Belmont, WI. – First Capitol, one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums, will reopen to the public on Saturday, August 7, 2021. The site will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until closing day of the season on September 5, 2021. Admission to First Capitol is free for all guests.

“We are thrilled to welcome visitors back to First Capitol this season,” said Bethany Brander, southwest sites program manager for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “Although Belmont served as Wisconsin’s capitol for just 46 days, an incredible amount of history was made here. First Capitol provides guests with the opportunity to be immersed in the world of the founders of our state.”

First Capitol is comprised of two historic buildings, the Council House and the Court House. The Council House was built to host Wisconsin Territory’s first legislative session and supreme court session. The Court House, which is a misnomer as it never hosted a court session, served as lodging quarters for lawmakers. Decisions were made at First Capitol that shaped the state of Wisconsin and still influence the way it operates today.

When the Wisconsin Historical Society first assessed the buildings in 1906, they had fallen into a state of disrepair. Restoration began in 1919, and First Capitol became a Wisconsin Historical Society site in 1994. To learn more about First Capitol, visit firstcapitol.wisconsinhistory.org.

For the most up to date information about the Wisconsin Historical Society’s sites and museums, visit wisconsinhistory.org/sites.

About First Capitol
Near the picturesque hamlet of Belmont is First Capitol, the site where the first territorial legislature met in 1836 to build the framework for Wisconsin statehood. Over the course of just 46 days, these lawmakers recorded more than 40 new laws which created a judicial system, called for new infrastructure, and established Madison as Wisconsin’s permanent capital city. Restoration began in 1919 to save the two historic buildings that stand on the site today. First Capitol became a Wisconsin Historical Society site in 1994. For more information, visit firstcapitol.wisconsinhistory.org.