(Janesville's Historic Downtown District pictured above)
For Decades Janesville was synonymous with Parker Pen And GM, many thought when the plants shuttered the city was on decline. They were wrong, today Janesville has turned around with millions in reinvestment in the downtown and a new Riverwalk.
Janesville was founded on the Rock River in 1835, and downtown is one of the best places in Southern Wisconsin to
see so many architectural styles from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century.
(Photos above courtesy of Lakes Edition Staff)
Today, that innovative spirit that brought Edgerton to agricultural prominence is evident throughout the city's reinvented downtown. Some of the town's more prominent brick warehouses have been restored and converted to retail and apartment rentals.
Edgerton's historic train depot built from 1905 to 1907 to serve passengers between Chicago and Milwaukee for over 75 years, is fully restored and serving coffee (The Coffee Depot.)
For a real trip back in time visit the home of Lakesedition's parent newspaper the Edgerton
Reporter located in downtown at 21 North Henry Street. Note the faded black and white advert on the
western elevation of the building advertising the Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter the original name of our
historic newspaper. We invite you to step inside the venerable paper's home office. Visitors can even pick up
a current copy at the front desk of the Edgerton Reporter. Much of the Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter's
interior remains as it did over 100 years ago. Note the large commerce style windows facing henry Street
and the pressed tin ceiling a common decorative feature around the 1910s.
(Photo courtesy of The Edgerton Reporter)
Edgerton is also where the boyhood home of Sterling North, author of the children's book, Rascal resides. Rascal, the raccoon became a world-wide phenomena inspiring a young, creative animator in Japan named Hayao Miyazaki to co-create Araiguma Rasukaru (Rascal the Raccoon), a successful animation series (1977) in Japan. Miyazaki went on to receive international acclaim for full length, animations My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away among many.
After you have spent the entire downtown exploring Janesville's many historic buildings a visit to Lake Koshkonong is just a short drive away.
Start Your Janesville Daytrip Adventure Here >>>
Over the years Lakes Edition journalists have covered attractions, places to eat, and shops in Janesville and much more. Below are some of just a few of our favorites. Please enjoy!
Have a place in Janesville you would like to recommend? Send us a line info@lakesedition.com
SILVERWOOD COUNTY PARK
Silverwood County Park is Dane County's Outdoor Classroom
For Life long learners,
homeschoolers, and field trippers the 300 acres of Silverwood provide visitors a sampling of Wisconsin's varied landscapes, ecosystems and connectedness with the Badger State's latest agricultural innovations. (More...)
(Dane County Map of Silverwood County Park)
STORR'S LAKE
One hundred and sixty-nine years ago Lake Koshkonong was a vast marsh. sac, Fox, Potawatomi and Winnebago (Ho-chunk) tribes lived along its' shores and paddled along meadows of wild rice in birch-bark canoes to harvest rice, lake fish, ducks, and clams.
The water level rose significantly after the first dam was installed along the Rock River at Indianford in 1846, and the marsh became Wisconsin's eighth largest lake and a prime fishery, with walleye its' bread-and-butter. (More...)
(Storr's Lake)
Sterling North's Historic Home and Museum
The autobiography by Sterling North, recounts his youthful adventures with adopting a baby raccoon at the turn of the century. The well-loved novel was also made into a Disney movie by the same name. ( More )
Visit the home at 409 W Rollin St, Edgerton, WI.
Email:
sterlingnorthsociety@gmail.com
Edgerton Sterling North Book and Film Festival
The festival is changing from a 'Book' festival to a 'Sterling North' festival.
All programs and events will be geared toward Sterling North.
The festival hosts regret not being having a Book Fair where they rent tables for authors to sell books. They will be having the premier some time in 2022 of a new play titled "The Life and Times of Sterling North" by Gayle Corcoran Stettler and Isabelle Spike.
(The book fair, photo courtesy of Edgerton Sterling North Book and Film Festival)
Edgerton Farmers' Market
Located in Edgerton's Central Park, the market offering a wide variety of locally grown produce and producs is open from May thru October.
Shop Locally
Looking for an antique store? Edgerton has many vintage, resale, and thrift shops all within walking distance of each other. And no trip to downtown would be complete without a visit to the iconic Edgerton Pharmacy.
Hemp 1848 sells a wide-variety of hemp-based products such hemp oil, spray, lip balm, bar soap CBD flowers, and even pet food.
Vintage store. John and Barb Eddy, operating a very cool Antique and Vintage business. Always picking up neat stuff and cool junk.
Places to Dine
Edgerton has a wide variety of restaurants in its' downtown area to satisfy any American palate. Here is just a sampling.
Enjoy Visiting Our Other Towns of the Week
Day trip adventures are just a short drive away in Lakes Edition country.
