History of the Milton House

Arrival and Construction

The Milton House Inn was built by Joseph Goodrich, who is also credited as the founder of the town of Milton, WI. Goodrich first came to the area in 1838, then returned to Alfred, NY to sell his land and businesses, and collect his family. At that time, Milton was known as Prairie Du Lac; its name was changed to Milton as a condition of gaining its own Post Office.

After Joseph Goodrich, his family, and 9 other settlers arrived to the area in 1839, Goodrich operated an inn and store from two frame buildings and a log cabin on the Milton House site before building the inn structure in 1844. The building originally comprised of a hexagonal shaped two-story structure that served as a stagecoach inn, while a five unit two story structure, commonly referred to as The Block, offered business rental space on the first floor, and rentable living spaces on the second floor. In 1867, Joseph and his son Ezra added a third story to the hexagon to accommodate their growing business. Joseph himself named the building the Milton House.

Underground Railroad History

"His home was a refuge for the fugitive slave"

The Underground Railroad was a loose network of people and places who aided formerly enslaved people on their journey to freedom prior to the passage of the 13th amendment, which ended slavery in the United States. Ran predominantly by other Blacks, the Underground Railroad was a vital tool in Blacks resistance to their enslavement. The Underground Railroad station in Milton, WI was operated by a white man, Joseph Goodrich, with the assistance of others sympathetic to the plight of Freedom Seekers in the Milton Community.

One of the three outbuildings built by Joseph Goodrich prior to the construction of the Milton House hid a secret tunnel. The tunnel runs approximately 45 ft in length, and connects the cellar of the one room cabin to the cellar of the Milton House. We are unsure when this tunnel was constructed, or what it's original purpose was, but we do have documentation of it sheltering at least one Freedom Seeker, Andrew Pratt. The cabin, Milton House and tunnel still exist on our site to this day and are all included on our tour.

The Milton House is certified as an Underground Railroad site with the National Parks Service, Network to Freedom program, and in 1998 was granted the designation of a National Historic Landmark due to its documented role on the Underground Railroad. Currently, the Milton House Museum is the only certified Underground Railroad site in Wisconsin that is open to the general public.

New life as a Museum

Rebuilding the past

In 1948, after years of neglect, a significant portion of the original structure of The Block collapsed. In order to save the rest of the building, The Milton Historical Society purchased the building from the Goodrich family for $1. It would take 6 years, extensive renovation and the commitment of many dedicated volunteers and community members, but the society was able to stabilize and save the hexagon, and the first block of the original structure. In 1954, the Milton House Museum was opened to much fanfare. From 1954 to 2006, the Milton House Museum consisted only of the hexagon, the first block, the original pioneer cabin located out back, and a late 1800s addition to the building that survived the collapse.

In the early 2000s, the Milton Historical Society conducted a significant capital campaign to replace the portion of the building that collapsed in 1948. The addition allowed for improved collection storage, increased exhibit space, a community room, office space, and for the first time, put electricity in the building, allowing the building to be heated and cooled, finally allowing for round the year operation of the museum.

Past Meets Present

Looking toward the future

Today the Milton Historical Society is proud to preserve and disseminate the history of the Milton House, the Freedom Seekers who sought shelter here, and of the Milton and surrounding communities. We take pride in our participation in the Network to Freedom program, and to being a National Historic Landmark. Museum staff and volunteers take great pride in our story, and enjoy sharing it with the thousands of guests who visit the museum each year.

We currently offer a variety of exiting ways to engage with the public, but are always looking for ways to improve and expand our offerings. For example, in 2018 we commissioned a 3 story, immersive mural to be painted in the museum. The mural was completed by a local artist, Larry Schultz in 2019, and it depicts the journey of a Freedom Seeker to the Milton House. In 2020, the museum received a grant from the Network to Freedom program that allowed us to completely rethink our tour narrative. This update included refreshed language and perspective, along with updated graphics and collection exhibits.

In the future, the museum plans to offer a self-guided audio tour, that allows guests to enjoy the museum at their own pace. Creating greater access to the museum through a variety of digital experiences to allow people to learn about the Milton House no matter where they are located geographically will be essential to the longevity of the museum. Staff and the Board of Directors are cultivating new and exciting partnerships and collaboration ideas, and are excited to continue to push the envelope on museum interpretation and to broaden the horizon of what the museum can offer to the local community and visitors from around the country.

We hope to see you at the Milton House Museum soon!