Blanchardville, WI

Blanchardville sits on the East Branch of the Pecatonica River where Lafayette and Iowa counties meet, about 30 miles southwest of Madison. The village began in 1844 as a Mormon settlement called Zarahemla. Samuel Horner built a water-powered gristmill, and Alvin Blanchard bought it in 1855; the village later took Blanchard’s name. The Illinois Central Railroad arrived in 1888, and dairy farming followed, with thirty cheese factories operating within five miles by 1907.

The river still runs through the center of local life. McKellar Park has campsites, picnic shelters, a swimming pool, sports courts, ball diamonds, a playground, fishing platform, and a walking trail, while the historical society beside the bridge preserves artifacts and older buildings. Main Street carries stores, coffee, food, hardware, and Wisconsin cheese, and the annual Homecoming, car show, park music, and chicken barbecue keep the calendar full. Pecatonica paddling and the Tri-County ATV Trail broaden the weekend map. Blanchardville feels like a river village whose mill, rail, dairy, school, and park history all remain visible.