In the 20 years since Katie and I first came to Iron Ridge, it has pretty much stayed the same. In many ways, that is good. Village government has maintained things well. People come and people go. Status quo brings a sense of stability and comfort.
But Iron Ridge lacks a sense of identity. Sure, we have the Iron Ridge Inn, and PS Seasonings, and the annual Fireman’s Picnic. Those are fantastic for the Village, and bring people back regularly. But we are missing something that calls out our unique history. Something we can grab onto and say, “this is the character and charm of Iron Ridge.” Something we can begin to develop and plan for.
I propose that our name, Iron Ridge, is the perfect inspiration. The iron mine, and the days of it’s prime, provide a breadth and depth of history, and our part in it, to pull from. The years from 1865 to 1920 give us railroads, steam engines, the birth of the automobile and the airplane, the industrial revolution, and so much more. Iron was a big part of much of that, and so were we.
What does that look like for Iron Ridge, and staking our claim in history and identity? I don’t know. But it sure would be fun to start the discussion and see what develops! Maybe a festival? Maybe a museum?
Any ideas? Feel free to post them here…
