Explore History
In Sun Prairie, we’re fortunate to have many residents and vistors who are passionate about the history, people, and places that make our community unique. By working collaboratively, each organization can bring share their resources and skills to ensure that current and future generations continue to celebrate our community’s rich heritage.
Together, we make history happen.
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Sun Prairie Historical Society
You are currently visiting our website. We are a nonprofit comprised entirely by volunteers who love sharing history with our community. We focus on offering historical programs and and providing an affordable community event space at the Crosse House in the heart of historic downtown Sun Prairie.
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Wisconsin Historical Society
We’re an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Historical Society, which allows access to resources, grants, and professional development opportunities. This affiliation connects our local history efforts with the state's premier historical organization, enhancing our ability to share Sun Prairie history.
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Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum
The City of Sun Prairie’s Historical Library & Museum houses all physical and digital history collections. You can visit their neighboring historic building for a journey through local history. While our names are similar, we are two separate groups working to promote history.
The Crosse House
The Crosse House, built circa 1864, is a well-maintained example of Gothic Revival architecture with distinctive bargeboard adorning the roof gable and ornamental details around the veranda porch. Dr. Charles Giles Crosse, a Civil War surgeon and early Sun Prairie leader who established the city's first public high school, lived here with his family from 1866 until 1916.
Dr. Crosse served as village president and on the board of trustees, playing a key role in establishing Sun Prairie's first public high school in 1882. He and his wife Rowena raised their three children in the home until it was sold in 1916.
When the property was later acquired by the Sun Prairie Water and Light Commission in 1973 as a site for a modern office, local citizens formed the non-profit Sun Prairie Historical Restorations Inc. to preserve the home as a historic city landmark. Through an agreement with SPWL, the house was moved intact to a new foundation approximately 75 feet west of its original location and fully restored to its 1860s state.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993, the house now serves as the home of the Sun Prairie Historical Society.
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1860
MEDICAL PIONEER
Dr. Charles G. Crosse moves to Sun Prairie, establishing a medical practice and drugstore. -
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c. 1864
HOME BUILT
Dr. Crosse builds his home following
his return from Civil War service. -
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1877
PRESS FOUNDED
Dr. Crosse and his son establish Sun Prairie's first newspaper, The Countryman. -
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1893
BUSINESS GROWS
Dr. Crosse builds the Crosse Block, moving his drug business to this new location.
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1908
CROSSE PASSES
Dr. Charles G. Crosse passes away. He is buried in the Sun Prairie Cemetery.
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1993
HISTORIC REGISTRY
The Crosse House was officially listed on National Register of Historic Places. -
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1999
HOUSE MOVED
Structure relocated 75 feet west to preserve it during utility expansion.
Georgia O'Keeffe's Birthplace
Georgia O'Keeffe, one of America's most celebrated artists, was born in rural Sun Prairie site in 1887 and spent her childhood exploring the Wisconsin countryside that would influence her iconic paintings. Growing up in a progressive household where her mother encouraged female independence, young Georgia's artistic awakening began here through encounters with nature.
Discover the landscapes and experiences that shaped one of America's greatest artists by exploring Georgia O'Keeffe's Formative World, a comprehensive Clio tour created by the Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum. This immersive journey takes you through the rural Wisconsin setting where O'Keeffe's artistic vision first took root, revealing how her childhood home, family influences, and the prairie environment contributed to her legendary career.
Historical Sites
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Sun Prairie Water Tower
Sun Prairie's Water Tower, built in 1899 from salvaged limestone and standing 60 feet tall, served the community for nearly a century and now stands as a National Register landmark.
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Old City Hall
A 1895 Romanesque revival, Old City Hall, featuring a 65-foot bell tower and second-floor auditorium, served as the municipal center until 1956 and has been restored following damage from a gas explosion in 2018.
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Cannery Square
Cannery Square transformed from Sun Prairie's 20th-century industrial hub of canning and porcelain manufacturing into today's vibrant downtown destination for dining, shopping, and community life.
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Angell Park Speedway
Angell Park Speedway, donated in 1903 and operated by the Sun Prairie Volunteer Fire Department, has evolved from horse racing to become one of the Midwest's premier dirt tracks.
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Sun Prairie Canning Company
The Sun Prairie Canning Company operated from 1900-2000 as a major local employer before transforming into the Nitty Gritty restaurant, preserving the historic industrial architecture.
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Forester Hall
DescripThe 1868 Methodist Episcopal Church served Sun Prairie for nearly 100 years before becoming the Catholic Order of Foresters hall and is now home to Faded Roots Boutique.
The Groundhog Capital of the World
For over 75 years, Sun Prairie has proudly proclaimed itself "The Groundhog Capital of the World," a tradition that began in 1948 when a creative postcard artist chose the city because "the groundhog sees his shadow when the sun comes up on the prairie." What started as a Wisconsin centennial commemoration evolved into a beloved community celebration complete with live groundhogs, congressional declarations, and good-natured rivalry with Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, establishing Sun Prairie's unique place in American folklore and attracting media attention from across the country every February 2nd.