There were big dreams for this little hamlet in southwestern Wisconsin. Belmont was going to be Wisconsin’s capital city, the center of political power in the Dairy State. It was going to be a place filled with legislators and lobbyists and movers and shakers, a city that would produce laws and regulations, and be filled with dozens of state agencies and thousands of state employees.

Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. Not everyone was sold on this little town as the location of the state capital. Read on to see what happened – and what’s left of this ghost town in Wisconsin.

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Fortunately, in 1910 the Wisconsin Federation of Women’s Clubs began a campaign to save what was left of the old capitol and today it’s preserved as a historic site – you can enter the old buildings and imagine what was once here. Admission is free. Learn more about the site on the Belmont website. If you enjoy exploring Wisconsin history, here are some more interesting places worth visiting.

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