So Tell Me, Has Anyone Ever Actually Heard of Cedarburg Wisconsin?

     Apologies for the really annoying title. I decided to copy one of those stupid bot-generated Facebook posts like "So Tell Me, Does Anyone Ever Actually Put Eggs in Their Egg Salad?" But it's sort of a valid question. My wife and I had never heard of Cedarburg, located about a half hour north of Milwaukee, before our recent trip to Milwaukee. Once in Milwaukee, we discovered that Cedarburg was the home of the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts. My wife is a quilter, and I've always loved quilts and the history of quilts and quilting, so we decided to visit. 

    As it turns out, Cedarburg is a quaint little town founded in 1849 and home to about 6,500 people today. The town grew following the Civil War thanks to major railroad connections and a number of flour and lumber mills located in the community. Its rural beauty and small-town feel started attracting visitors from Milwaukee and wealthy part-time residents from surrounding states. In the 1960s, some concerned citizens began working to preserve and to restore the historic Cedarburg. Today, its downtown is bustling with lots of visitors enjoying shops and galleries.  

    The Quilt Museum was our first stop, a couple of miles outside of town. Located in a former farmhouse and barn, the museum is much too small to display its total collection at once, so it mounts several exhibits during the year. We enjoyed our visit.

    A stop in the Cedarburg History Museum gave us more of an insight into Cedarburg and its history. As it turns out, Cedarburg was also home of outboard motors. (Although Minnesota disputes that claim.) The outboard motor giants Mercury and Evinrude got their start in Cedarburg. The museum had a nice Mercury exhibit on display, along with its permanent general store-style displays.

    Cedarburg. Who knew? We thoroughly enjoyed our day in the town we'd never heard of before. Thanks to the town's citizens of the mid 20th century who had the wisdom and foresight to recognize what they had and to work to preserve it. If you're in the Milwaukee area, consider checking it out.