Lancaster, Wisconsin
Lancaster is a city of 3,976 people in Grant County, Wisconsin, founded in 1837.
Why visit Lancaster
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include The Grantland Theater, Grant County Courthouse, L. J. Arthur House and Lancaster Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 9°F, and about 37 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lancaster
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lancaster
Lancaster is a city in and the county seat of Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,907 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Lancaster, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks5
Grant County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Wisconsin, United States
L. J. Arthur House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Lancaster, Wisconsin
Lancaster Municipal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Lancaster, Wisconsin
Patrick and Margaret Kinney House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Courthouse Square
Park
Courthouse Square provides a unique open space area for the downtown commercial district. The historic Grant County Courthouse, with its...
Restaurants and cafes6
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich
140 West Cherry Street, Lancaster
Mo-Fr 07:30-21:00; Sa 08:30-21:00; Su 09:00-21:00
History
Lancaster originated as a planned community to serve as the county seat for Grant County. Anticipating the county's establishment in 1836, Major Glendower M. Price, a Cassville merchant and land speculator, purchased the site of Lancaster for its central location in the county. Major Price platted the town on a compass-aligned grid in 1837, reserving a large central square for the new county government. He was persuaded to name the city Lancaster by a relative who migrated from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Maj. Price and Daniel Banfill contracted to construct the first county courthouse, which stood on the square from 1838–1851. A second courthouse was constructed in 1852–1853 and enlarged in 1865. The present, third courthouse was constructed on the site in 1902.
Pleasant Ridge, one of the first African-American communities in Wisconsin, was founded just outside Lancaster by the Shepard family in 1849 and settled in the 1850s. Lancaster was the home of the first governor of Wisconsin, Nelson Dewey.
From the History section of Lancaster, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship5
St Clement Church
Church · Catholic · 0.4 mi
135 South Washington Street, Lancaster
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Lancaster
36 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 9°F | 1.2 in | 10.0 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 13°F | 1.3 in | 8.9 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.8 in | 1.6 in |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 4.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 58°F | 5.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 62°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 52°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 39°F | 2.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 28°F | 2.4 in | 2.6 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 16°F | 1.7 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lancaster 4 Wsw Hcn (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Grant County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-10-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud (Severe Storm)
- 2013-08-08: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2011-04-05: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2010-08-11: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Prairie Du Chien Municipal Airport (PCD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 miles away.
- Fennimore 10 mi north, about 16 min by car
- Platteville 15 mi southeast, about 23 min by car
- Boscobel 21 mi north, about 33 min by car
- Guttenberg 21 mi west, about 33 min by car
- Cuba City 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- Asbury 23 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Dubuque 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- East Dubuque 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Benton 25 mi southeast, about 40 min by car
- Hazel Green 26 mi southeast, about 41 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Lancaster, Wisconsin, Wikideas1, CC0
- Lancaster, Wisconsin City Hall, Downspec, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Lancaster Post Office, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lancaster High School, Wikideas1, CC0
- Lancaster Tower 2 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Patrick and Margaret Kinney House in Lancaster, Wisconsin, Wikideas1, CC0
- North Lancaster Town Hall, Wikideas1, CC0
- ATC Lancaster Electrical Substation - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Lancaster Cell Tower - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 133 Maple Street, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grant County, Wisconsin Courthouse, Downspec, CC BY-SA 4.0
- L. J. Arthur House, Tgkrause, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Patrick and Margaret Kinney House, Tgkrause, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dairy Farm with Two Silos - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- ATC Power Line - panoramio (61), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
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