Milton House, also known as Joseph Goodrich House and Cabin, is a historic building in Milton, Wisconsin

Milton, Wisconsin

Milton is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,090 at the 2000 census .-History:The city was formed as a result of the 1967 merger of the villages of Milton and Milton Junction...

. It is believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad

Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...

, which was an informal means of escape for slaves. In addition, the building is believed to be the first grout building built in the United States. It is also known for its hexagonal shape.

Joseph Goodrich, known for his anti-slavery sentiments, built the Milton House Inn, which is located near a once frequently traveled stagecoach line. Because of its proximity to this transportation route, it was a popular rest stop for travelers and runaway slaves. A tunnel connects the main building to a nearby cabin. The circumstances in which the tunnel was constructed are unknown, though it may have been used to hide slaves.

In 1937 the house was in poor condition, uninhabited, and was threatened with being demolished. The Milton Historical Society acquired and restored the building. In 1996, an addition was constructed to restore the exterior to its 1885 appearance..

The house and cabin are open to the public via guided tours.

Milton House was declared a National Historic Landmark

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

 in 1998.

External links

• Milton House, Milton, Wisconsin
• Milton House: 1 photos, 6 drawings, 3 data pages, and supplemental material, at Historic American Building Survey