Wisconsin has towns that are named after United States presidents, important rivers, Native American chiefs, and early European settlers. But if you’ve ever passed through the little town of Ixonia, or spotted an Ixonia exit sign out on Interstate 94, you might have wondered: How did they come up with that name? It’s a one-of-a-kind Wisconsin town name with a very unusual backstory. Read on to learn how the little town of Ixonia came to be.

You’ll find Ixonia (population 4,300) in the far northeast corner of Jefferson County. It’s between Madison and Milwaukee, about six miles north of Interstate 94. It’s not far from a gas station that’s a popular fuel-up spot for people traveling down the highway.
Awkwafaba/Wikimedia Commons
Drive north from the interstate, and you’ll find yourself in the heart of this pleasant community. It’s not a metropolis, but it’s a nice example of small town Wisconsin.
Ixonia Elementary School/Facebook
The community has roots as a faming town, and it’s still surrounded by agriculture - but it’s also home to people that work in many other industries. It’s also a bit of a bedroom community, as many people commute to nearby cities.
Hannah Leigh/AllTrails

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If you search an atlas, you won’t find any other places in the world named Ixonia. So what’s the story of this name?
Town of Ixonia/Facebook
In 1846, a town called Union went through something of a breakup and was organized into two separate towns. Residents agreed that the first would be called Concord, but they could not agree on the second name. So, they literally picked some letters at random and arranged them until they had something approximating a town name. Ixonia was born.
Awkwafaba/Wikimedia Commons
Would this town have passed the Scrabble test? Maybe not, but it’s a town like no other.
Greg Flemal/AllTrails

I was a little surprised to learn the story of this town. Were you? Learn more about this charming community on the Town of Ixonia website. Interested in discovering more flavorful places? Here are some of Wisconsin’s very best small towns.

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Ixonia, WI 53036, USA