Landmarks Registry Sites of Sauk County

From the Merrimac Ferry in the east to the Rural Friendship School in the west, Sauk County is studded with historic places. Amidst the rolling hills, placid creeks and towering bluffs, one can find the remains of ancient Indian cultures, long gone farming communities, old cheese factories, and old residences of bygone generations.

It has been said that historic sites link us to our past on both physical and philosophical levels. By visiting these places, one can literally walk into the past and touch the lives of those gone before. And with each visit we, the historic traveler, experience a personal growth experienced rarely in other places.

We are fortunate that our county has so much of its history intact. This is largely due to a collection of organizations throughout our region who have dedicated themselves to preserving our heritage. Recently an effort has begun at the county levels to recognize those places of significance in hopes that such recognition will stimulate other preservation efforts.

The historic sites pictured here represent some of the finest examples in our county. Some are on the Sauk County Landmarks Registry; the sites listed here are on the National Register. Several have no recognition, but are run and maintained by a local historical society and are wonderful sites of interest. As you drive around the county, look at the old buildings along the roadside. You may see some of these places or perhaps you will see others that are not preserved, that are rotting or in their final stages of decay. Or perhaps you will see a place which can still be saved. We must strive to preserve our historic sites as they are some of our most tangible links to our past!