Founded in 1846, the Wisconsin Historical Society is the oldest historical society in the United States to benefit from continuous state funding. In fact, state officials began supporting the Society almost immediately after statehood in 1848. The Society occupied space in campus buildings of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but by the 1890s, the society's collections demanded a permanent home. The state legislature approved the construction of the Society's current building in 1895, hiring the Milwaukee architectural firm Ferry and Clas. Completed in 1900, this historic building has served as the headquarters of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the home to the state's history library and archives for the past century. Both are open to the public and together they represent the most significant collection of material on Wisconsin history.
Originally named the Elvehjem Art Center in 1978, this museum has been known as the Chazen Museum of Art since 2011 and is located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The museum expanded to a second building in recent decades and now includes over 20,000 works in its collection. Visitors can tour the permanent gallery along with seasonal and temporary exhibits.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox was a poet known for her sentimental verses on varying themes of love and passion. She was born on November 5, 1850 in Johnstown Center, WI, and died on October 30, 1919. Throughout her lifetime Ella published over twenty volumes of poetry and fiction and was widely published in local and national newspapers and magazines. Ella is most known for her line, “Laugh and the world laughs with you, Weep and you weep alone,” which she wrote while visiting the Judge Arthur B. Braley family at their house in Madison, WI.
This house was built in 1856 and served as the executive mansion for seventeen governors of the state of Wisconsin from 1885 to 1950. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Constructed of locally-quarried sandstone, this house was originally built for Catherine and Julius T. White, Secretary of the Wisconsin Insurance Company. The Whites sold the house in 1857 to one of Madison's first settlers, George P. Delaplaine and his wife, Emily. George Delaplaine was secretary to Governors Farwell and Dewey. He was also the co-owner of one of the largest real estate development firms in the city. In 1867 the house rose to greater social prominence when it was purchased by State Senator J. G. Thorpe, a millionaire lumber baron, and his wife, Amelia. In 1870, the Thorpe's young daughter, Sarah, married Ole Bull, the world-famous 60-year-old Norwegian violinist in one of the most lavish weddings the town had ever seen. Governor Jeremiah Rusk acquired the house in 1883 and sold it to the State of Wisconsin two years later.
Gates of Heaven Synagogue, located on the southern corner of James Madison Park, is the eighth oldest extant synagogue in the country. It was designed by German-born Madison architect August Kutzbock in the Rundbogenstil style (a type of architecture combining the Byzantine, Romanesque, and Renaissance styles; this was common in Germany during the 19th century) and built in 1863. For many years the Congregation Shaarei Shamayim worshipped here. Various churches and businesses, including a veterinarian clinic and funeral home, also used the building. The synagogue was moved here from its original location in 1971 to save it from demolition. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places a year earlier. Currently, it is used for weddings, social gatherings, concerts, and for Jewish prayer and worship services.
In 1919, members of several women's suffrage associations held a series of rallies at this precise location. For example, several hundred students joined the University of Wisconsin Suffrage Association in 1919 and held a series of protests in front of the state capitol in April. These rallies, along with many previous years of effort, led the state legislature of Wisconsin to become the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment on June 10, 1919.
Built between 1906 and 1917, the Wisconsin State Capitol is the location of the state's seat of government, housing the Office of the Governor, the state Supreme Court, and both chambers of the state legislature. Designed by famed architect George Post, the Capitol is a beautiful example of Renaissance Revival architecture as interpreted through the Beaux-Arts style. The building is 284.5 feet tall, including the large statue erected on top of the dome created by celebrated artist Daniel Chester French who also created the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The Capitol is the third since the state was granted statehood 1848 (two served as territorial capitols). The dome is notable not only for its large size but also for the fact that is the largest granite dome in the world and the only granite capitol dome in the country. The Capitol is also significant for its association with the progressive political movement of the early 20th century, as championed by Governor Robert La Follette (1900-1906) and his sons, which profoundly impacted state and national politics. All of these factors led to the Capitol to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001.
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum has been a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2013 and offers exhibits and programs that interpret the role of Wisconsin veterans in shaping the nation’s history. Stories of Wisconsin veterans from the Civil War through the present day are intended to educate and inspire guests to learn more of the state's military history at this museum which offers free admission to the public. Highlights of the museum include a Civil War cannon captured at the Battle of Shiloh, letters written by a World War I army nurse, and the option to listen to oral history interviews with local veterans of World War II. The museum also includes an exhibit that includes the Medal of Honor which was posthumously awarded to a local soldier in the Korean War, a Huey helicopter that flew missions in Vietnam, a Cold War era submarine periscope, and exhibits dedicated to the service of Wisconsin women and men in modern military conflicts.
Operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, this museum has exhibits on three floors that explore Wisconsin as well as national history. The exhibits are divided into several areas: politics, frontier life, immigration, manufacturing and agriculture, and Native American cultures. Visitors will see the numerous artifacts on display, full-scale dioramas, a created ancient Native American house, audiovisuals, and interactive multimedia. The museum also features special seasonal and thematic displays, public programs and special tours, and a museum bookstore.
Built in 1926 by Rapp and Rapp, The Orpheum Theater in Madison, Wisconsin has been one of the most popular venues in the state of Wisconsin for nearly a century. Located in the heart of the city, on the iconic State Street, The Orpheum is well-known venue for hosting a wide variety of entertainment. Events held at The Orpheum mostly consists of concerts, plays, and stand-up comedy shows.
Hotel Washington was constructed in 1885 and spent most of the 20th century as an economy apartment complex that included a variety of diners, bars, and nightclubs on the street level. The building was home to two different gay bars during the 70s through the 90s. the structure was destroyed by fire in 1996 and was not rebuilt. The site is now home to Kelley's Market
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This walking tour of Madison includes several museums including the Chazen Museum of Art and landmarks related to the history of Wisconsin and its capital city. The tour begins at the Wisconsin Historical Society and concludes at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Enjoy our city and our history!
