The Underground Railroad was a network of people and places that helped enslaved people emancipate themselves in the early 1800s and through the Civil War. Freedom seekers followed routes leading out of the south taking trails, rivers, canals, ferries and stagecoaches and found refuge in secret hideouts along the way.
One of those hideouts is in Milton, Wisconsin. It’s called the Milton House and in the 1840s it operated as a stagecoach inn and a stop on the Underground Railroad. It’s the only certified stop on the Underground Railroad in Wisconsin that’s open for tours.
Joseph Goodrich came from New York to Wisconsin in 1839 and thought the area looked like a good place to settle down because of the good farmland and location.
"He was at a crossroads between the city of Fort Atkinson, Janesville, Madison and Chicago. And so he thought it would be a good place to set up not only a town, but also to build his Milton House, which was stagecoach inn, so kind of like how we would think of it as a hotel today," Keighton Klos, the executive director of the Milton House explains.
Klos says Goodrich and the majority of people who came with him to the area were 7th Day Baptist, who were very anti-slavery. Klos explains that to even be part of their religion, you had to be anti-slavery and committed to the abolitionist movement. That along with the way the stagecoach inn was operated, made the Milton House a prime stop for freedom seekers.
"People are coming here all hours of day and night, all kinds of different people. And so if you saw a wagon pull up to the Milton House at 3:00 in the morning, it wouldn't necessarily raise any suspicion. So it seems a little odd that the busier the place was, the more it helped Joseph form the Underground Railroad station, but we believe that that definitely provided a good cover for his operation on the Underground Railroad here in Milton," Klos says.
The Milton House is open for tours for individuals, groups and schools. Klos recommends calling ahead because they have limited hours and space during the winter.
The tour is about an hour long and includes learning about Goodrich and the founding of the town and what it would have been like to stay at the stagecoach inn. There's a three story mural that depicts journeys of a freedom seekers making their way to the Milton House. The tour also takes visitors down into a cellar, where they learn about Underground Railroad. Finally, guests walk through an underground passage between the Milton House cellar and the Pioneer Cabin, which is thought to be the oldest building in Rock County.
"What we're trying to do at the Milton House is just use the Milton House as a vehicle to teach people about slavery, the Civil War, Underground Railroad, and why all that was happening, why it was necessary, and to help people understand that there are still issues from all of that that we are dealing with today in our society, so what can we learn from history," Klos says.
There's more to do on a visit to Milton. Amanda Weibel with Travel Wisconsin says for a small community, Milton has a lot to offer.
For shopping, she recommends Hattie & Elsie for home decor, boutique clothing and gourmet food. Weibel also suggests Pene Jenta Boutique. They specialize in affordable, trendy fashion like women's clothing, jewelry and accessories. Finally, Weibel says Goodrich Antiques & Vintage Uniques is a good place to shop for antiques and it's right across the street from the Milton House.
For food, Weibel suggests Timber Hill Winery.
"They specialize in crafting truly Wisconsin wine, so they are using locally grown grape varieties that thrive in colder environments. But they also have a great food menu full of options from shareables and homemade pizzas to sandwiches and more," Weibel says.
She also suggests Good Works Brewing Company, which opened in Milton just last year.
And finally, for a classic supper club experience she recommends Fredrick's Supper Club.
"They offer your staples like the Friday Fish Fry and Saturday prime rib but they also get really creative with different specialty entrees.," Weibel says.
For those who want to spend some times outdoors, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs right through Milton and it includes a new boardwalk section that overlooks Storrs Lake. It continues for about three miles into nearby Janesville, and there you can connect with 30-plus miles of paved trails within the city.
