Heritage

Stories and archival features focused on New Glarus history, from early settlement and Swiss heritage to long-forgotten events, buildings, and people. This section preserves the community’s past while connecting it to the present.

22 posts
Heritage
Members

Why Wisconsin Loves the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet

With the holidays here, the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet returns to center stage in Wisconsin. In New Glarus, it’s more than a drink — it’s tradition, culture, and a seasonal ritual poured over ice.

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4 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Historic Photo: New Glarus Train Depot (1984)

A rare 1984 snapshot of the New Glarus train depot captures a very different exterior, vintage bike trail prices, farm equipment at Erb Implement in the distance, and a landscape that predates the nearby electric substation.

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By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Square Brass Drink Chip from Early New Glarus Saloon Surfaces on eBay

A square brass drink token from an early 1900s New Glarus saloon has surfaced on eBay. Good for 5¢ at the bar, the rare piece reflects local tavern history. Bidding sits at $3.95; auction ends Tuesday at 4:08 p.m. Central.

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2 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

How a Small Village in Wisconsin Became a Swiss Cultural Hub for North America

A familiar landmark on New Glarus’ west side, the Swiss Center for North America is more than a museum — it serves as a continental hub preserving and celebrating Swiss heritage across the U.S. and Canada.

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3 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Stone Barn on Hefty Road Remains a Christmas Morning Landmark

Just west of New Glarus, the historic Hefty–Blum Stone Barn stands as a lasting symbol of Green County’s Swiss roots. Built in 1861, the beautifully preserved barn is especially striking when fresh snow blankets the surrounding hills.

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3 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Heritage Shapes the Holidays: Swiss, Norwegian and Irish Traditions

While New Glarus is proudly Swiss, census data reveals a surprise: Irish is the village’s second-most reported European ancestry, not Norwegian. The mix reflects how different immigrant groups arrived, settled, and shaped the area over time.

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2 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Confluence of Cultures: What Makes Familiar New Glarus Icons Swiss, German, and Something All Its Own

New Glarus calls itself America’s Little Switzerland, but its identity runs deeper than a single label. Swiss roots, Bavarian flair, and Alpine imagery blend into a culture found nowhere else.

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3 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

The Time the FBI Invaded New Glarus and Got Chased Off by a Local Farmwife

Today if you took a stroll down 4th Avenue on the west side of town, drove past the part where the road narrows just a bit, and then stopped at Edelweiss Court, you might never know that once this quiet corner of New Glarus was the backdrop for a full-scale

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5 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Tracing New Glarus Roots All the Way Back To Glarus – And Beyond

A Switzerland-based genealogy project is reconnecting New Glarus families to their 19th-century roots in Canton Glarus, mapping hundreds of thousands of descendants and tracing how Swiss emigrants spread across Wisconsin and the Midwest.

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7 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI
Members

Historic Photo: 1912 Levitan Stuessy Co. Department Store Parade Float

A 1912 photo postcard from New Glarus hints at a “Band Reunion,” possibly tied to the Imperial Band, a Fire Department water fight, and the founding year of the Männerchor.

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1 Min
By: Todd Klassy, AI

Showing 12 of 22 total posts

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