Jefferson Historical Society

11/15/2025

A personal note from page administrator John Foust... I created the Society’s web site “JeffersonHistoricalSociety.org” in May 2006. Soon after, I coded the online Elmer Waldmann database of more than 65,000 events in Jefferson history. My consulting business “goJefferson.com” has been donating the web hosting and email services ever since. I’ve digitized hundreds of photos, a few home movies, and old VHS tapes and put them online, and much more.
I created this page for the Society in May 2013. As the sole admin volunteer, I’ve made more than 1,110 posts, almost all with interesting pictures. I know I’ve tried to find anyone else willing and able to assist with this page or the web, with no success. These posts reach thousands of people. More people have viewed and interacted with many single Facebook posts than visit the Museum in a year. The top post reached more than 27,000 viewers and many had merely thousands.
The time has come for me to step down. I wash my hands and shake the dust from my sandals. The web and this page will be handed over to new caretakers. Nothing will be lost. When the switch is made in a few days, I’ll make the announcement and thank the new caretaker, and then I’ll remove myself from the admin role. The Society will need new blood. If you have an interest in posting here, please contact the Society.

11/04/2025

On Monday morning, Jefferson ancient history was uncovered and studied, in a "phase 1 walk-over survey" of the Paul Buchta farm just north of Jefferson. Kurt Sampson from the Effigy Mounds Initiative, who is also the director of the Dodge County Historical Society in Beaver Dam, and Kevin Akemann, another archaeologist, and Robin Hein Untz, the president of the Lake Mills Aztalan Historical Society and curator of their museum, and two other local enthusiasts who responded to Sampson's invitation on Facebook, John Foust and Melissa Fehrman. Fehrman, on her first experience like this, found a piece of a broken gorget, a rare kind of necklace. Sampson found a celt (a small axe) and an arrowhead (Late Archaic/ Early Woodland Kramer point, 2,000-3,000 years old) and a small hammerstone.

10/14/2025

The north side of the courthouse, perhaps the 1940s...

10/14/2025

Jefferson in the moonlight, a long time ago...

10/02/2025

10/02/2025

From the Museum... the interior of the Imperial bar, the Landmark. Recognize anyone?

09/27/2025

Farm land was about $175 an acre next to Jefferson in 1920. The real estate agent is Willard North, father of Edgerton's favorite-son author, Sterling North, best-known for his book "Rascal."

09/24/2025

A citizenship declaration made by Thomas Richards at the Jefferson County courthouse in 1856... from eBay today.

08/15/2025

Our Museum is in the lower level of City Hall. We're open Wednesdays 10 to 12 and Sundays 1 to 3.

The Jefferson Historical Museum is located behind City Hall with parking on Gardner Street. The main entrance to the museum is off the parking lot bordered by West Linden and Gardner Streets.

08/15/2025

What could the former Jefferson House become?

07/18/2025

Jefferson has two festivals this weekend, one celebrating our new connection to Japanese culture, one celebrating our Latino connections. Japan has a great tradition of hundreds of thousands of 祭り or "matsuri" festivals celebrating local culture and traditions. In Rotary Park on Saturday, the city and Kikkoman are bringing Japanese food, music and culture, assisted by the Japan-America Society of Wisconsin and JETAA, the alumni program of JET teachers of English in Japan. There will be taiko drumming by groups from Madison and Milwaukee as well as a koto string music demo. For the kids, origami and "tanabata," the July star festival where you write wishes and tie them to a tree. Former Governor Tommy Thompson is expected. (I hear the snacks start at 2.)

The Kikkoman Cookout is around the corner! Check out our the schedule events for the day and plan to Join us for food, drink, and performances.

07/16/2025

Fun Fact! The second floor of our building was home to Jefferson's City Hall from 1934 to 1965.