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Cassville, Wisconsin

16 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1900 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Cassville town. It lies in ZIP code area 53806. It stands on Furnace Branch. The Survey maps it on the Cassville quadrangle. 402 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 955 feet above sea level.

Cassville within Grant County

On record in Cassville

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 16 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

10,167 words on this township

History of Grant County, Wisconsin, published 1881 names this settlement in its chapter on Cassville Town. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

The first mention made of the present site of Cassville is by Mr. Shaw, a boatman on the Mississippi, who stopped at this point to bargain for a freight of lead ore on his trips down the river between 1816 and 1820. It would seem from this that there were habitations here at that time of French and Indians, but, as Shaw was obliged to go to Fever River for his lading, the probabilities are equally strong that no mining that could be dignified by the name was done here at that time. The next few years the place was undoubtedly deserted, as Mr. Thomas Hymer, as related by Mr. James Grushong, stopped at Cassville for some time in 1824, on his return from a trip to tho Selkirk Settlement, occupying a deserted cabin, there being no other occupants there at that time. The first signs of settlement came in 1827. Mr. Orris McCartney in his recollections, says : The first furnace was built at Cassville by Judge Sawyer ; Tom G. Hawley built the first house at the same time. The next link in the chain of evidence is furnished by Mr. Levi Gilbert, who came to Cassville in 1827, and states that Judge Sawyer erected his furnace that year, and " was to give a free Fourth of July dinner, but hearing of Indian troubles decamped July 3." These statements place the probable date of settlement in that year.

Passage source: History of Grant County, Wisconsin, published 1881.

The following year quite a number of new ones came in, among them Orris McCartney and Alexander Ramsay ; Henry Hodges and Thomas Shanley are also reported as coming this year. Those who came, however, did not remain long at this time with the exception of Mr. Ramsey. Between this date and 1831, but very little is known of the young settlement. In the lastnamed year, Maj. Glendower M. Price arrived at the little settlement with his young bride, and bringing with him an extensive line of goods, with which he opened the first store in Cassville, in a building on the bank of the river standing on the present site of Grimm's warehouse. The log dwelling house of Maj. Price stood on the ground now occupied by Geyer's warehouse, while between them stood afterward the "block-house" that served as a place of refuge for so many early settlers during the troubles of 1832.

Passage source: History of Grant County, Wisconsin, published 1881.

Among those who came about this time were Col. Landers, Mr. Rich Ray and William W. Weyman. Ray had entered or pre-empted the southwest quarter of Section 20. Col. Landers had a claim at the mouth of the hollow. Maj. Price, after his coming had pre-empted and entered Section 29. The most of the above-named had gone away by 1836, which date marked the first " boom " felt by Cassville. As has been stated elsewhere, Southwestern Wisconsin had, at this time, " great expectations" in regard to securing the capital of the territory within its borders, making each little burg for the time being a center of interest and a prominent factor in the solution of the new problem. Added to this was an era of speculation the like of which has not since, nor is it likely ever will be, seen in this country. Under these circumstances, a. partnership or company organization was formed between several Albany and New York gentlemen, who purchased the Ray and Price pre-emptions, with the exception of three lots reserved by the latter where his store and dwelling stood, and commenced the village of Gassville.

Passage source: History of Grant County, Wisconsin, published 1881.

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 Cassville Town - it names this place 27 more 27 times.

Fires near this place

7 since 2008

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 7 fires within 5 miles of Cassville between 2008 and 2018, burning about 201 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined6
Arson/incendiarism1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
1 May 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined7.0 acresMcGregor District, Upper Mississippi River ComplexTURKEY BOTTOMS
28 April 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined165 acresPort Louisa National Wildlife RefugeTURKEY RIVER
16 April 2008Arson/incendiarism8.5 acresMcGregor District, Upper Mississippi River ComplexTURKEY RIVER ARSON
4 March 2009Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
23 March 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresMcGregor District, Upper Mississippi River ComplexTURKEY RIVER BOTTOMS WF
19 March 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resources37649 ORANGE AVE, GUTTENBERG, IA
27 February 2016Missing data/not specified/undetermined13 acresMcGregor District, Upper Mississippi River ComplexTURKEY RIVER BOTTOMS WILDFIRE

Every fire recorded in Grant County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 12 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 12 workings within 5 miles of Cassville: 11 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Lead, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Phosphorus-Phosphates, Zinc. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Buena Vista MinesLead, ZincPast Producer
Cassville PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
North Buena Vista SubdistrictLead, ZincPast ProducerMISSISSIPPI VALLEY-TYPE LEAD-ZINC
QuarryPhosphorus-PhosphatesPast Producer
Julius Wiest QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Kickbush QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Schlitche QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Schmidt QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Burtletts DiggingsLeadPast Producer
Lunders DiggingsLeadPast Producer

Every working recorded in Grant County

Storms near this place

25 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Cassville in 25 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 12 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 flood. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2006Thunderstorm WindCassville1 killed, $1,000no account filed
June 2008Flash FloodCassville$6,500,000A major flash flood hit Grant County during the afternoon of June 12th impacting the communities of Lancaster, Potosi, Tennyson, Ellenboro, and other rural areas. Numerous rescues were performed from people trapped in cars, especially in the Potosi area where terrain enhanced the runoff from repeat thunderstorms. Several homes on Hippie Hollow Road in Potosi Township were destroyed along with damage to as many as 600 homes elsewhere in the region. Many highways and county roads suffered flood damage including major bridge and road infrastructure.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindCassville$200,000Trees, power lines and a barn were blown down in Cassville. A hangar at the municipal airport was damaged and a fabric covered plane that was inside the hangar was damaged extensively. Downed trees briefly blocked the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks. Hundreds of trees were reported to have been blown down across town and several homes near the airport were damaged by the fallen trees.
June 2008FloodCassville$175,000Flooding continued in many areas of southwest Wisconsin during the evening of June 12th, especially on the Platte and Grant Rivers where rises of 4 feet an hour were reported. About 50 locations on Grant County roads were closed at one point due to flood waters and damage to infrastructure. Emergency Operation Centers and shelters were opened. A state of emergency was declared for the county.
July 2017Flash FloodCassville$35,000Runoff from heavy rains caused a rockslide to occur along County Road VV and a washout of another road near Cassville.
May 2000HailCassville$8,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindCassville$5,000no account filed
July 2012Thunderstorm WindCassville$3,000A few trees and power lines were blown down in Cassville.
April 2006HailCassville$3,000no account filed
April 1997Thunderstorm WindCassville$3,000no account filed
May 2017Thunderstorm WindCassville$2,000Trees were blown down in Cassville from an estimated 60 mph wind gust.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindCassville$1,000A large tree was blown down in Nelson Dewey State Park.
April 2006HailCassville$800no account filed
April 2006HailCassville$750no account filed
June 2008Thunderstorm WindCassville$500no account filed
May 2024HailCassville-Emergency Management reported nickel sized hail near Cassville.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindCassville-An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred in Cassville.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindCassville-An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred in Cassville.
March 2017HailCassville-no account filed
April 2015HailCassville-no account filed
April 2008Thunderstorm WindCassville-no account filed
July 2007HailCassville-no account filed
May 2001HailCassville-no account filed
July 1995Thunderstorm WindCassville-no account filed
April 1994HailCassville-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Grant County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Diamond Grove6.6 miles16
North Andover7.1 miles16
McCartney7.7 miles16
Beetown7.9 miles16
Glen Haven8.8 miles13
Burton9.2 miles16
Flora Fountain11.4 miles16
Five Points11.9 miles16

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on CassvilleAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q174179The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1562783. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.