land here - John L. Thomas, I. F. Mack and Erastus Smith - refused to donate right of way and depot grounds; but offered to sell three-fourths of the land, and proposed then that all the owners give their share. This was agreed to, and after negotiations closed and the bargain was completed the proprietors of Brodhead were: Edward Brodhead, of Milwaukee, then chief engineer of the railroad; E. D. Clinton, John P. Dixon, of Janesville, John L. McNair, I. F. Mack, Erastus Smith and John L. V. Thomas. The town proprietors donated the railroad company a right of way and depot grounds. The village was platted into lots and blocks by the railroad company's surveyor in 1856, the original plat occupying all of section 25; eight blocks on section 36, and four blocks on section 24, Since that time additions have been made by Mr. Pierce and J. P. Dixon on the north; E. D. Clinton on the south; and Day & West on the west.

Passage source: History of Green County, Wisconsin, published 1884.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Brodhead City - it names this place 67 more 67 times.