Potosi in Grant County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Village of Potosi

Photographed by Eric Kuntz, June 10, 2018

1. Village of Potosi Marker

Inscription. One of Wisconsin's earliest mining communities, Potosi was settled in 1829 after lead ore was found near St. John Mine. Named for the silver mining town of "Potosi" in Bolivia, South America, the village began as three separate settlements and developed along the steep walls of the narrow valley, incorporating in 1841. Located on the Grant River feeding into the Mississippi, Potosi quickly became a leading shipping point for lead ore and a supplier for inland miners. Potosi was one of the largest communities in the Wisconsin Territory, but its early boom was short-lived: by the late 1840's its port filled with river silt, no longer accommodating large vessels, and the promise of gold in California drew many area miners further west. However, Potosi's mining industry was revived in the later half of the 19th century when zinc, a by-product of lead mining, was produced. The Potosi Brewery, built by Gabriel Hall in 1855, remained an important industry for over a hundred years.

Erected 1996 by Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 352.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list:

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Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Wisconsin Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1829.

Location. 42° 41.323′ N, 90° 42.799′ W. Marker is in Potosi, Wisconsin, in Grant County. It is on Great River Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Potosi WI 53820, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

in the Driftless Area — Bluff Country,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Pleasant Ridge (approx. 10.4 miles away); Nelson Dewey (approx. 10.9 miles away); The First Civil War Monument (approx. 11 miles away); a different marker also named Pleasant Ridge (approx. 11.1 miles away); Louis Arriandeaux Log House (approx. 11.3 miles away in Iowa); Abraham Lincoln

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(approx. 12.9 miles away in Iowa); Iowa's First Church (approx. 13 miles away in Iowa); John Francis Rague (approx. 13.2 miles away in Iowa).

Credits. This page was last revised on May 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 26, 2018, by Eric Kuntz of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,419 times since then and 123 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on June 26, 2018, by Eric Kuntz of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.