A Little Village Named Rural (Wisconsin)

As promised last week, here is a little more about the little village named Rural, Wisconsin.  We were pleasantly surprised that June day in 2011 when we happened upon Rural while exploring Rustic Roads 23 & 24.  It is a cute little settlement that is very proud of its history and heritage.  So proud, in fact, that the village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.  It is one of two Yankee districts in the state.

The village was begun in the spring of 1852 when James H Jones built his home, now known as Halfway House (below) because it is located halfway between Stevens Point and Berlin. The name "Rural" was derived from what Mr. Jones called his "Rural Holdings". 

Almost all the settlers that joined Mr. Jones in Rural were Yankees of British descent.  They were mainly merchants and farmers from the Eastern United States. 

Most of the homes were of the Greek Revival architectural style and were built6 along the Crystal River that runs through the village.  Many of the original homes are very well preserved and bear plaques denoting the year it was built and the original owner.

 

 Sam Ashmun House 1854

 Aaron Hyatt House 1855

 Rural School House

Rural Store 1989 

Crystal River

 

Back to our Rustic Roads adventures next week.