Dodge County, WI Real Estate

Dodge County Wisconsin

Dodge County is known for its lakes, streams and small-town feel and is almost halfway between Milwaukee and Madison. It covers almost 900 square miles and is home to just under 90,000 Wisconsinites. In addition to its beautiful scenery, Dodge County Wisconsin is known statewide as a rural retreat, replete with quaint farmers markets, antique shops and artisan cheese stores.

Dodge County Real Estate

Because of Dodge County’s incredible natural beauty, homes in Dodge County tend towards farmhouses on large lots. In addition to the many rural areas in Dodge County, there are metropolitan areas around the cities of Juneau, Beaver Dam, Mayville and Horicon. The houses for sale in Dodge County vary greatly. For example, in Beaver Dam alone you can find ranches, historic Victorians, brick Cape Cods and charming arts and crafts mansions with large, lakefront lots.

Living in Dodge County

Progressive Farmer Magazine named Dodge County the 12^th best place to live in rural American in its 2005 rankings due to Dodge County’s access to healthcare, education system, low crime rate, environment, taxes and climate. In addition to all of these great aspects of living in Dodge County, recreational opportunities abound in the county. Because of its gorgeous scenery, many Dodge County residents take to the parks and trails in their free time. Paddle a canoe down the Rock River Trail — maybe you’ll see one of the 219 species of birds and waterfowl that call Dodge County home!

For some historical exploration, check out Nitschke Mounds Park in Burnett, Wisconsin. Nitschke Mounds Park contains almost 40 preserved animal effigy, conical and linear mounds. These mounds, believed to have been constructed between 800AD-1100AD, are one of the best surviving examples of the Mound Builders who previously made their homes in Dodge County. Many of the mounds in the Nitschke Mounds Park are burial mounds and contain bones of the Native Americans who once lived in the area.

In addition to outdoor fun, Dodge County is home to incredible cultural events as well. Waupun is home to seven interesting outdoor sculptures that make for a fun walking tour of the city. While you’re there, stop in the many shops and galleries in the town filled with unique local treasures. In Beaver Dam, stop in the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts. It features six exhibits each year as well as a gift shop featuring local artisan jewelry, baskets, glassware, ceramics and more. Hartford’s Schauer Arts and Activities Center is home to four community arts organizations, including a band, chorus, theater troupe and fine arts guild. The Schauer Arts and Activities Center hosts large performances as well as community theater year round.

Dodge County Schools

Schools in Dodge County are consistently strong in both primary and secondary education. Dodge County students attend one of nine different school districts, mostly in the Beaver Dam Unified School District. BDUSD strives to provide individual attention to each student in order to create a nurturing educational environment for all students. Academic excellence is at the center of their focus, but BDUSD students also excel in their athletic and artistic endeavors.

After graduating from one of Dodge County’s exceptional schools, students have plenty of secondary school options at their fingertips. As it is located between Madison and Milwaukee, an enormous amount of colleges and universities are within a few hours drive. In Dodge County itself are two campuses of the Wisconsin Technical College System. Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) is located in Beaver Dam and Madison Area Technical College (MATC) is located in Watertown. Over 90% of MPTC and MATC graduates are hired shortly after graduation, highlighting the excellent education offered at each college.

Business in Dodge County

Because of its rural location, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that much of Dodge County’s economy is based around agriculture. In fact, Dodge County is the leader in the production of cheese, barley, alfalfa, hay and canning peas. Major employers in Dodge County include Watertown Regional Medical Center, John Deere Horicon Works, Quad/Graphics and Grande Cheese Co. In addition to these large employers, many individuals sell their products (food or otherwise) at the many local farmers markets throughout the county.

History of Dodge County

Dodge County’s first residents were the hunters and gatherers who created the mounds at the famous Nitschke Mounds Park. The many rivers and streams in the area provided the ideal space for hunting large herds of animals as well as gathering the bountiful natural products of the land. Because of the rich soil in Dodge County, settlers were attracted to the area beginning g in the 1820s. In 1845, iron ore was discovered in Mayville, catapulting Dodge County into the mining business. Eventually, the larger Lake Superior mining companies forced these smaller mines out of business, leaving Dodge County to become the peaceful rural retreat it is today.