Middleton History

Middleton traces its beginnings to an 1832 fur trading post along the northern shore of Lake Mendota near what is now Mendota County Park. The Township of Middleton was created in 1848 and about a decade later, in 1856, the much-coveted railroad arrived, establishing Middleton as a hub of activity for the area. The current depot was built in 1895 and serves as the Visit Middleton center, located on Parmenter Street downtown.

Middleton incorporated as a village in 1905 and became a city in 1963. Today the city retains its beautiful historic charm and celebrates its landmarks. For more history and photos of Middleton, check out the Middleton Historical Society and Rowley Museum.

a black and white photo of a horse drawn carriage

Downtown Historic Walking Trail

Discover the heart of Middleton through the Downtown Historic Walking Trail. Stroll through Middleton’s past through 15 historic locations.

See the list and map below, or view, download and print the full map and descriptions by clicking here. Maps are also available in the visitor center.

  1. First High School, 1878
  2. Little White Church on the Hill, 1870
  3. Pierstorff House, circa 1890
  4. Schwenn House, 1902
  5. Railroad Depot, 1895
  6. The "Friendly" Store, originally 1856
  7. Opera House, 1903
  8. Rowley House, 1868
  9. Wolf House, 1868
  10. American Hotel, 1867
  11. Weinberg/Schroeder Building, 1868
  12. Burmeister Livery Stables, originally 1893
  13. DuFrenne Building, 1898
  14. Valecia Milk Company, 1914
  15. Mazo Egg Factory, 1957
an old black and white photo of a street

Historic Landmark Trail

See Middleton’s rich history come to life on the Historical Landmark Trail. Visit 22 stops around Middleton for a glimpse into the past of the Good Neighbor City.

See the list and map below, or view, download and print the full map and descriptions by clicking here. Maps are also available in the visitor center.

Stops 1-12 follow the Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail

  1. Tiedeman & Stricker Ponds
  2. Lemcke House, 1861
  3. Whittlesey House, 1855
  4. Heim Effigy Mound, circa 800 A.D.
  5. Ehrman Lustron House, 1949
  6. Pheasant Branch School, 1896
  7. Palmer-Gault House, originally 1847
  8. Stamm House, 1847
  9. Blacksmith Shop, originally 1850
  10. The Boathouse Association, 1897 - 1898
A group of people sitting on a bench in front of a train station.

Downtown Middleton Stroll & Tell

Step back in time and explore downtown Middleton’s vibrant past through the Middleton Area Historical Society’s free guided Historic Downtown Middleton Stroll & Tell. All tours start and end at the Rowley House Museum, with a bathroom break halfway at Capital Brewery & Bier Garten. You can expect each tour to be a leisurely stroll that will take an hour and 45 minutes. Preregistration is not required but appreciated.

Check specific tour dates and times through Visit Middleton's events calendar. Or, learn more about the tour and Middleton Area Historical Society here.

Type

Groups

Vintage photo of a two-story public school building with a belfry and nearby stone outbuilding. Trees surround the structures. Text reads "Public School, Norborne 1874-1907.

Stop 1 – First High School

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop One: This brick building was…

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A historic brick building surrounded by trees, featuring two signs: "Downtown Historic Walking Trail" and "Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 10 – American Hotel

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop 10: The American Hotel, built…

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Historic two-story pink house with ornate woodwork. Two people stand outside near a sign reading "Choice Gardens." Text overlays read "Downtown Historic Walking Trail" and "Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 11 – Weinberg-Schroeder Building

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop 11: The Weinberg Building, named…

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A sepia photo of an old barn with a horse, a person, and two carriages in front. A windmill is visible in the background.

Stop 12 – Burmeister Livery Stables

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop 12: Middleton’s first livery stable…

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Wooden signs near trees mark the entrance to Tiedeman Pond Nature Preserve, with a small lake and more trees in the background.

Stop 13 – Tiedeman and Stricker Ponds

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 13: Middleton’s pioneer settlers knew the area had been frequented by…

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A historic black-and-white photo shows a two-story corner building with five people standing in front, labeled "Downtown Historic Walking Trail.

