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History · Hixton

Hixton dates to 1920, and 17% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1924 on and the census since 1930.

1920founded
0on the National Register
17%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Quick answers

How Hixton began

When was Hixton founded?

1920

Hixton dates its founding to 1920 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 270 in 19302020 census: 620106 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1856.The full story ↓

What stands out about Hixton’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Hixton are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Hixton’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hixton’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Hixton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hixton.

Read it all →

The community was started by John L. Hicks, who came to the area in 1854. The town of Hixton (formed out of a piece of Albion) was formed and named in 1856. The community was at first named Williamport, and later Pole Grove. The local post office was established in 1856 as "Pole Grove," and was renamed Hixton in 1874. The Green Bay and Minnesota Railroad came through the area and opened a station at Hixton in 1873. The community was incorporated in 1920.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hixton, 1856 to 1924

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1856Post officeThe Pole Grove post office opens
  3. 1871Born hereEdward E. Lyon is born here
  4. 1874Post officeThe Pole Grove post office closes
  5. 20th century
  6. 1920
    FoundingHixton is established
  7. 1924On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Hixton, decade by decade

Today9 recent
Hixton Village Hall2024Hixton Village HallHixton, Wisconsin2023Hixton, WisconsinHixton Wisconsin Village Hall2012Hixton Wisconsin Village HallHixton Wisconsin United Methodist Church2012Hixton Wisconsin United Methodist ChurchHixton Wisconsin Sign WIS952012Hixton Wisconsin Sign WIS95Hixton Wisconsin Post Office2012Hixton Wisconsin Post OfficeHixton Wisconsin High School2012Hixton Wisconsin High SchoolHixton Wisconsin Downtown Looking SW WIS952012Hixton Wisconsin Downtown Looking SW WIS95Hixton Wisconsin Downtown Looking NE WIS952012Hixton Wisconsin Downtown Looking NE WIS95
On the map

Hixton on the map, 1924 to 1968

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hixton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Hixton on the 1924 USGS mapHixton on the 1968 USGS map1924Black River Falls sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hixton.

People over time

Hixton, census by census

010020030040050019401960198020002020Peak: 456

Between 270 and 456 people in every census since 1930.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hixton’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, places now gone and burying grounds

Another post office, Pole Grove, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Gone or out of use
Burton SchoolschoolLower North Branch SchoolschoolPole Grove SchoolschoolShady Glen Schoolschool
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Hixton
Pole GroveSechlerville

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

CurranIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAlbion1 historic placeAAlmaIts storyC+Garden ValleyIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSpringfieldIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Hixton’s history

What year was Hixton founded?

In 1920, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Hixton’s post office opened in 1856, and the census of 1930 counted 270 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (9), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.