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.
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 Capitol building housed the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Memorial Hall until the opening of a stand-alone Wisconsin Veterans Museum in 1993. The core of the collection held in the GAR Memorial Hall was a 30-flag collection of Civil War Wisconsin regimental standards.
Did you know an eagle lived in the Wisconsin State Capitol building for 17 years in his own two room apartment with a personal caretaker and custom bathtub? Old Abe was a bald eagle who served as the mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He marched with them into battle, kept them company in camp, and boosted their morale. After three years of service, he returned to Wisconsin and took up residence in the Capitol building. Old Abe became a nationally-known celebrity, traveling around the state and country to make appearances at veterans’ reunions and fundraisers. P. T. Barnum, the famous circus showman, unsuccessfully tried to buy Old Abe for $20,000.
Gold Star families are immediate relatives of members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have been killed in combat or in support of certain military activities. The Gold Star Family Memorial Garden was dedicated and unveiled on August 22, 2018. Made possible by the National Garden Clubs, Inc., the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation, America’s Gold Star Families and the State of Wisconsin, it is the first in the nation to be placed on state capitol grounds.
The Fairchild house was built by Jairus Cassius Fairchild, a New York native who, like so many other early Madison residents, made their way west from the Empire State to this growing capital city. Jairus arrived in Madison in 1846 and immediately set out to make a name for himself. He started a lumber yard and a brick company, both of which greatly aided in the building of the Fairchild house, and became president of the Watertown-Madison Railroad Company. He was elected the first state treasurer in 1848 and became the first mayor of Madison in 1856.
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The Van Slyke House, one of two in the city of Madison, is located at 510 N. Carroll Street and is widely considered one of the finest examples of Italianate-style architecture in the United States. Originally built for a successful hardware merchant named Samuel Fox in 1856, Napoleon Bonaparte Van Slyke and his second wife, Annie, purchased the residence in 1860
One look at the University of Wisconsin Armory and Gymnasium building and you can see why most people refer to it as the Red Gym. Opened in 1894, the red brick building built in the Romanesque Revival style resembles a castle. The fortress-like structure emphasized its military training function by expressing stability and permanence. It addressed the University’s need for better athletic facilities, as well as improved military training for male students.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Union was built with two purposes in mind. Look at the back terrace facing Lake Mendota on a glorious sunny day to discover one. You will see groups of students gathered to relax and socialize, exactly what UW President Charles Van Hise envisioned in his 1904 inaugural address when he called for a student union. The other purpose is found sealed in the cornerstone of the building, laid on Memorial Day, 1927. It is called the Memorial Union because that cornerstone contains the names of students who served their country in the military, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Early in the morning of August 24, 1970, nearly a ton of explosives detonated in a van in front of Sterling Hall on the University of Wisconsin campus. The blast heard 30 miles from Madison, killed one researcher, injured three people, and hurled shrapnel around a three block radius. More than two dozen campus buildings suffered damage. The event succeeded in capturing national attention, but failed in its goal of destroying a U.S. Army research facility.
While today it is known as home of University of Wisconsin-Madison Badger football, Camp Randall got its name during the Civil War as the primary training camp for soldiers from our state. Of the 91,327 Wisconsin soldiers who fought, some 70,000 trained at Camp Randall. In 1912 a Memorial Arch was dedicated in their honor where Dayton Street meets Randall Avenue. The ceremony was the occasion for a reunion and celebration. Be sure to check out the other memorials related to Camp Randall’s Civil War past, including the guard house, Lincoln in Wisconsin sign, and the brown historic site marker.
The Badger sculpture, located near Camp Randall is a must-see for Badger fans. The ten-foot long bronze sculpture is meant to be seen, touched, hugged, and even climbed on, making it a fun stop for both children and adults. The artist who created The Badger is Harry Whitehorse, a member of the Ho Chunk Nation and a World War II veteran.
Vilas Park sits on 63 acres along the shore of Lake Wingra in Madison. In 1905 the project for a park began when William F. Vilas and Anna Vilas donated $18,000 to the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association. Overall, Vilas donated $35,000 for the development of the park. Today, visitors can engage in similar activities families and people enjoyed when the park first opened. Vilas , a Civil War veteran, was a prominent and influential lawyer, statesman and philanthropist during the late 19th century. Henry Vilas Zoo is named after William F. and Anna’s son Henry, who died at a young age from diabetes.
Forest Hill Cemetery is one of the oldest and most historic cemeteries in Madison Walk through the grounds and not only will you see prominent names of founding and influential Madison leaders, but also names of Union and Confederate soldiers, representing both sides of the Civil War. In addition, an obelisk at the center of Union rest memorializes eight orphan children.
Garner Park, with its stunning Frank Lloyd Wright influenced shelter, is named after a prominent Madison resident, Harrison L. Garner. He served 35 years on the Madison city council and was also heavily involved in numerous local organizations. His military service record is just as impressive—he served his country in active duty on three separate occasions.
Almost every community in Wisconsin has a memorial dedicated to local men and women who have served in our nation’s military. These are places where visitors can show honor, remember, and quietly reflect upon the service and sacrifice of their neighbors. Madison has a meaningful veterans memorial located in a beautiful city park.
In 1852, construction began on a three-story, octagonal-shaped mansion overlooking Lake Monona on Spaight Street. The home was owned by former Wisconsin Governor, Leonard Farwell (1852-1854), who sold the property in 1860 to a group of investors from Milwaukee. Today, that building no longer stands and the only physical memory of what was to become the Harvey Hospital and the Soldiers’ Orphan Home is a historic marker that reads: “On this city block stood during the Civil War, Harvey Hospital, and later the Wisconsin Soldiers’ orphans home. Both established through the influence of Mrs. Cordelia P. Harvey, whose honored husband, Governor Louis P. Harvey, had, April 19, 1862, been accidentally drowned in Tennessee River, near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, where, after the battle of Shiloh, he went with supplies for the comfort of sick and wounded Wisconsin soldiers. Presented to the City by the school children of Madison May 29, 1908.”
Although Madison attorney, Daniel K. Tenney was known as “the great-curmudgeon” he was committed to his vision of creating a public space for Madison. In 1899, Daniel K. Tenney, a retired attorney, bought 14 acres of land to develop into Tenney Park. The City of Madison, at the time, refused to use public funding for leisure projects. The land was originally marshland, but Tenney and the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association had a vision to turn it into a beautiful, scenic park. Tenney donated the land under the condition the park would be placed into a trust for the ongoing benefit of the public.
Today, Truax Field in Madison, Wisconsin, is home to the 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, integrating active-duty airmen into the Air National Guard. When Truax Field was activated as an air base in June of 1942, it had been only months since the November 1941 plane crash had killed its namesake, Lieutenant Thomas L. Truax. Lieutenant Truax had died before the United States even entered WWII.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
Created by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, this tour connects Madison landmarks to the state's rich military history. Much of the tour is located in downtown Madison and can be enjoyed as a walking tour. Other places of interest are farther away from the central part of town and will be better visited by bike or car.
