The beginning of Paoli
In 1846, Peter Matts, the then sheriff of Dane County, purchased land and settled in what is now known as Paoli, Wisconsin. Matts' first building was a sawmill built in 1847 which became the foundation of Paoli. Over time Matts watched a small village grow around his mill. He platted the growing village in 1856 and named it, Paoli, after a town near his birthplace in Pennsylvania. Along with being the sheriff of Dane County, Matts served in the Wisconsin State Militia as a Major and later became a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Information provided by the National Register of Historical Places and Wisconsin Historical Society.
Creating a
Village
By the mid 1870s, Paoli boasted a school, post office, gristmill, two churches, two hotels, cheese factory, dance hall, doctors and several tradesmen.
Angela Bradshow
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Paoli's current state
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