History

As the United States developed westward, towns and villages built alongside roads and railway lines.  The town of Cross Plains was settled along two major military roads that crossed each other on a beautiful, fertile prairie. 

Within 20 years of the first town meeting in 1847, two more villages were established nearby, Christina and Foxville. 

People were attracted to the area by the good farm land, abundant wildlife and business potential.  The Chicago-Milwaukee-St. Paul railroad line went through the northern part of town and the Madison-Mineral Point stage road crossed through the southern part.  These available shipping routes were important to the growth of all three villages. 

The first store in the area was opened around 1850 in Cross Plains by the Baer brothers.  By 1880 there were hotels, a lumberyard, blacksmiths, a shoe store, churches, schools, harness shops, a post office, saloons and other businesses throughout the three communities. 

A grist mill was built in 1857 and the area's first bushel of wheat was shipped out from the railway depot in Foxville. 

Saeman Lumber and Henry M. Zander's Creamery and General Store provided local farmers with the means to trade for items they could not produce on the farm.   Butter was traded at the general store and grain and livestock were traded for building materials.  The farm products were then shipped off to Milwaukee and other cities on railroad cars. 

By the early 1900s the Farmers Union Telephone Company was providing service to the community and a local volunteer fire department was organized. 

In 1907, James G. Bailey came from Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin to establish a bank in Cross Plains.  Later that year, three village residents, H.C. Ripp, H.M. Zander and F.J. Saeman joined with Mr. Bailey to incorporate the first Cross Plains Bank. 

By 1920, all three villages were joined and incorporated into the Village of Cross Plains.  The strong, forward-looking leadership that united the village is still shaping the Cross Plains of today.