Mount Horeb – The Secret Gem of Wisconsin
What is Mt. Horeb,Wisconsin
known for?
Mount Horeb, Wisconsin is an historic town in southern Wisconsin, 20 miles west of Madison and 120 miles west of Milwaukee. Mt. Horeb is known for its quirky trolls!
Mount Horeb is known as The Trollway – the troll capital of the world.
The Main Street of Mount Horeb is lined with art carved trolls of every size.
Over 20 Trolls stand and sit along the street greeting people and welcoming them into stores and to the town.
Why is Mt. Horeb known for Trolls?
The trolls originated in the 1970’s when the owners of the Open House Imports Scandanavian gift store placed trolls on their lawn to encourage visitors to shop.
When a new highway was built to bypass the main thoroughfare of the town, Mt. Horeb residents rallied to create more and more trolls to encourage traffic to keep coming through the town.
It has since become the troll capital of the world!
Restaurants and shops have embraced the troll theme with a map of the trolls and a live video cam streaming the trolls.
There are troll footprints, happy trolls, lucky trolls, old trolls, and young trolls.
Some are carved from special trees and they each have a unique story.
What is the history of Mt. Horeb?
Mount Horeb grew after the rail line was completed in 1881.
The town has always been centered around the dairy and livestock farming community settled by Norweigian and German immigrants.
Where to eat in Mt. Horeb
Breakfast at Sunn Cafe – a sweet spot with lots of great veggie and gluten free options.
Lunch at The Grumpy Troll – a great brew pub with delicious food.
Dinner at Aztlan Mexican Grill – surprisingly great Mexican fare. Have the guacamole!
More Things to do in Mt. Horeb
If you’re in the Mt. Horeb area for more than a day, there are plenty more activities, both fun and historic, to keep you busy.
~ Cave of the Mounds – is a natural limestone cave with many gemstones and fossils.
~ Alex Jordan House on the Rock – this was the vision of Alex Jordan and continues to be a work in progress for over 60 years. It’s a man-made house built on top of a rock. It displays tons of strange and exotic collections of unusual things, and has incredible views.
~ Pendarvis Historic Site- is in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, near Mt. Horeb. The site was the home of Cornish immigrants who came to work the lead mines.
~ Wineries – are plentiful in the Mt. Horab area with tastig rooms, and cheese, of course!
Let us know if you go and please send troll photos!
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xx,
Carrie
