McFarland, Wisconsin
McFarland is a village of 9,160 people in Dane County, Wisconsin, founded in 1856.
Why visit McFarland
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 31 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include McFarland Farmers' Market, Best of Wisconsin Indoor Farmers' Market, McFarland House and Lewis Mound Group.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 11°F.
Weather in McFarland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About McFarland
McFarland is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States, situated on Lake Waubesa. The population was 8,991 at the 2020 census, the village has a population of 9,597. A suburb of Madison, it is part of the Madison metropolitan area, with U.S. Route 51 serving as the primary artery to Madison and Stoughton. The postal code is 53558.
From the Wikipedia article McFarland, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
McFarland Farmers' Market
Farm and orchard · 0.9 mi
5709 US 51, McFarland
Th 14:00-18:00
Best of Wisconsin Indoor Farmers' Market
Farm and orchard · 0.6 mi
5915 Milwaukee Street
Sa 09:00-14:00
Museums and landmarks11
McFarland House
Monument and historic site · Coffee Shop · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Large Greek Revival-styled house built in 1857 in McFarland, Wisconsin
5923 Exchange Street
Lewis Mound Group
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Set of prehistoric Native American burial mounds in the village of McFarland, Dane County, Wisconsin, southeast of Madison
Nathaniel W. Dean House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Outlet Mound
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Archaeological site in Monona, United States of America
Waubesa School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
School building in McFarland, Wisconsin
Capital Springs State Recreation Area
Monument and historic site · 2.7 mi
Wisconsin state park
Larson House Museum
Museum · 0.7 mi
6003 Exchange Street, McFarland
May 25-Sep 30 Su 13:00-16:00; Dec Su 13:00-16:00
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McFarland Historical Society
Museum · 0.5 mi
5814 Main Street, McFarland
May 25-Sep 30 Su 13:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds31
Yahara Hills Golf Course
Golf course · 1.8 mi
6701 Highway 12 & 18 East, Madison
Apr 1-Nov 24: Mo-Fr 06:00-sunset; PH,Sa,Su 05:30-sunset; Nov 24-Apr 1 off
19 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes13
Luke's Cafe
Restaurant · Diner, Breakfast, Brunch · 1.2 mi
6115 US Highway 51, McFarland
07:00-14:00
Green Lantern
Bar and pub · 1.2 mi
4412 Siggelkow Road, McFarland
Tu-Fr 07:00-20:00+; Sa 07:30-20:00+; Su 07:30-20:00+
McFarland Tavern
Bar and pub · 0.6 mi
5915 Exchange Street, McFarland
Mo-Su 10:00-02:00
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 2.1 mi
4 Collins Court, Madison
Mo-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-24:00; Su 10:00-23:00
Culver's
Fast food · Burger · 1.0 mi
4700 Farwell Street, McFarland
Mo-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:30; Su 10:00-22:00
1 more on the map.
History
The Village of McFarland has several burial mounds from the Woodland period, collectively known as the Lewis Mound Group, located within Indian Mound Park.
Established in 1856 by William Hugh McFarland, the village's early industries included wheat and tobacco farming, ice and fish harvesting from the nearby Lake Waubesa for rail transportation to Chicago markets. A modest resort industry eventually emerged along the eastern shore of Lake Waubesa, featuring attractions such as Edwards Park and Larson's Beach. Following World War II, McFarland evolved into a residential community for Madison. In the late 1950s, the village annexed the newly-built petroleum tank farms to the north, bolstering its tax base and enabling the McFarland School District to finance a new high school. Commuting from McFarland became significantly more convenient in 1989 with the completion of a major highway project on the adjacent Madison Beltline, sparking rapid residential growth.
From the History section of McFarland, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Magnuson Grand Hotel Madison
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
3510 Millpond Road, Madison
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping2
McFarland True Value Hardware Store
Hardware store · 0.6 mi
5210 Farwell Street, McFarland
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries34
Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin High
School · 0.9 mi
4721 Dale-Curtin Dr, Mcfarland
Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School
School · 2.9 mi
1201 Tompkins Dr, Madison
Healthcare2
Map of McFarland
108 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 11°F | 1.7 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 14°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 4.2 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.5 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.7 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.7 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 4.1 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.9 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 3.0 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Uw Arboretum - Madison (7 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
Dane County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-10-18: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Flood)
- 2011-04-05: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-19: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Cottage Grove 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Stoughton 7 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Fitchburg 8 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Oregon 8 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Maple Bluff 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Madison 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Deerfield 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Sun Prairie 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Middleton 13 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Verona 13 mi west, about 21 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
- Christ the King Catholic Church McFarland, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland United Church of Christ - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland Lutheran Church - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland's 750,000 gallons Water Tower - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland Municipal Center - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland Post Office 53558 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Mcfarland Power House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland Fire Department - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- ATC McFarland Substation - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Walgreens McFarland - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland Tower 1 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- McFarland House, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waubesa School, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dean House Monona, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Outlet Mound Monona, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Capital Springs State Recreation Area - panoramio (2), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Tompkins-Brindler Mound Group, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mc Farland Historical Society - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Barber Shop - panoramio (3), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Old Waubesa School - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Spartan Pizza - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- E D Locke Public Library - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Risen Savior Lutheran Church - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Lion Head Drinking Foutain - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Discovery Gardens - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Long Branch Building - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Becca Hamilton (USA), Yosape, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Becca Hamilton, Yosape, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Matt Hamilton Olympic Gold Medal Madison Curling Club, Yosape, CC BY-SA 4.0
- McDonald's® - panoramio (26), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Pick 'n Save - panoramio (1), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- ATC Power Line - panoramio (93), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Montage - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 5100 Bar ^ Restaurant - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Spartan Bowl - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Flint Hills Resources Oil Tanks - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Culvers® - panoramio (2), Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Park Side Pub - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Green Lantern - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.