Oregon

History

The history of Oregon, Wisconsin begins at a crossroad still present today, just south of the village at Rome Corners. Rome Corners was settled in the fall of 1841 by John Bartlett "Bartley" Runey at the intersection of the Mineral Point-Milwaukee "Old Lead Road" and the Madison-Janesville mail route. In 1843 Bartley completed his log cabin house and was joined by his wife Margaret and 10+ children. Bartley opened his house, a log cabin, to the community and transformed it into Runey's Tavern and Inn, which was the site of the first marriage in Oregon, between David Anthony and Jane Runey (Barley's daughter), the first church services by Methodist missionary Rev. Hawks, the first lawsuit, and was a common gathering place as the settlement grew. In 1847, Oregon was born through a proposal by Rosell Babbit to form a separate township. Many of Oregon's historical buildings still stand in the downtown district, including the Netherwood Block on the south, the Badger Cycle Company building and original water tower on the southeast on Janesville Street, and numerous business lining the west side of North and South Main Street. The Red Brick School, one of the more distinguishable structures in the village, built in 1922 as the high school, stands north of downtown. It was recently restored and now serves as the business offices for the Gorman Company. The main railroad line from Chicago to Minneapolis, the Chicago and North Western Railroad came through the village in 1864. From 1880 to 1950 the line was double tracked, but mostly abandoned between Evansville and Madison in 1996 when it was reactivated from Madison to Oregon, to serve the Lycon Concrete Plant in 2014.

Geography

Oregon is located at (42.923899, −89.382304). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land. Oregon is served primarily by U.S. Highway 14 (US 14) and Wisconsin Highway 138 (WIS 138) and the two highways meet at the village's southeastern corner. US-14 previously ran through the village, traveling down North Main Street and then arcing along Janesville Street, but a bypass was constructed from 1976 to 1978 along the northern and eastern sides of the village. The previous route is now signed as County Trunk MM.

Race & ethnicity