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43-668: The Mineral Point Railroad was a railroad company in the United States. It was established in 1852 to connect Mineral Point, Wisconsin , with the Illinois Central Railroad in Warren, Illinois . Partial service began in December 1856; the full line to Mineral Point opened in June 1857. The Milwaukee Road acquired the company in 1880; the last remnant of the company's lines was abandoned in

86-514: A mounted company . He finished the war as a major general of the Missouri Militia. His crowning achievement was saving about 150 Miami Indians from certain massacre after their raid on the Boone's Lick settlement in the summer of 1814. Dodge emigrated with his large family and slaves inherited from his father to the U.S. Mineral District in early July 1827. He served as a commander of militia during

129-583: A design by Horner was officially recognized as the Great Seal of Wisconsin Territory. It displayed an arm holding a pickaxe over a pile of lead ore, demonstrating the importance of Mineral Point's early mining economy to the new territory. A census conducted in the months after the inauguration showed that Iowa County had 5,234 inhabitants, making it the most populous county in the Wisconsin Territory east of

172-510: A male householder with no wife present, and 43.5% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the city was 43.7 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 18.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of

215-665: A period of time the Hunter family was part of the settler colony whose population was recruited to support the garrison at the confluence of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River, known as Fort Jefferson . Henry Dodge was born in Vincennes (then under the jurisdiction of Virginia) when Nancy stopped over to visit Israel (on duty in Vincennes) on her way from Kaskaskia to Louisville. Henry

258-543: A territory) what became the states of Wisconsin , Iowa and Minnesota . In between his two terms as governor, Dodge was elected as a non-voting Democratic delegate to the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Congresses (March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1845) representing Wisconsin Territory's at-large congressional district . As territorial governor, Dodge was also Superintendent of the Wisconsin Superintendency of

301-519: A treasonous act, they immediately abandoned the effort and returned home. Dodge was indicted as a participant in the conspiracy, but the charges were dropped. In 1806 Dodge was named lieutenant of the militia. In 1813 he was appointed U.S. Marshal , as well as Sheriff of Ste. Genevieve County . In the War of 1812 , Dodge entered as a captain in the Missouri State Volunteers . He was part of

344-601: Is interred at the Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington. In 1948, Iowa County presented a 160-acre estate to the State of Wisconsin which eventually became Governor Dodge State Park . Over the years, this park has grown to include 5,270 acres in the area Dodge once called his home. Dodge County, Wisconsin , Dodge County, Minnesota , and Henry County, Iowa , and Dodgeville, Wisconsin were named after Dodge. Fort Clark,

387-555: The Dubuque, Platteville and Milwaukee Railroad . The Mineral Point Railroad constructed a 9.6-mile (15.4 km) branch line from Calamine, Wisconsin , to Belmont, Wisconsin , in 1868. The Dubuque, Platteville and Milwaukee Railroad built east from Platteville to Belmont, completing the 7.54-mile (12.13 km) line in 1870. The Mineral Point Railroad acquired the Dubuque, Platteville and Milwaukee on August 8, 1880. The Milwaukee Road acquired

430-681: The Milwaukee Road ). The Milwaukee and Mississippi was not interested, so the company instead decided to build south to Warren, Illinois , where it could connect with the Illinois Central Railroad . After some difficulties, construction began in June 1856 under the supervision of Luther Beecher . The line opened between Warren and Darlington, Wisconsin , in December 1856. In 1857, Beecher succeeded Strong as company president. The line between Darlington and Mineral Point opened on June 16, 1857. Separately, interests in Platteville, Wisconsin , organized

473-647: The Pendarvis Historic Site. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 3.08 square miles (7.98 km ), all of it land. Mineral Point lies within the Driftless Area . As of the census of 2020 , the population was 2,581. The population density was 839.1 inhabitants per square mile (324.0/km ). There were 1,322 housing units at an average density of 429.8 per square mile (165.9/km ). The racial makeup of

