For generations of New Glarus residents, Paoli has been more than just a neighboring community. As the unincorporated village marks its 170th anniversary this weekend, it remains a place filled with history, memories and a special connection to people traveling between New Glarus and Madison. The Sugar River mill village has reinvented itself more than once while never losing its small-town charm.

Anyone who has made the drive from New Glarus to Madison likely knows the route by heart. County Highway PB winds north through the countryside before reaching Paoli, where drivers slow to navigate the village's streets before continuing toward Verona.

For countless area residents, that short stretch through Paoli became part of life's routine. It was the route to Badger football games, shopping trips, doctor appointments, the Dane County Regional Airport and nights out in Madison. Along the way, many found another reason to stop: the Paoli Pub, which for many years was owned by Al and Wanda Legler of New Glarus. The tavern became a popular gathering place where familiar faces from both communities were rarely in short supply.