Summer in Downtown Madison: Step Back in Time

Downtown Madison’s streets turn into storytelling stages this summer, thanks to the Wisconsin Historical Society’s newly launched History Maker Space walking tours. These narratives explore Capitol politics, Black history, LGBTQ+ activism and the city’s more mythical corners, each layered with local voices and landmarks that still resonate today. It’s a chance for locals and travelers to step into history in downtown Madison, Wis., and experience the places and stories that shaped the capital from the ground up.

Visitors can expect historic sites, surprising facts and characters who helped shape Wisconsin’s capital in their own unique ways. It’s a rare opportunity to experience Madison’s history exactly where it happened, and a perfect introduction to the four guided walking tours that follow.

More than just a walk

The History Maker Space is becoming a focal point for exploring Madison’s past this summer, drawing in locals and visitors eager to see the city through a new lens. Operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, this downtown hub brings history out of the archives and into public view through a series of themed walking tours.

Each tour highlights significant sites across Madison, bringing to the surface the people, movements and milestones that continue to shape the city’s evolving identity. Whether centered on resistance, reform or folklore, these narratives are grounded in real spaces that visitors can experience up close.

General admission is $20 per person, with a 10% discount offered to Wisconsin Historical Society members. For full details or to reserve tickets, you can visit the Wisconsin Historical Society’s official website , where the summer tour schedule and related programming are also available.

Hidden History of the Capitol Square Walking Tour

Among the offerings is the Hidden History of the Capitol Square Walking Tour , which connects the dots for those curious about how Madison grew from wilderness to Wisconsin’s political heart. Stops include the American House, once a lodging place for early lawmakers, and the Argus Bar, which served as the headquarters for a newspaper that helped shape public opinion during formative years.

These landmarks, woven into stories that include legendary figures like Old Abe, the Civil War eagle mascot, highlight how personal and political histories intersect across the cityscape. Beginning and ending at U.S. Bank Plaza, the 1.3-mile route offers a layered walk through Madison’s earliest chapters.

Madison Black History Walking Tours

This summer’s lineup also spotlights the voices and contributions of Black Madisonians, weaving personal and collective histories into the city’s streets. The Madison Black History Walking Tours begin in the post-Civil War era and follow a route through the Dayton-Mifflin-East Johnson Street area, where many early Black residents built homes, communities and institutions. Stops include the Miller House, where William and Anna Mae Miller helped establish the local NAACP chapter and uplifted civic life through education, religion and neighborhood engagement.

From there, the tour continues through other significant locations that reflect the rhythms of daily life and the foundations of community leadership. Sites like the Hill Grocery and St. Paul AME Church anchor stories about the Book Lovers Club and the lasting contributions of Black educators, religious leaders and civic organizers. Adding another layer to this historical landscape is the powerful story of Beverly and John Jefferson, grandchildren of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, who settled in Madison and made a home here.

The route winds through the Dayton-Mifflin-East Johnson corridor, covering approximately 1 mile. It begins at the corner of East Dayton Street and North Blount Street and ends at Capitol Square, at the corner of South Carroll Street and West Main Street. Together, these stops offer a powerful reminder of how Black history continues to shape the city’s present through its enduring spaces and stories.

LGBTQ+ History Walking Tour

Madison’s LGBTQ+ history is also front and center this summer, offering a compelling look at how activism and community shaped the city’s culture and laws. Madison’s LGBTQ+ History Walking Tour brings these stories to life by tracing the journeys of some of the first openly queer elected officials in the country and visiting key protest sites that influenced Wisconsin’s anti-discrimination legislation.

These stories unfold at iconic spaces like Manoeuvres on Blair Street and the legendary Cardinal Bar and Club Majestic, which served as venues for vital gathering places for LGBTQ+ community members to celebrate, organize and connect. Emily’s, another longtime staple, adds to this history as a neighborhood bar that played a central role in the city’s LGBTQ+ social life.

Along the way, the tour reflects on Madison’s evolving relationship with queer identity and inclusion, grounding abstract progress in real locations tied to protest, pride and daily life. It begins at 150 South Blair Street and concludes at Capitol Square, at the corner of West Mifflin Street and North Carroll Street, offering participants a tangible sense of place in the city’s ongoing story.

Madison’s Hidden History: From Myth to Mystery

History doesn’t always come with tidy footnotes. Madison’s Hidden History: From Myth to Mystery tour embraces eerie folklore and curious facts through tales of alleged hauntings, unsolved crimes and eccentric figures that still echo through local lore. The walk reveals how even the strangest stories can offer insight into the city’s character, setting the tone for what’s to come.

That spirit of curiosity carries over into the stops, which explore Houdini’s rumored ties to Madison, quirky student antics at UW-Madison and the curious legend of a lake monster that some locals still claim to have seen. Eccentric personalities like Eddie Ben Benson add to the city’s offbeat history, who once ran for office on an unusual platform centered around goat milk.

If ghost stories and unusual facts are your thing, this tour delivers a full circuit of intrigue and curiosity. Beginning and ending at the U.S. Bank Plaza at 1 South Pinckney Street, the 1-mile route winds through downtown Madison’s stranger landmarks. It reveals how even the most unexpected tales leave a lasting imprint on the city’s identity.

Madison’s history steps into the spotlight

This summer, Madison’s streets offer a new way to connect with the city’s past through guided walking tours that highlight stories often left out of textbooks. Each tour provides a focused, location-driven experience that brings Wisconsin’s capital to life in accessible and immersive ways. In downtown Madison, the past isn’t confined to plaques or museum walls; it’s woven into the daily fabric of the city’s streets, conversations and culture.

Jennifer Allen, retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and writer, shares her adventures and travel tips at All The Best Spots . Living at home with her family, and the cats that rule them all, her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.

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