BlockDarlington, Wisconsin
12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1902 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Darlington City. It lies in ZIP code area 53530. It stands on Vinegar Branch. The Survey maps it on the Darlington quadrangle. 2,462 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 869 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Darlington
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 4 records
Lafayette County Courthouselisted 1978
Main Street Historic Districtlisted 1994- Darlington Carnegie Free Librarylisted 2022
- Welty, Daniel and Catherine Barnlisted 2024
Population over time
2 figuresDarlington grew from 2,451 to 2,462 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,451 | |
| 2020 | 2,462 | +11 (+0%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 12 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1902 USGS Mineral Point quadrangle1:125000, 4 printings
- 1959 USGS Dubuque quadrangle1:250000
- 1961 USGS Dubuque quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Darlington quadrangle1:24000
- 1962 USGS Dubuque quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1976 USGS Dubuque quadrangle1:250000
- 1984 USGS Dubuque North quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
In the county-history sources
105,727 words on this townshipHistory of Lafayette County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources; an Extensive and Minute Sketch of Its Cities, Towns and Villages ... Its War Record, Biographical Sketches ... the Whole Preceded by a History of Wisconsin, Statistics of the State, and an Abstract of Its Laws and Constitution, and of the Constitution of the United States, published 1881 names this settlement in its chapter on Darlington City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
Lieut. Richard H. Magoon, we here state, was a man of greatest energy and integrity in business ; repeatedly, from 1829 to 1836, rode on horseback from his furnaces in Wisconsin, four hundred miles, to St. Louis, through storm and cold, swimming rivers, the saddle at night his pillow, and often the sky his only covering. His grave is in the cemetery at Darlington. He had his faults, but, looking back upon his forty-seven years all crowded with business in the mines, he could have made the honest boast, that, although cast amid the license of a new country, he never visited a gaming-table, never deserted a needy friend, never liked a negro, intensely despised the lazy, invincibly kept his word of honor-bright, and his contracts to others always at par with gold.
The arrivals in other townships were necessarily limited, immigration being mostly confined to sections of the county wherein ore could be obtained in paying quantities. Fortunatus Berry settled near Gratiot's Grove, in White Oak Springs ; Col. William Hamilton, son of Alexander Hamilton, in Wiota Township, and engaged in mining and smelting, erecting the first furnace in the county, save the furnaces built by the Gratiots. This settlement was known as " Hamilton's Fort." Hamilton also platted a village, which he named Wiota, hoping to induce settlements and hasten improvements ; Jameson Hamilton began the building up of Darlington ; George Skellinger came to Gratiot's Grove ; Richard H. Magoon began smelting in Monticello, and afterward built and operated other furnaces in White Oak Springs ; Samuel Scales, Capt. Frank and Mr. Deering began the settlement of White Oak Springs. These were aided in their labors by the willing brawn and " pat " advice of those who also came during the same year, notably, James and John Woods, William, Thomas and Augustus Chilton, Andrew Clarno, Hugh McGeary, Anthony Miller, Crawford Million, Mathew Colvin, Col. James Collins, Jerry Adams, A. V. Hastings, Conrad Lichtenberger, George Lott, John Atchinson, Anson G. Phelps, David Southwick, Sample Journey, Frank Washburne, H. H. Gear, George and Marvin Watson, John Shultz, George F. Smith, John Williams, and others throughout various portions of the county, who exchanged the courtesies of pioneer life and united in acts of pioneer safety in Belmont, Kendall, Wayne, Argyle and elsewhere, though their names and the current of their lives have become obscured with the lapse of years. Added to these was a colony of immigrants, who came hither from Selkirk, a primitive settlement on the Red River of the North, This colony was made up, in part, of Antoine Bane, Joseph Varien, Peter Gorey, the Breckler and Rendsburger families, Gabriel Gorke and others, who established themselves near Gratiot's Grove, where they engaged in mining and smelting.
One bright morning the twain disappeared from the scenes that had witnessed her trials and subsequent triumph, and, sailing out of the port of St. Louis, left the brutal Gaul in ignorance of the turn affairs had taken. They reached Galena in due course, and, continuing their journey, finally halted at a point on what is now known as Ames' Branch, about three miles from Darlington, near the present farm of John Mathews, where a home was erected and she became one of two women who first settled in the county north of Gratiot's Grove.
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 Darlington City - it names this place 107 more 107 times.
