Evert's 1873 Atlas

History of Rock County

Edgerton

This village is located in the town of Fulton, about one mile west of Rock River, on the line of the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. It was laid out about 1853, by Mr. L. H. Page. The place contains about one thousand inhabitants, mostly of American descent, energetic and enterprising, as the growth and prosperity of their place indicate. There are at present three churches within the town limits, and one Catholic church close by. These are all good and commodious buildings, doing credit to the village and the societies owning them. There is one graded school, three hotels, thirteen stores, shops, etc., one flouring-mill, and one brick company, manufacturing about two million bricks annually. The brick are white, and the material from which they are made is practically inexhaustible. Great quantities are shipped to Chicago and various other points throughout the country. These is also a great amount of grain shipped from the place.

The tobacco trade of Edgerton is probably larger than any other town in the State. They shipped during the year 1872 twelve thousand cases of four hundred pounds each. Fulton Township might with propriety be called the "Connecticut" of the West. There is more tobacco grown in it than in any other town in the County, if not in the State. The soil is very rich, and in every way adapted to the growing of this product. Many of the most wealthy farmers have given their attention almost exclusively to the cultivating of this article. Of the men most extensively engaged in growing tobacco are Mr. Orrin Pomeroy, Robert Stone, and James Van Etta, proprietor of the "Hillside Farm." Mr. Pomeroy's farm is a very beautiful tract of land lying between Fulton Village and Edgerton. The improvements are first class throughout. Mr. Stone is the largest proprietor in the town, and has a very beautiful location on Rock River, a short distance south of Fulton Village.

Immediately north of Mr. Stone's place is the Hillside Farm of Mr. Van Etta, one of the most beautifully located and practically valuable farms in Rock County, particularly adapted to use for stock-raising, being watered by both the Rock River and Catfish or Madison River; and in addition to these there are probably one hundred and fifty springs of beautiful clear water. On the bank of the river is located a brickyard where several hundred thousand bricks are burned annually. These bricks are of a superior quality, being in color of a milky whiteness, and much like the celebrated Milwaukee brick. Mr. Van Etta has expended large sums of money in the erection of one of the finest, most thoroughly finished, and conveniently arranged barns in the County, together with a very costly and finely arranged tobacco-house, the second story of which in very conveniently arranged for the curing and storing of the same. In the centre of the building, around a court, are arranged enough box-stalls to accommodate fifty horses in front of these stalls, and running all around is a track wide enough to drive a double team and carriage, and for the exercising of the animals in-doors during cold or wet weather. The construction of the building is such as to afford perfect ventilation without exposing any part occupied by stock to the cold winds. There are also suitable rooms for the storing of feed, harness, farming utensils, carriages, etc. A mill for crushing, grinding, and cutting feed by horse-power is also in the building, as well as cisterns and wells supplying water. While Mr. V. makes a specialty of fine horses, he also keeps some very fine cattle, which are well provided for with a good building. On another part of the farm is a half-mile track, as good as can be found in the County, for exercising and training his fast horses. In connection with this farm is the hotel and summer residence of Mr. Van Etta, in Fulton, a small but beautifully located village on the Catfish. The limited space here allotted will not admit of a detailed account of these premises. Suffice it to say that the farm with all the improvements, so far as completed, will compare favorably with any in the State. A full page lithographic view of the property will be seen in this work, together with several other prominent places in the township.

Last updated July 28, 2002 -- Copyright 2002 Lori Niemuth