click zoom to display a high-res image
Summary
Milton House
18 South Janesville Street, Milton, Rock County
Architect: Joseph Goodrich
Date of Construction: 1844-1845
In 1838, Joseph Goodrich, originally from the "Burned-over District" of New York, left for the West. After researching transportation routes, Goodrich filed a claim, speculating that his land would become a transportation hub. Upon arriving, Goodrich moved an 1837 log cabin from Lima Township to his property, thereby founding Milton. Goodrich expanded the cabin to create the original Milton Inn. Goodrich soon needed more space and began to erect the Milton House in 1844.
Goodrich designed a hexagonal tower and a long wing that extended from it; creating arguably the first concrete building in the United States. He constructed it with a mixture of sand, lime cement and gravel in a wet mixture, which he poured into wooden forms to create a fireproof material. The Milton House was the source and inspiration for Orson Squire Fowler's The Octagon House: A Home for All, which sparked the octagon fad of the mid-nineteenth century.
The cabin remained behind the new Milton House and served as a kitchen, while Goodrich rented rooms in the new structure to travelers. A tunnel connects the cabin to the Milton House. Originally dug from the earth and lined in limestone, it was just large enough for a person to crawl through. Based on oral accounts and the vocal objections of Joseph Goodrich to slavery, historians believe that this tunnel was a stop on the Underground Railroad, which delivered many slaves to freedom. Runaway slaves used the tunnel to move from the cabin to a more secure hiding place in the basement of the Milton House.
The Milton House is a museum and is open to the public. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
NR1773
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or have other questions about the registers, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
742 East Madison Avenue
15000425
Located in Milton, Rock County
Strange tunnel uncovered in Milton believed once refuge for runaway slaves
Nov 22, 1930
Janesville Daily Gazette
Milton Log Cabin Behind the Milton House
1920
A view of the cabin on the property of the Milton House, which was a part of the Underground Railroad prior to the abolition of slavery. The house was built in 1845 by Joseph Goodrich and turned in...
Milton Log Cabin Behind the Milton House
1935
A view of the cabin on the property of the Milton House, which was a part of the Underground Railroad prior to the abolition of slavery. The house was built in 1845 by Joseph Goodrich and turned in...
Milton House Cabin
1935
A view of a cabin and other buildings on the property of the Milton House, which was a part of the Underground Railroad prior to the abolition of slavery. The house was built in 1845 by Joseph Good...
