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Around the early 1850s, migrants from the east began to settle along the Kickapoo River in the Township of Clayton in Crawford County, WI. Initially named Pine Grove, the town was renamed Soldiers Grove in the 1830s during the Blackhawk Indian War when it was established as an encampment for soldiers.
The first settler within what would become the actual village of Soldiers Grove was Joseph H. Brightman in 1856, after he had recieved 80 acres of government land in compensation for his service in the War of 1812. This allotment encompassed the eventual 7-block "downtown" area, which would not be officially platted for another 20 years.
The first village school was taught in the Brightman family barn, and the first schoolteacher, Miss Carter, fell ill within two weeks of the beginning of the year, leaving 13-year-old Mary Brightman to teach the remainer of the first term.
The first general store was opened in 1866. By 1867, the population had grown enough to justify the building of the first frame schoolhouse. Over the following years, the town saw the addition of a large brick bank building about 1869, a flour mill in 1870, and a hotel, department store, drug store & opera house (which contained a saloon,dance hall and furniture store), all around 1877. A hardware store opened in 1879, and by 1887 two more general stores (one containing a post office) had been built. In the late 1880s a Lutheran church, a new hotel and three blacksmith shops had opened for business. The railroad came to Soldiers Grove in the spring of 1892. With it's arrival, came a depot, stock yards, and a tobacco warehouse.
The large brick schoolhouse which now stands on Pine Street in Soldiers Grove (currently occupied by private family housing, a restaurant, bar and gift & antique shop), was built in the early 1900s and served as the North Crawford Elementary School until the early 1990s, when the new North Crawford K-12 school was erected between Soldiers Grove and Gays Mills to handle students from both towns and surrounding areas.
Within 50 years, this uninhabited valley had grown into a bustling city. Many other businesses would come and go in Soldiers Grove throughout the next half-century, but in July 1951 the town suffered devastating loss when the Kickapoo River, which at the time wound it's way directly through the downtown area, overflowed her banks.
Much damage was done to the town during that flood, yet she would pick herself up, clean herself off, and start all over again. A dike was built along the river throughout the downtown area, and though other minor flooding would follow, there was no damage to rival the flood of '51... until the spring of 1978.
The 1978 flood was even larger than the flood of 1951, and could have spelled the demise of the sleepy little town in the Kickapoo Valley, but for a few who wouldn't let it die.
Rather than rebuild in the flood-prone business area, the decision was made to move the entire village to higher ground about a half-mile east along US Hwy 61. Plans were also put into action to make Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin the nation's first solar-powered village. Taking on the nickname "Solartown," all buildings constructed within the new business district had to be at least 70% solar powered.
In the twenty years since the village's business district relocation, it has never become the bustling center of industry it once was, but Soldiers Grove remains the peaceful rural home of it's 564 current citizens, and provides sufficient services for a comfortable life.
The local businesses now consist of a grocery store, gas station/convienience store, car wash, TV/appliance store, antique/gift shop, beauty salon, hardware/building supply store, a feed & seed, trucking company, a cheese factory, a couple of construction businesses, an excavation company, a plumbing & heating business, two auto service businesses, four restaurant/bars, an inn, martial arts school, a nursing home, clinic, chiropractic offices, pharmacy, post office, bank, library, fire/rescue department, police/village offices, rod & gun club, legion hall, two campgrounds, and churches of many denominations.
Every year the town celebrates Dairy Days in June, Beauford Anderson Days in August, and has a small parade and service in commemoration of Memorial Day. It is a popular mecca for deer and turkey hunters, and is close to fine fishing and many fruit orchards. Soldiers Grove is rich in history and spirit, and we welcome you to visit anytime!
One interesting bit of trivia: Film and television actress, Agnes Moorhead, "Endora" from the TV series Bewitched, taught elementary school and resided in Soldiers Grove as a young woman. Who'da thunk it! :)
