On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Beaver Dam is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #200 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Beaver Dam’s overall grade.
Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Beaver Dam’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.3 points). Two sources give 1841.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Beaver Dam’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Beaver Dam was first settled by Thomas Mackie and Joseph Goetschius in 1841; by 1843, it had a population of almost 100. The city was named for an old beaver dam located in a stream flowing into Beaver Dam River. The area had also been known as Okwaanim, Chippewa for beaver dam. The community was incorporated as a city on March 18, 1856. That same year the Milwaukee Railroad reached the area, encouraging further growth.
Beaver Dam hosted a World War II prisoner of war camp called Camp Beaver Dam in the summer of 1944. The camp held 300 German prisoners in a tent city encampment where the Wayland Academy field house now stands.
Passages that mention Beaver Dam, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Dodge county, Wisconsin, containing ... its early settlement, growth ... an extensive and minute sketch of its cities ... war record, biographical sketches1880 · page 440Read the page →
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Beaver Dam was incorporated as a city in 1856, the act of incorporation being approved March 18, of that year. Prior to that time, it was under town government, and unlike most of its sister cities, knows nothing of the hampered restraints of the village system. The first charter election was held June 2, 1856, with the following result, as shown by the canvass made by the Board of Supervisors of the town of Beaver Dam : There were 548 votes cast for Mayor, of which John Robinson received 298, and A. Scott Sloan 250. For Treasurer, J. II. Babcock, 303 votes; J. H. Ward, 247. Police Justice, G. H. Allen, 313; D. F. Stoll, 237. City Marslial, Columbus Germain, 340 ; S. S. Woodard, 194. First AVard Oificers — Aldermen,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc1880 · page 585Read the page →
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S. HOHGrMAN, furniture dealer; born in Massachusetts, Nov. 25, 1824, came to Wisconsin Sept. 22, 1845, locating; at Beaver Dam ; he received his early education in New Boston, N. H. ; when he came to Beaver Dam he commenced the coopering business and made the first tight barrel that was made in Beaver Dam ; on Jan. 1, 1854, he farmed fifty acres of land located in Beaver Dam, and in 1870, started a lumber-yard which he continued until 1874, when he went to Colorado, in the furniture business, for one and one-half years ; he then returned to Beaver Dam, and on June 1, 1877, commenced the furniture business on Front street, between Center and Spring streets, dealing in bedroom sets and other lines of furniture, and paper hangings, and frames ; he has also the best fticilities for undertaking. He married,
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The history of Dodge county, Wisconsin, containing ... its early settlement, growth ... an extensive and minute sketch of its cities ... war record, biographical sketches1880 · page 585Read the page →
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fi. HOIXwMAX, furniture dealer ; born in Massachusetts, Nov. 25, 1824, came to Wisconsin Sept. 22. 1845, locatim; at Beaver Dam ; he received his early education in New Boston, N. H. ; when he came to Beaver Dam he commenced the coopering business and made the first tight barrel that was made in Beaver Dam ; on Jan. 1, 1854, he farmed fifty acres of land located in Beaver Dam, and in 1870, started a lumber-yard which he continued until 1874, when he went to Colorado, in the furniture business, for one and one-half years ; he then returned to Beaver Dam, and on June 1, 1877, commenced the furniture business on Front street, between Center and Spring streets, dealing in bedroom sets and other hues of furniture, and paper hangings, and frames ; he has also the best facilities for underlaking. He married^.
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The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc1880 · page 574Read the page →
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J. H. BARRETT, book-keeper; born in Cavendish, Windsor Co., Vt., on Feb. 2, 1856, and came to Wisconsin in May, 1856, locating ac Beaver Dam ; he received his early education in Jefferson Co., and the Denmark Academy, in Lewis Co., N. Y. ; in Denmark he ran a stationary engine in summer and taught school in winter, until 1856, when he came to Beaver Dam, where he at first engaged in buying wheat; this he continued twelve years; in 1870, he took the position of book-keeper in the First National Bank of Beaver Dam, which position he now holds ; was, for four or five terms, Alderman of Beaver Dam ; in 1866, was Treasurer of Beaver Dam; in 1878, was elected School Commissioner of the Third Ward, which ofiice he now holds. He married, Sept. 20, 1851, Abby E. Clark, of Denmark, N. Y. ;
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Beaver Dam, 1841 to 1955
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1841, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1860 counted 2,765 people here.
How does Beaver Dam rank for history?
Beaver Dam is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #200 of 362 in Wisconsin. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Beaver Dam?
12% of Beaver Dam’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.3 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1985.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (3), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
c. 1908
