Sun Prairie- Through the Years..,
In 1837 Commissioner Augustus Bird assembled carpenters and mechanics in Milwaukee for the construc�on of the new territorial capitol in Madison. A�er days of rain that rendered the trip memorable, the sun came out when they entered the lobe of a small prairie. A member of the expedi�on inspired by the sun on the prairie named the site Sun Prairie on June 9, 1837.
Sun Prairie was the western fron�er when the �rst white se�lers arrived here. Local stories and legends are replete with the difficul�es involved in the se�lement of the Sun Prairie area. The Sun Prairie Squa�ers Protec�ve Society formed on March 5, 1845. Another society was the Sun Prairie and Token Creek An�-Horse Thief Society. When the survey of the newly incorporated Village of Sun Prairie was completed on November 20, 1868, it marked the separa�on of the village from the Town of Sun Prairie.
Sun Prairie was primarily a farming community as late as the 1960s. The village served as an economic, religious and cultural center for the farming community. Sun Prairie had the �rst Rural Free Delivery Route in Wisconsin, which started on November 17, 1896.
The village’ s dependence on the farming community experienced a major change with the forma�on of the Sun Prairie Spark Plug Factory in 1919. This factory, later known as the Sun Prairie Porcelain Company, provided a major
alterna�ve to employment in the agricultural community.
The village of Sun Prairie incorporated into a city in 1958.
New industries developed in the community during the 1950’ s and 60’ s, these industries including: the Wisconsin Cheeseman, Diesel Injec- �on Service, Foulke Rubber Products and General Telephone Company. Admiral opened a television component factory in Sun Prairie in 1965, which was later developed in 1967 as Goodyear. General Casualty opened a two story building in 1982.
Sun Prairie changed from a farming community of 2,263 residents in 1950 to a community of 4008 in 1960. In 1970 city residents increased to 9, 935; approximately 25,370 in 2008. Two periods of signi�cant popula�on increase have taken place: from 1960-1970 and from 1990 to present. Much of this growth was most likely in�uenced by the proximity of this area to transporta�on corridors that connect Sun Prairie with the rest of the Madison region. The current popula�on is 31,213.
Liveability. com has ranked Sun Prairie # 2 in the na�on on their“ Top 10 Economic Ci�es” for 2015-2016.
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