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516-524: The Red Bird uprising of that year, and in October settled a large tract in present-day downtown Dodgeville , known then as "Dodge's Camp." He worked a large claim until around 1830, when he moved several miles south in a beautiful forested area known still as "Dodge's Grove." Here he began building what would become a large two-story frame house for his ever-growing extended family. It is worthy to note that, despite

559-506: The 12 or 13 shot at Horseshoe Bend survived. In the summer of 1832, he told a delegation of Ho-Chunk chiefs: "You will have your country taken from you, your annuity money will be forfeited, and the lives of your people lost." In the Battle of Bad Axe in August 1832, Dodge and his militia massacred or contributed to the massacre of nearly 1000 Sauk men, women, and children as they attempted to cross

602-467: The 1930s, a local resident, Robert Neal, together with his partner, Edgar Hellum, aimed to preserve some of the history of the Cornish miners' and settlers' stone structures. Over the next decades, they bought and restored buildings, and turned one into a popular Cornish restaurant attracting tourists. They had both studied art, and they also attracted other artists to move to the area. These buildings are now

645-465: The 1980s. The Mineral Point Railroad was incorporated April 17, 1852, to connect Mineral Point, Wisconsin , with the developing Midwestern railroad network. Cyrus Woodman briefly served as the company's first president before being succeeded by Moses M. Strong . The company considered building toward Janesville, Wisconsin , and a connection with the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad (a predecessor of

688-806: The Indian Agency. Under pressure not from settlers but from developers and businessmen interested in logging, he negotiated a treaty with Ojibwe from east central Minnesota east of the Mississippi and west of the St. Croix River and Ojibwe from west central Wisconsin starting at the east side of the St. Croix including St. Croix Falls and including the northern section of the Chippewa River to Chippewa Falls in July 1837, sometimes dubbed "the Pine Tree Treaty." The U.S. would allow

731-553: The Mineral Point Railroad on September 29, 1880. The Mineral Point Railroad's original main line ran 32.29 miles (51.97 km) north–south from Warren, Illinois, to Mineral Point, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Road's branch to Shullsburg, Wisconsin , completed in 1881, bisected the line at Gratiot, Wisconsin , and the connection to the Illinois Central at Warren gradually lessened in importance. The Milwaukee Road abandoned

774-699: The Mississippi River South of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The ranger experiment lasted a year, and then, in 1833, was replaced by the United States Regiment of Dragoons . Dodge served as colonel; one of his captains was Nathan Boone, Daniel Boone 's youngest son. The United States Regiment of Dragoons was the fourth mounted Regular Army unit in United States Army history, not including the American Revolution, Continental Light Dragoons. In

817-411: The Mississippi River. Mineral Point remained an important lead mining center during the 1840s. Although the most easily accessible lead deposits on the surface were being exhausted by this time, new immigrants began to arrive with more refined techniques for extracting ore. The largest group came from Cornwall , which had been a mining center for centuries. Experienced Cornish miners were attracted to

860-603: The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 banning slavery in the entire Northwest Territory, including Wisconsin, Dodge brought five black slaves from Missouri to work in his lead mines. Dodge rose to prominence during the Black Hawk War of 1832. As colonel of the western Michigan Territory Militia , Dodge brought a credible fighting force into being in a very short time. More than fifteen forts, fortified homes and blockhouses sprang up almost overnight. From these forts, Dodge and

903-567: The Ojibwe to remain on the land and retain their rights to fish, hunt, and gather, but ironically the land would be surveyed and sold as well. Payments would only be for twenty years. The Ojibwe were told that they would have to move at an undetermined time in the future and could only stay "at the pleasure of the President." Dodge declined the opportunity to have his name put forward for the Presidency of

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946-772: The United States at the 1844 Democratic National Convention . He was loyal to Martin Van Buren and both men opposed the annexation of Texas . Despite their efforts, James K. Polk , the Democrat who favored annexation, became president. Upon Wisconsin being admitted to the Union in 1848, Dodge was elected one of its first two senators. He served two terms. He turned down the appointment of Territorial Governor of Washington from Franklin Pierce in 1857. Dodge died in 1867 in Burlington, Iowa . He

