Lafayette County, WI Real Estate

Lafayette County, Wisconsin

Welcome to Lafayette County, Wisconsin!

Located in the southwest part of the state with its southern limits bordering Illinois, the county’s population is about 17,000 people, and the total area is 634 square miles.

This beautiful part of the country is known as the “driftless” area, which is a region that the glaciers did not touch. Lafayette County has deep river valleys, with the topography primarily oak savanna and prairie bluegrass in the east- and south-central parts of the county, and some small areas of white, red and black oak in the southeast and north-central areas.

The county of Lafayette is named after a French nobleman and General in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. His name was Marie Joseph Paul Yver Rock Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette County was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory and was created in 1847, the year before Wisconsin became a state.

For home sites, canoeing, boating and scenic views, the major waterway in Lafayette County is the Mississippi; other rivers include the Pecatonica, the Galena (also known as the Fever River) and the Yellowstone River.

For easy and safe travel, the main highways of Lafayette County include U.S. highway 151 and state highways 81, 11, 23, 33, 78 and 126. Numerous county highways and rustic roads also wind through Lafayette County.

Lafayette County Living

You can build your dream home in Lafayette County or buy a beautiful home for sale – your choice! The area offers nature’s beauty and bounty at every turn plus schools, shopping and business opportunities.

Choose from modern, up-to-date homes for sale that have the latest technology like keyless entry, energy-efficient cooling and heating, heated driveways and more. Or choose a modern, care-free condominium. If you plan to build a home, you can start with a fully-developed lot and a lot in “the wild.”

And don’t forget business opportunities. You can purchase moderately-priced property where you can start or move your business near homes, schools and shopping – just talk with your experienced, knowledgeable Shorewest professional.

Towns and Villages in Lafayette County, Wisconsin

Darlington is the county’s largest city and is also the county seat. Jamison Hamilton built the first non-native person’s residence in the town, at that time known as Avon. Later, the town changed its name to Centre. In 1856, the Mineral Point Railroad passed through Centre, and a year later the county seat moved from Shullsburg to Centre. When Joshua Darling bought land in 1850, the town permanently changed its name to Darlington.

Many of the town’s streets retain the names of the wives of prominent early citizens of Darlington. These include Cornelia, Minerva, Lucy, Harriet, Louisa and Mary. Darlington in Lafayette County was also the beginnings of the Ringling Brothers Circus. In the 1880s, a young 20-year old Alfred T. Ringling began putting on shows for the students and citizenry of Darlington. He and his brothers John, Charles and Otto soon joined with the Parson brothers Alfred “Butch” Parson and Joe Parson and began putting together large carnivals. These featured animals, horse riding, a high-wire act, concessions and a brass band, in which four of the brothers played an instrument. In time the Parson brothers left the partnership and the Ringling Brothers Circus went on to become world-renown.

Darlington has around 300 pupils in its school district, which serves pre-kindergarten through high school students. The average class size is 13.

In Lafayette County there are a number of other quaint towns you will find interesting. These include Shullsburg, Belmont, Blanchardville, Benton and South Wayne.

Recreation, Parks, and Historic Sites in Lafayette County

Looking for fun and entertaining things to do in Lafayette County? You have much from which to choose. There are many cheese factories and tours. Try the Besnier America or the Montchevre Betin factories in Belmont; the Brunkow Cheese Coop in Darlington; and the Shullsburg Creamery and the Roelli Cheese Company, both in Shullsburg. Darlington hosts the Lafayette County Fair every year and there are farmer’s markets in Darlington and South Wayne.

Museums include the First Capitol Museum (as in state capitol) in Mineral Point, the St. Augustine Church in New Diggings and the Historic Lafayette County Courthouse in Darlington. Other museums you’ll want to visit are the Badger Mine and Museum in Shullsburg and the Swindler’s Ridge Museum in Benton. Check out these state parks, too: Belmont Mound State Park and Yellowstone Lake State Park (not that Yellowstone) in Blanchardville.

The Cheese County Recreational Trail allows ATVs and is more than 50 miles in length. Darlington has stock car races on Friday nights in summer and the city hosts Pecatonica Valley Antique Days in September every year.