Today, you will find the Village of Deerfield in eastern Dane County, by traveling south on state highway 73 from I-94 or county highway BB, or north from highways 12-18. It is nestled among drumlins -- uncommon glacial hills, which have a steep slope on one end and a gradual slope on the other; the gradual slopes all face sourthwesterly, the direction in which the last glacier was traveling 15,000 years ago.
An area where the 9-feet, 5-ton, mastodons once roamed. In the late 1960's, several mastodons were unearthed on a couple farms located less than two miles northwest of Deerfield. They had been preserved for 10,000 years just 9 feet below the surface of the bog -- 5 feet below the water level -- protected from bacteria, frost, and sunlight.
It can easily be speculated that many ancient peoples traveled through or hunted this area. Aztalan is only 15 miles north-east of Deerfield; Astalan was a fort, a trading area, and a religious site for several cultures over the centuries. Some scientists are looking for pyramids in Rock Lake. However, I am writing about Deerfield, and I have already wandered over into Jefferson County.
About 100 years ago, Deerfield packed up and moved about two miles to its present location. The original settlement had been located on county highway BB, which was the old stage route from Milwaukee to Madison -- part of the Watertown Plank Road. It had been settled by Norwegians and Irish, and later by Germans. Changes in transportation, created survival problems for this community, when the stage coach service stopped in 1864 and when the St. Paul Railroad came through Marshall. However, the final shove came, when Alexander Nelson saw his opportunity and offered the Milwaukee/Madison railroad some 20 acres of land for a dollar and caused the railroad to run two miles south of Deerfield.
So in 1882, the railroad came to Deerfield Station or Deerfield Depot as the settlement was first called. President Grover Cleveland rode through on the train in 1887. Numerous passenger and freight trains passed through Deerfield over the years -- many used them for commuter trains to work in nearby London, which is located on the county line between Jefferson and Dane. But the train whistles are heard no more and a slower form of transportation occurs as people bike or walk the Glacial Drumlin Trail.
The first election of Village of Deerfield officers was held on June 11, 1891. There were 58 registered voters out of a population of 375. The wet versus dry liquor licensing question in the 1890's drew violent disagreements. Local citizens lined up as pro-license or anti-license, with accusations flying from both sides. In 1892, a vote was dead-locked following the resignation of an anti-license member, leaving the pro-license clerk to break the tie. The ordinance stated that where liquor licenses are granted, forbidden are card playing, billiard tables, pool tables, throwing of dice or games whatever kind. Saloons must close at 10 p.m. Temperance returned a year later, forcing people to travel to the wet-town of London.
Horse racing was popular in the 1890's and Deerfield built its own half-mile track, with barns and a grandstand. Admission was a quarter, with ladies and children admitted free. In addition to harness racing, running and bicycle races were also held.
By the late 1890's, the village population grew to 600 and had a diverse business community. There were three blacksmiths, a livery, a harness shop, two hardware stores, a furniture store, two shoe stores, a drug store, six dry goods and grocery stores, a butcher shop, two tailors, three barbers, a mill and feed shop, a lumberyard, a bank, and two temperance saloons. There was an Opera Hall and the Hotel Robinson.
The biggest risk to businesses was fire. The business district had burned in 1888 and was rebuilt. In 1895, the Deerfield House Hotel was destroyed. That same year water works were installed and the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department was created. A couple years later the village board voted to erect the first fire station to store the hose carts. Insurance seldom covered the cost of rebuilding businesses and gradually the use of wood was replaced by brick.
The Village population is now over 1600. The hitching posts are gone, the temperance saloons have been replaced by taverns, and the almost 100-year-old water main has been replaced on Main Street. A few years ago, the village and town formed a fire commission, and built a new fire station for our volunteers. Many descendants of the original Norwegians and Germans live in the Village and Town of Deerfield. On June 7, 8, and 9 of 1991, the Village of Deerfield will have a centennial celebration for "the Village That Moved".
An area where the 9-feet, 5-ton, mastodons once roamed. In the late 1960's, several mastodons were unearthed on a couple farms located less than two miles northwest of Deerfield. They had been preserved for 10,000 years just 9 feet below the surface of the bog -- 5 feet below the water level -- protected from bacteria, frost, and sunlight.
It can easily be speculated that many ancient peoples traveled through or hunted this area. Aztalan is only 15 miles north-east of Deerfield; Astalan was a fort, a trading area, and a religious site for several cultures over the centuries. Some scientists are looking for pyramids in Rock Lake. However, I am writing about Deerfield, and I have already wandered over into Jefferson County.
About 100 years ago, Deerfield packed up and moved about two miles to its present location. The original settlement had been located on county highway BB, which was the old stage route from Milwaukee to Madison -- part of the Watertown Plank Road. It had been settled by Norwegians and Irish, and later by Germans. Changes in transportation, created survival problems for this community, when the stage coach service stopped in 1864 and when the St. Paul Railroad came through Marshall. However, the final shove came, when Alexander Nelson saw his opportunity and offered the Milwaukee/Madison railroad some 20 acres of land for a dollar and caused the railroad to run two miles south of Deerfield.
So in 1882, the railroad came to Deerfield Station or Deerfield Depot as the settlement was first called. President Grover Cleveland rode through on the train in 1887. Numerous passenger and freight trains passed through Deerfield over the years -- many used them for commuter trains to work in nearby London, which is located on the county line between Jefferson and Dane. But the train whistles are heard no more and a slower form of transportation occurs as people bike or walk the Glacial Drumlin Trail.
The first election of Village of Deerfield officers was held on June 11, 1891. There were 58 registered voters out of a population of 375. The wet versus dry liquor licensing question in the 1890's drew violent disagreements. Local citizens lined up as pro-license or anti-license, with accusations flying from both sides. In 1892, a vote was dead-locked following the resignation of an anti-license member, leaving the pro-license clerk to break the tie. The ordinance stated that where liquor licenses are granted, forbidden are card playing, billiard tables, pool tables, throwing of dice or games whatever kind. Saloons must close at 10 p.m. Temperance returned a year later, forcing people to travel to the wet-town of London.
Horse racing was popular in the 1890's and Deerfield built its own half-mile track, with barns and a grandstand. Admission was a quarter, with ladies and children admitted free. In addition to harness racing, running and bicycle races were also held.
By the late 1890's, the village population grew to 600 and had a diverse business community. There were three blacksmiths, a livery, a harness shop, two hardware stores, a furniture store, two shoe stores, a drug store, six dry goods and grocery stores, a butcher shop, two tailors, three barbers, a mill and feed shop, a lumberyard, a bank, and two temperance saloons. There was an Opera Hall and the Hotel Robinson.
The biggest risk to businesses was fire. The business district had burned in 1888 and was rebuilt. In 1895, the Deerfield House Hotel was destroyed. That same year water works were installed and the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department was created. A couple years later the village board voted to erect the first fire station to store the hose carts. Insurance seldom covered the cost of rebuilding businesses and gradually the use of wood was replaced by brick.
The Village population is now over 1600. The hitching posts are gone, the temperance saloons have been replaced by taverns, and the almost 100-year-old water main has been replaced on Main Street. A few years ago, the village and town formed a fire commission, and built a new fire station for our volunteers. Many descendants of the original Norwegians and Germans live in the Village and Town of Deerfield. On June 7, 8, and 9 of 1991, the Village of Deerfield will have a centennial celebration for "the Village That Moved".