Stop 13 (Downtown Trail) – Dufrenne Building

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail Stop 13: While the Dufrenne Building is not a historic…

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Black and white photo of an old two-story house with a sloped roof and a bare tree in front. A blue label reads, "Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 14 – Lemcke House

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 14: When Heinrich and Katherine Lemcke settled in the Town of…

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Historic building of a condensed milk company with a tall smokestack, labeled "Downtown Historic Walking Trail," and an old train car in the foreground.

Stop 14 (Downtown Trail) – Valecia Milk Company

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail Stop 14: While this utilitarian concrete block building , now…

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Sepia-toned image of a historic two-story brick house surrounded by trees and vegetation, labeled "Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 15 – Whittlesey House

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 15: The Whittlesey House was the original residence for Mr. Thomas…

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Black and white aerial view of a large, rectangular building with parked cars surrounding it. Sign reads "Downtown Historic Walking Trail.

Stop 15 (Downtown Trail) – Mazo Egg Factory

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail Stop 15: While the Mazo Egg Factory is not a…

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A group of people stand on a forest trail lined with bare trees. A vintage car is parked on the left. A sign reads "Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 16 – Heim Effigy Mound

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 16: The Heim Effigy Mound, which is thought to represent a…

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Small mid-century house with a sign reading "Historic Landmark Trail." The house has a gabled roof, two windows, a small porch with chairs, and is surrounded by trees and bushes.

Stop 17 – Ehrman Lustron House

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 17: This house is perhaps the most unusual of the many…

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A historic wooden building with a gabled roof, tall windows, and a central door, surrounded by grass and utility poles, under a partially cloudy sky.

Stop 18 – Pheasant Branch School

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 18: A one-room elementary school was moved to this property in…

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A sepia-toned photo of a two-story brick house with a central porch. Three people and a baby stand in front, with a small fence and trees nearby.

Stop 19 – Palmer-Gault House

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 19: The first house on this site was built by Isaac…

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Vintage photo of people outside a small white building with a sloped roof. Several classic cars are parked in front.

Stop 2 – Little White Church on the Hill

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Two: Built by German Methodists…

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Historic stone building with two stories, a porch on the left, under a large tree. A sign reads "Historic Landmark Trail." The photo is in black and white.

Stop 20 – Stamm House

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 20: The Stamm House was built in 1847 by Milo K….

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A black-and-white photo shows a brick building with three windows partially obscured by trees. A sign reads "Historic Landmark Trail" in the top left corner.

Stop 21 – Blacksmith Shop

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 21: This stone building was built by Karl Strohecker, an immigrant…

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Row of small, rustic wooden cabins near a barren, snowy path and leafless trees, under a gray sky.

Stop 22 – The Boathouse Association

Historic Landmark Trail Stop 22: The 21 small boathouses on Lake Street near Lake Mendota…

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A black and white image of a two-story house with a gabled roof and a small porch, surrounded by trees. Signs indicate it's on a historic trail.

Stop 3 – Pierstorff House

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Three: This Queen Anne style…

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A large, two-story house with a porch and multiple windows, surrounded by leafless trees. The image is black and white.

Stop 4 – Schwenn House

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Four: Built in 1902 for…

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A vintage Milwaukee Road train passes a snowy Middleton depot, featuring signs for the Downtown Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 5 – Railroad Depot

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Five: There was no settlement…

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Black and white photo of an old two-story building with a porch. Three people stand on the porch. Signs read "Downtown Historic Walking Trail" and "Historic Landmark Trail" in the image.

Stop 6 – The Friendly Store

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Six: Originally built in 1856,…

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Vintage photo of a two-story brick building with people and a horse-drawn carriage in front. Signs for "Downtown Historic Walking Trail" and "Historic Landmark Trail" are overlaid.

Stop 7 – Opera House

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Seven: The original building on…

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Historic black and white photo of a two-story house with a porch, surrounded by leafless trees and a picket fence. Two men and a woman stand in front of the fence.

Stop 8 – Rowley House

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Eight: This Gabled–Ell cream color…

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Black and white photo of a large vintage wooden house with two people standing in front, surrounded by small trees. Signs read "Downtown Historic Walking Trail" and "Historic Landmark Trail.

Stop 9 – H.G. Wolf House

Downtown Middleton Historic Walking Trail and Historic Landmark Trail Stop Nine: Built in 1868 by…

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