Fires near this place
9 since 2018Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 9 fires within 5 miles of Darlington between 2018 and 2020, burning about 24 acres in total. None started naturally. None 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 |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 6 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18033 |
| 30 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18032 |
| 24 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 15 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18026 |
| 23 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18024 |
| 21 April 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 20019 |
| 3 November 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 20062 |
| 15 November 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18086 |
| 14 November 2019 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 19085 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 11 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Darlington: 6 past producers, 2 occurrences, 2 unknowns, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Zinc, Lead, Copper. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed Copper Prospect Along Ame | Copper | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Copper Prospect Along Ame | Copper | Occurrence | ||
| Jackson Mine | Lead, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| M.C. Mine | Zinc, Lead | Unknown | Sphalerite | |
| Southwestern Wisconsin Mine | Zinc, Lead | Unknown | Sphalerite | |
| Als Trucking Co. Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Carey Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Lancaster Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Lange Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Otto Jean Kelly Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
44 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Darlington in 44 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 18 thunderstorm wind, 14 hail, 6 flood, 4 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2006 | Hail | Darlington | $2,380,000 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Darlington | $462,160 | Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding from the Darlington area to Yellowstone Lake State Park. Water depths on road surfaces reached 3 feet or more and there were gravel washouts. Home damage totaled about $200 thousand. Business damage totaled about $100 thousand. Crop losses totaled about $300 thousand. Public sector damage totaled about $162,160. There were several roads and bridges that sustained damage. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $400,000 | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Darlington | $100,000 | Flash flooding occurred in scattered locations between the northwest side of Darlington to the extreme northeast corner of Lafayette County. Just northwest of Darlington, a road was closed due to fast flowing water covering the road to a depth of 1 to 2 feet. Just east of Blanchardville, CTH H was closed due to fast-flowing water covering that road to a depth of 1 to 2 feet. Some mudslides, soil erosion, and crop losses were also noted. At least 20 homes had some water damage to basement contents. WSR-88D Doppler overnight rainfall estimates ranged from around 2 inches over the southern part of the county to 5 to 6 inches over the northern half. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $20,000 | no account filed |
| February 2018 | Flood | Darlington | $10,000 | The Pecatonica River near Darlington crested at 15.30 ft., which is moderate flood stage. Highways 23 and 81 are flooded and closed in Darlington, as is a good part of Main Street. This includes the highway 23 bridge. The Lafayette County Fairgrounds are flooded. In addition, there is flooding in Calamine, Wisconsin, about 5 miles upstream of Darlington. Also, northwest of South Wayne, portions of Sargent Rd. and Larson Rd. are closed due to high water. |
| October 2018 | Flood | Darlington | $10,000 | The Pecatonica River at Darlington reached moderate flood stage, cresting at 15.42 ft. the late morning of October 3rd. Highways 23 and 81 are flooded and closed in Darlington as is a good part of Main Street. The Lafayette County Fairgrounds are flooded. There is flooding in Calamine about 5 miles upstream of Darlington. Flooding of agricultural land and lowland is prevalent. |
| October 2018 | Flood | Darlington | $10,000 | The Pecatonica River at Darlington reached moderate flood stage, cresting at 15.42 ft. the late morning of October 3rd. Highways 23 and 81 are flooded and closed in Darlington as is a good part of Main Street. The Lafayette County Fairgrounds are flooded. There is flooding in Calamine about 5 miles upstream of Darlington. Flooding of agricultural land and lowland is prevalent. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $10,000 | Law enforcement reported trees and power lines were blown down by severe thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (64 mph). |
| June 1997 | Lightning | Darlington | $10,000 | Lightning struck a home's roof, igniting a fire that damaged the roof and attice areas. In addition, there was water and smoke damage to the upper portion of the home. |
| September 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $8,000 | A few trees and branches down in the Darlington area. One tree fell on a vehicle. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $5,000 | Tree limbs and power lines down on the south side of Darlington. Also a blown transformer. |
| July 2017 | Flood | Darlington | $5,000 | The Pecatonica River near Darlington crested at 15.35 ft. which is moderate flood stage. There is flooding in Calamine, Wisconsin, about 5 miles upstream of Darlington. Highways 23 and 81 are flooded and closed in Darlington as is a good part of Main Street. This includes the highway 23 bridge. The Lafayette County Fairgrounds are flooded. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $5,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down by damaging thunderstorm wind gusts that a school mesonet site recorded at 61 mph (53 knots). |
| June 2002 | Flash Flood | Darlington | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $3,000 | Several trees and branches down including power lines. |
| September 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $2,000 | Several trees and large branches down. |
| October 2018 | Flood | Darlington | $2,000 | The Pecatonica River at Darlington reached minor flood stage, cresting at 13.95 ft. the late evening of October 11th. Floodwaters cover a portion of Main Street in Darlington. A part of the Lafayette County Fairgrounds is flooded. Agricultural and lowland flooding is prevalent. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $2,000 | Law enforcement officials reported trees were blown down by damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (65 mph) 7 miles northeast of Darlington. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $1,000 | Scattered tree damage. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | $1,000 | A tree down blocking highway 23 in Darlington and additional tree damage in a nearby yard. |
| September 2019 | Flood | Darlington | $1,000 | The Pecatonica River at Darlington reached minor flood stage, cresting at 14.31 feet during the early afternoon of September 14th. Floodwaters cover a portion of Main Street in Darlington. A part of the Lafayette County Fairgrounds is flooded as well as agricultural land in the area. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines blown down in Darlington by damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 56 knots (65 mph). |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | Law enforcement reported trees down 1 mile north of Darlington. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | Emergency management officials reported tree and crop damage due to severe thunderstorm wind gusts in a 100-yard wide swath. |
| March 2005 | Hail | Darlington | - | Ground covered white. Roads had to be plowed. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| April 2023 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| July 2023 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| April 2020 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| March 2005 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| March 2005 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Flash Flood | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| November 2003 | Heavy Rain | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | no account filed |
| April 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Darlington | - | no account filed |
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.
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 Darlington | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1013696 | The 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 1563718. 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.