Mineral Point mixes history, art and agriculture
Mineral Point is a small city with a mix of historic attractions, art and rural scenery. Mineral Point became a lead and zinc boomtown in the 1820s, and its mining activities later drew immigrants from Cornwall, England. Today, Cornish architecture is one of the city’s most recognizable features. Areas showing the style include the historic Pendarvis site, known for its simple cabins made of local stone and timber. Mineral Point also has a historic downtown with local shops, restaurants and a few boutique hotels. “It has a little bit of everything. We’re one hour outside of Madison, 40 minutes outside of Dubuque, and we have an excellent school system,” says John Spady, owner of Mineral Point Hotel. “We have all the qualities of small town Wisconsin life and a little sophistication with the arts.”
Downtown has dining variety and local beer
Downtown Mineral Point has Italianate and Victorian buildings with vintage glass storefronts. Downtown also has foot traffic that passes by art galleries and an old vaudeville venue that now hosts live music and plays. Downtown staples include Red Rooster Cafe, which makes Cornish specialties like pasty and figgy hobbin. Cafe 43 specializes in avocado toast and bagels, while Popolo is popular for its wood fired pizzas. Commerce Street Brewery Hotel has been a local beer destination since the late 1990s. “We have English pub fare, a sort of Seattle-style coffee shop, if you will, and an artisanal wood fired pizza place,” Spady says. “There’s some variety here.”
Less than 10 miles north in Dodgeville, Piggly Wiggly is the nearest chain grocery store. From May to October, many come to Water Tower Park to buy local produce at the Mineral Point Market.
City hosts Cornish Festival & Celtic Celebration
The city hosts the annual Cornish Festival & Celtic Celebration in September. The event spans a few days and consists of numerous activities at different locations in the city. The festival’s activities include a pancake breakfast and samplings of Cornish cuisine. The festival also hosts live music, afternoon tea sessions and bus tours of the city’s historic sites.
A city that draws a mix of younger buyers and retirees
The rural area around the city has acres of crop fields and cattle farms. Homes in the city are in hilly neighborhoods with mature trees. In addition to the Cornish cottages, the city has ranch-style homes, bi-level and Colonial Revivals. There are also Craftsman bungalows, Queen Annes, American Foursquares and gablefront houses. Prices range from $115,000 to $415,000, while a few homes on the farmland run between $610,000 and $780,000. “The city has a very large population of people who have lived here for generations. Newcomers tend to often be folks looking for a second home or retirement home,” says Shan Thomas, archivist at Mineral Point Public Library. “There are also young families coming to town based on the fact people can work from home.”
Community with year-round recreation
Soldiers Memorial Park, which neighbors the historic Pendarvis area, is the city’s largest recreational site. Its attractions include a playground, a preserved military tank and an Olympic-sized outdoor pool. The park also has basketball, baseball, sand volleyball and tennis facilities. During the winter, the hilly landscape turns the area into a sledding destination. Water Tower Park has a playground, a small basketball court and a small stone cottage highlighting the city’s history.
Local cyclists may access the Cheese Country Trail, a 47-mile path that goes through other nearby communities. Located less than 5 miles north, Dodge Point Country Club is a public 18-hole course.
Mineral Point Unified School District covers the community
Mineral Point Unified School District serves the area and earns a B-plus grade from Niche. Students may start at Mineral Point Elementary School, which receives a B grade. Both Mineral Point Middle and Mineral Point High score B-plus grades. In 2024, the high school’s boys basketball team captured its first-ever state title.
U.S. 151 connects Mineral Point to Madison
Commuters may travel on U.S. Highway 151 to Madison, 55 miles east of Mineral Point. The state capital is home to places like Dane County Regional Airport. Located 7 miles north in Dodgeville, Upland Hills Health Hospital & Clinics serves this part of the greater Madison region.
Newcomers can expect frigid winters
Newcomers should expect some frigid winters. In addition to seeing about 35 inches of snow annually, the area has an average winter low temperature of 9 degrees.
