Mt. Horeb

Mt. Horeb Comfort Station

Mount Horeb was first settled mostly by English people. In the 1870’s Norwegians came in large numbers, bringing with them such traditions as lutefisk (fish preserved in lye) and rosemaling (flower-painted utensils and furnishings). German, Swiss, and Irish influences also can be seen.

Early Mount Horeb was centered near the present Union Cemetery, at the intersection of roads from Black Earth, Verona, Mount Vernon, and Blue Mounds. 

The coming of the railroad in 1881 spelled the end of the old town.  Most of the business places and some private residences were moved closer to the depot. Dane County Historical Society has marked the site of the “Old Town” along Highway 78.

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Klevenville

Klevenville Post Office & General Store Painting in Ridgeway Depot

Klevenville (unincorporated) was named for Iver Kleven, an early settler from Norway. A colony from Valders, Norway, settled near a spring between here and Mount Horeb in 1846 and lived in covered wagons until building log homes.

Iver Kleven was a carpenter, contractor, and stone mason. After the railroad came through, Mr. Kleven ran a lumber business with two sons.  He was Klevenville’s postmaster until 1890.

In the 1890’s, mail was carried by foot along a grassy trail through heavy woods from Klevenville to Henderson, 2.5 miles to the southeast.

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