989-534: The body and lives of five enslaved men - Toby, Tom, Lear, Jim, and Joe — who worked as smelters long after he promised to free them. Henry Dodge was the son of Israel Dodge and Nancy Hunter Dodge. Israel was from Connecticut and a veteran of the Battle of Brandywine , who came west to serve under his brother in the military command of George Rogers Clark . Nancy's family similarly moved west and settled in Kentucky, and for

1032-449: The bounds of present-day Wisconsin (then part of Michigan Territory ). By 1829, the region's growing population led to the creation of Iowa County , which included all of the lead mining lands within the territory. Mineral Point was established as the county seat later that year. During the Black Hawk War of 1832, residents of Mineral Point built Fort Jackson to protect the town from a possible attack. The young settlement's importance

1075-585: The city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. Mineral Point restaurants are known for serving Cornish food , such as pasties and figgyhobbin. The city is home to an endpoint of the Cheese Country Trail . Much of the city is a historical district, including blocks of stone cottages and businesses crafted by the Cornish settlers in the 1800s. A more recent building is the City Hall, built in 1914, which includes

1118-508: The city was 95.4% White , 0.5% Asian , 0.5% Black or African American , 0.5% from other races , and 3.1% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2010, there were 2,487 people, 1,147 households, and 648 families residing in the city. The population density was 854.6 inhabitants per square mile (330.0/km ). There were 1,278 housing units at an average density of 439.2 per square mile (169.6/km ). The racial makeup of

1161-419: The city was 97.9% White , 0.6% African American , 0.1% Native American , 0.8% Asian , 0.1% from other races , and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population. There were 1,147 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had

1204-476: The county seat to nearby Dodgeville , by a majority of 350. Mineral Point contested this election, accusing some residents of Dodgeville of corruption, and asserting that the law enabling the election was not sufficiently publicised. The case was elevated to the Wisconsin Supreme Court , and Judge Byron Paine delivered the proceeding opinion in favour of Mineral Point on July 11, 1859, following which

1247-436: The following year, large quantities of galena , or lead ore, were discovered around the settlement in shallow deposits. Lead had many uses at the time, and settlers began to flock to the region hoping to make a living by extracting the easily accessible mineral. Lead deposits extended throughout an area that also included Dubuque, Iowa and Galena, Illinois , but Mineral Point became the center of lead mining operations within

1290-601: The following years. In 1848, the same year that Wisconsin achieved statehood, gold was discovered in California . Many experienced miners left Mineral Point to look for gold, and in all, the town lost 700 people during the California Gold Rush . While the lead industry in Mineral Point continued into the 1860s, the town never recovered its former importance. In November 1858, the residents of Iowa County voted to move

1333-660: The lead mining opportunities in Mineral Point, and by 1845 roughly half of the town's population had Cornish ancestry . The original dwellings of some of these early Cornish immigrants have been restored at the Pendarvis Historic Site in Mineral Point. Lead continued to be produced in abundant quantities by the Cornish miners, and in 1847, the Mineral Point Tribune reported that the town's furnaces were producing 43,800 pounds (19,900 kg) of lead each day. Mining activity in Mineral Point began to decline in

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1376-499: The library and the Opera House. The Opera House underwent a $ 2 million renovation in 2010. Pendarvis, a state historical site, is a historically accurate preservation of some of the original cottages. It is open for tours in the summer months. Shake Rag Alley contains seven historic structures; an outdoor summer theatre, Alley Stage; and a community-owned center for the arts, which sponsors a children's art program and adult classes. Down

1419-583: The line between Gratiot and Warren in 1923. The remainder, incorporated into the Mineral Point branch , was sold to the state of Wisconsin in 1980 and eventually repurposed as the Cheese Country Trail . The branch from Calamine to Platteville, 16.9 miles (27.2 km), was abandoned in 1974. Mineral Point, Wisconsin Mineral Point is a city in Iowa County , Wisconsin , United States. The population

