BlockFrom the record
One of 12 National Register listings published here for Vernon County · listed in 2003 · category: District.
Sources: the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Viroqua Downtown Historic District
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
The listing
- Address. Main St., roughly bounded by W. Court, E. Jefferson and the odd numbered 200 blk of S. Main St., Viroqua, 54665
- When was it listed? July 2003
- Category. district
- City. Viroqua city
- National Register reference number. 03000669 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.
The ground it stands on
15,470 wordsThe chapter on Viroqua City in History of Vernon County, Wisconsin .., published 1884 names Viroqua. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.
The town of Viroqua embraces all of congressional township 13, range 4 west, the two northern tiers of sections, and sections 13,14, 23 and 24 of township 12, range 4 west. It is bounded on the north by the town of Christiana; on the east by Webster and Liberty ; on the south by Kickapoo and Franklin ; and on the west by Franklin and Jefferson. The surface of this town is generally broken and hilly yet it contains some of the finest agricultural lands in the county. The eastern and northeastern parts of the town are made up of rolling prairie, interspersed, here and there, with small gi'oves. The balance of the town was originally covered with heavy timber; but much, if not the greater part of this, has been cleared away by the thrifty and enterprising settlers, and there are now valuable farms in all parts of the town.
Passage source: History of Vernon County, Wisconsin .., published 1884.
Clemmetson, C. A. Morterud, Anders Jenson Peder Halvorson, Edward Theige, Nils T. Nilson, Lars Hovde and Ole G. Hanson, trustees. The Metliodist Episcopal society was organized in 1854, by the Reverend Bishop, with twenty-two members. Philip Adams was class leader. The memhersliip was afterwards increased to sixty. A log church was erected in 1860, on section 22, which is still in use. The Church is not at present in a very flourishing condition, as many of the members have gone elsewhere, while others attend Church at Viroqua. The following are among the pastors who have filled the pulpit for the society at different times: Revs. Bishop, Purdun, Cooley, Fitch and Hartshorn.
Passage source: History of Vernon 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 Viroqua City - 15,470 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.
Fires near this property
11 since 2018Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 11 fires within 5 miles of Viroqua Downtown Historic District between 2018 and 2020, burning about 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18180 |
| 5 July 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 19144 |
| 13 May 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 20079 |
| 12 May 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 20073 |
| 26 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 18053 |
| 30 March 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 19063 |
| 17 March 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 20041 |
| 17 March 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | 20042 |
Mines and quarries near this property
7 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Viroqua Downtown Historic District: 3 producers, 3 past producers, 1 unknown. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Stone. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Own Crews | Stone | Unknown | ||
| Brooksville Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Cook Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Ellefson Brothers Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Liberty Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Newton Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Rumdee Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Storms near this property
52 since 1995Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Viroqua, the town this property stands in, in 52 storm reports between 1995 and 2021: 27 thunderstorm wind, 15 hail, 6 heavy rain, 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2007 | Flood | Viroqua | $3,500,000 | Flooding continued along many creeks, streams and rivers. Law enforcement officials reported numerous roads and bridges were either washed out or still under water. All or portions of highways still closed included Highway 35 from Stoddard northward, as well as Highway 131 from Viola to La Farge and from the intersection of Highway 56 and 82 to Viola. |
| June 1998 | Hail | Viroqua | $40,000 | no account filed |
| August 1997 | Hail | Viroqua | $40,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $35,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $30,000 | no account filed |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Flash Flood | Viroqua | $12,000 | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $7,500 | no account filed |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $5,000 | The roof of a metal building was damaged from wind gusts. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $5,000 | Several trees were blown down in and around Viroqua. Numerous power lines were also downed. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $4,000 | Buildings and trees were damaged along County Road SS southeast of Viroqua. Another shed near Viroqua was also damaged. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $3,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down in Viroqua. The automated weather observing equipment at the airport on the north side of town, measured a wind gust of 54 mph. However, radar data indicates a small corridor of stronger winds went across the western sections of the city. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $2,500 | Law enforcement reported trees blown down from Viroqua to near Hillsboro. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $2,500 | Trees and power lines blown down. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $2,500 | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $2,000 | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $2,000 | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $1,500 | Power lines were knocked down by thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| July 2006 | Hail | Viroqua | $1,500 | no account filed |
| August 2006 | Hail | Viroqua | $1,500 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Viroqua | $1,250 | no account filed |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $1,000 | A large tree was blown down in Viroqua. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $1,000 | A couple of trees were blown down in Viroqua. |
| June 2011 | Flash Flood | Viroqua | $1,000 | State Highway 56 was closed east of Viroqua due to flash flooding along Cook Creek. The flooding turned parts of the road into a lake and moved a log onto the road. |
| July 2006 | Hail | Viroqua | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | $500 | no account filed |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | - | The automated weather observing equipment at the Viroqua airport measured a 69 mph wind gust. |
| September 2018 | Heavy Rain | Viroqua | - | The COOP observer in Viroqua measured 2.81 inches of rain. |
| September 2016 | Heavy Rain | Viroqua | - | Just southeast of Viroqua, 5.6 inches of rain fell. |
| December 2015 | Heavy Rain | Viroqua | - | Over a two day period, 6.27 inches of rain fell. Other totals from around the county included 6.14 inches in Viroqua, 4.27 inches near Westby, and 4.26 inches at Readstown. |
| April 2015 | Hail | Viroqua | - | Quarter sized hail fell in Viroqua. |
| June 2014 | Heavy Rain | Viroqua | - | The automated weather observing equipment at the Viroqua airport measured 3.72 inches of rain. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Viroqua | - | Up to quarter sized hail was reported in Viroqua. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Viroqua | - | Golf ball sized hail fell just south of Viroqua along U.S. Highway 14. |
| April 2013 | Heavy Rain | Viroqua | - | The COOP observer near Viroqua reported 2.76 inches of rain. |
| June 2011 | Flood | Viroqua | - | Slow moving thunderstorms produced locally heavy rain that created some flooded intersections in Viroqua. |
| June 2011 | Heavy Rain | Viroqua | - | A total of 5.32 inches of rain fell in the 24 hour period. |
| July 2013 | Hail | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Hail | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Hail | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| August 1998 | Hail | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Hail | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Viroqua | - | no account filed |
Map coverage status
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Listed places nearby
6 within 8 milesOther National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Masonic Temple Building | 0.1 miles | 2000 |
| Vernon County Courthouse | 0.2 miles | 1980 | |
 | Bekkedal Leaf Tobacco Warehouse | 0.3 miles | 2003 |
| Vernon County Normal School | 0.3 miles | 2011 | |
| Bert and Mary Cunningham Round Barn | 1.1 miles | 2014 | |
 | Norwegian Evangelic Lutheran Church and Cemetery | 5.3 miles | 1986 |
Sources for this property
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 03000669 in Record Group 79. |
| Vernon County | All 12 listed properties in this county. |
Provenance
- Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
- Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
- How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
- 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.