New Swiss Colony

America’s Swiss Colony  (July 15, 2016) New Glarus, WI

Continuing our tripping through enchanted rural Wisconsin, Susan and I stopped in the Village of New Glarus. New Glarus is 28 miles southwest of Madison.

Our first stop was to buy a case of Spotted Cow beer (in bottles) for our beer imbibing family and friends in South Dakota and Illinois. “Spotted Cow” is sold only in Wisconsin and bootlegged by travellers like Coors was from Colorado and Oklahoma to Texas, in the day. Time did not allow a tour that is offered of New Glarus Brewing Company that brews “Spotted Cow” in New Glarus.

Our next stop was at the Swiss Historical Village Museum (admission $9.00) a very nice locally supported history museum of the area. Reasonable reporting dictates me to say this, though it is likely pointless given their origins; the Museum building and grounds (like the entire Village of New Glarus) were orderly, clean, and looked freshly painted.

Many of the buildings in New Glarus are in the “Chalet” style. Flower boxes with red geraniums and Swiss flags seemed to be everywhere.

New Glarus’ original settlers immigrated to America in 1845 from the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Glarus is one of the 26 Cantons (States) in the Swiss Confederation. Their trip to the New World was the All American Story of coming to the New World for a better life.

The economy of Glarus had tanked in the early 1840s and many of its citizens could not make a living there. The political leaders in Glarus decided that America beckoned as a land of opportunity and a resettlement program was enacted for their Swiss brothers and sisters to come to America. The Glarus government decided on using their treasury to relocate some of those willing to seek opportunity in America. Two land agents (lawyers) were sent as advance men to secure land.

The 203 Swiss coming to American couldn’t wait for the agents to make the arrangements and left for America without knowing their ultimate destination. Three of the travelers died during the voyage but were replaced by three births. The travelers made their way to St. Louis where they determined the Swiss land agents had been there and had headed up River to Galena, Illinois. In Galena they learned land had been purchased in Wisconsin Territory along the Sugar River about 100 km from Galena in South Central Wisconsin.

In August 1845, 108 of the settlers arrived in site by foot or wagon. A portion of the group dropped out along the way deciding to go it on their own elsewhere while others waited until the next spring to arrive in the new Swiss colony.

The 1200 acres that were purchased for $1000 was divided into 20 acre plots and sold by the Glarus government to the settlers for $1.25 per acre. This amount was paid back in full in later years. Eventually the thrifty Swiss acquired nearly 30,000 acres in the area. A town was established and named, not surprisingly New Glarus.

Traditionally the Glarners (name for Glarus residents) were textile workers but in Wisconsin initially they became either lead miners or farmers. One of the attractions of the area was that the topography approximated Glarus, a valley set among gently rolling hills with intense forestation.

A relationship of some co dependence developed between Old Glarus and New Glarus. Soon after the Colony’s establishment more Swiss brothers began to arrive in Wisconsin for the economic opportunity. In 1861 the town of Glarus experienced a devastating fire. When news reached Wisconsin, nearly $20,000 was immediately sent to help the Swiss.

New Glarus was inhabited almost entirely by the previous Swiss nationals and their progeny, yet 98 served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

(Not related to my visit to New Glarus but of immense interest to me) For understanding of the high armed force participation, check out the Iron Brigade of the West in the Army of the Potomac and the Irish Brigade.  Ask yourself why ethnic immigrants and Midwesterners were such brave and fierce combatants with such a high participation rate in the Civil War?

After the Civil War, agriculture prospered in New Glarus as the land found its highest and best employed in the dairy industry. Swiss ingenuity developed their dairy marketing through value added agriculture by making cheese. Surprise – Swiss Cheese!

What makes this factoid even more interesting is the cheese making in New Glarus was the beginning of Wisconsin’s cheese making industry. The success in New Glarus prompted Wisconsin’s claim at America’s Dairy land.  

After looking over the very clean town and its chocolate shops, restaurants, bars, and gift shops, Susan and I settled on a very average lunch at Toffler’s Pub and Grill. I did have a pretty good bratwurst from Ruef’s Meat Market in New Glarus.

You can buy Spotted Cow just about everywhere as long as you are in Wisconsin, you don’t have to be in New Glarus. If you are in the area

New Glarus is worth the stop.