Submitted by Cindy Brown Bauer, Roberts Sesquicentennial Committee
ROBERTS, WI – The community of Roberts Wisconsin is celebrating a milestone year- 150 years! The village will be commemorating their Sesquicentennial with a three-day event this October.
George Longworth and family are said to be the first settlers in the Roberts/Warren area, arriving about 1855. By 1860, the population was great enough to petition the county to be set off from Hudson to become a separate township, the Town of Warren. The population center was located at the current day western-most intersection of US Hwy 12 and WIS 65. Warren Center, as it was called, was in the middle of the township and consisted of a store, meeting hall, blacksmith shed, a school and several houses.
In October of 1871, the West Wisconsin Railway laid their tracks through Warren just a half mile south of the settlement. The Railway ran from Tomah to Hudson. The next year in 1872 a depot was added and called “Roberts Station”. It was named after a chief engineer of the Railroad, John Bannister Gibson Roberts. By 1874 several buildings had been erected in Roberts: Graham and Bowne’s General Store, Hill’s Elevator, Comstock Hall and a grain storage building. In 1875, the village of Roberts was platted. The post office was moved into the village in 1874, and officially changed from Warren to Roberts in 1884.
The Community of Good Neighbors will be hosting a Sesquicentennial Celebration October 3, 4 and 5 with live music, food stands, historical events and wagon rides.
Follow the Roberts Sesquicentennial page for more information.
