City in Wisconsin Territory

The city of Madison was created in 1836 when a former federal judge bought more than a thousand acres of swamp and forest land. It was located on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona. Finally when Wisconsin became a state in 1848 Madison was the capital. The railroad lines of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad were connected to the city.

During the American Civil War Madison was a center of the Union Army. At a certain intersection known as Union Corners, a tavern was the last stop for Union soldiers before heading into battle. Camp Randall, located on the west side of the city was a training camp, military hospital, and a prison camp for captured Confederate soldiers. After the Civil War, the Camp Randall site became part of the University of Wisconsin.

Today Madison is known for its domed Wisconsin State Capitol. Tourists enjoy seeing the Wisconsin Historical Museum and the city’s paved trail Capital City State Trail runs past Monona Terrace, a lakefront convention center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.