1462-530: The mounted volunteers, with four companies of Territorial militia and one of Illinois mounted rangers, took to the field as the " Michigan Mounted Volunteers ." Dodge and his men saw action at the battles of Horseshoe Bend , Wisconsin Heights , and Bad Axe . In June 1832, he accepted a commission as Major of the Battalion of Mounted Rangers , commissioned by an Act of Congress. Apparently, he took no prisoners. None of

1505-404: The residents of Mineral Point fired a cannon towards Dodgeville in celebration. An intense rivalry was harboured between the two towns, and a renewed election took place on April 2, 1861, during which a majority again voted to move the county seat to Dodgeville, where it remains today. As lead mining declined in Mineral Point, zinc mining and smelting became important new industries. Zinc ore

1548-506: The street is Brewery Pottery, an art gallery/studio/museum, located in one of the oldest standing breweries in Wisconsin. Brewery Pottery is open to the public daily, all year round. Henry Dodge Henry Dodge was also the half-brother of Missouri Senator Lewis F. Linn . James Clarke , the Governor of Iowa Territory , was his son-in-law. Henry Dodge was also a slave owner, possessing

1591-512: The summer of 1834, Colonel Dodge engaged on First Dragoon Expedition and made successful contact with the Comanches . He was an Indian fighter, most noted for his 1835 peace mission commissioned by President Andrew Jackson , who had called out the U.S. Dragoons to assist. Dodge was the first Territorial governor of Wisconsin Territory from 1836 to 1841 and again from 1845 to 1848, an area which encompassed (before July 4, 1838, when Iowa became

1634-509: The varied natural topography of the driftless area has made it a regional tourist destination. Mineral Point is sometimes called Wisconsin's third oldest city, but the Wisconsin Historical Society notes several older colonial settlements. The first European settlement at Mineral Point began in 1827. One of the first settlers to the area was Henry Dodge and his family who settled a few miles away from Mineral Point. During

1677-678: Was 2,581 at the 2020 census . The city is located within the Town of Mineral Point . Mineral Point is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area . Mineral Point was settled in 1827, becoming a lead and zinc mining center, and commercial town in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It initially drew a considerable number of Cornish -immigrant miners and their families. In the mid-20th century it attracted artists and an artist's colony and its tourism industry began to grow. The city's well-preserved historical character within

1720-424: Was discovered with increasing frequency near the bottoms of old lead mines. The Mineral Point Zinc Company was founded in 1882, and by 1891 it was operating the largest zinc oxide works in the United States at Mineral Point. Zinc mining and processing continued on a large scale until the 1920s. In 1897 Robert M. La Follette gave his "The danger threatening representative government" speech in Mineral Point. In

1763-410: Was further confirmed in 1834 when it was selected as the site of one of two federal land offices responsible for distributing public land to settlers within the area that now encompasses Wisconsin. When Wisconsin Territory was created in 1836, Mineral Point hosted the inauguration of the first territorial governor, Henry Dodge , and the territorial secretary, John S. Horner . During the ceremony,

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1806-614: Was permanent. In 1800, he married Christiana McDonald. In 1805 Dodge was appointed deputy sheriff, reporting to his father. In 1806 Dodge was recruited by Aaron Burr to participate in Burr's spurious attempt at creating a new country in the southwest, an incident known as the Burr conspiracy . Dodge and a companion went so far as to report to a concentration point for the affair in New Madrid. However, when they learned that Thomas Jefferson had deemed it

1849-552: Was the first child in what is now Indiana who was born to parents from the colonies, the other residents of Vincennes being of Indian and French Canadian heritage. Dodge was raised in Kentucky. In 1788 Israel abandoned the family and Henry was raised by his mother. (Nancy later remarried, and had a son Lewis who himself became an elected official.) At age 14 Dodge moved to Missouri to live with his father, who ran salt and lead operations. Although Henry returned to Kentucky occasionally (including to read law), his move to Missouri

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