The City of Edgerton is located about 30 miles south of Madison, Wisconsin, and two miles west of Interstate 39-90, amid the rolling countryside of South Central Wisconsin. The village of Edgerton was founded in 1853 and became a city in 1883. The village was named in honor of Benjamin Edgerton.
In the late 1800s and 1900s, Edgerton was known across the country for the tobacco crops grown for cigar makers. The city’s newspaper was aptly named, “The Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter” (in the 1950’s it was renamed to the current name, “Edgerton Reporter”). There were over 50 tobacco warehouses in town at one time.
In the years between 1888 and 1913, Edgerton was also famous for its pottery businesses, because of the rich deposits of clay. Pickard China was one of those businesses, and their china was used at U.S Embassies and in the White House. Pauline Jacobus formed Pauline Pottery, which later became the Edgerton Pottery Company.
Edgerton was the hometown of writer Sterling North, author of “Rascal”, about a boy and his pet raccoon. The book is based on his real-life experience growing up in Edgerton.
In 1917, the Highway Trailer Company was founded to manufacture two- and four-wheel trailers, in response to demand as the new automobile industry was growing. Later that year, the U.S. Army requested bids for trailers and were so impressed with the Highway Trailer design that they requested its engineer, Charles Clement, to come to Washington to work with another engineer to standardize a trailer that could be used with all army vehicles. The company expanded as they sold trailers across the nation for use by farmers, cities, utility companies, the US government, and even a circus.
Edgerton is home to generations of the Stricker family, including pro golfer Steve Stricker. Steve’s grandfather, Robert Stricker Sr., was a member of the Edgerton Fire Department for 44 years and served as chief from 1958 to 1979.
https://www.cityofedgerton.com/