Soldiers Grove, WI

Tucked into the scenic hills of southwestern Wisconsin, Soldiers Grove is a quiet village of about 550 people along the winding Kickapoo River. For generations, life here centered right on the water, where early sawmills and storefronts powered the local economy. That riverfront location also meant repeated flooding, and after decades of soaked Main Street shops, the community decided on a bold solution: pick up the business district and move it uphill.

Completed in the early 1980s, the relocated town center along Highway 61 earned Soldiers Grove recognition as the nation's first solar village, with new commercial buildings designed to tap into solar heating. The old flood-prone downtown area was turned into a scenic riverside park and campground, giving locals a great green space right by the water. Today, the village offers a peaceful, tight-knit setting for anyone who appreciates quiet rural living, easy access to river recreation, and the rolling bluffs of the Driftless region.