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Mount Horeb
Located roughly half an hour midway between the state capital, Madison, and the Iowa County Seat, Dodgeville, is one of Southwest Wisconsin’s most distinctive communities. The Village of Mount Horeb, settled in 1860 and incorporated in 1899, is the Troll Capital of the World – and it’s the proud home of the Mustard Museum, to boot.
A village in Dane County, Mount Horeb may sound eccentric, but it’s actually the perfect example of the warmth and charm of small-town America. The trolls and the mustard only add spice to the flavor.
With a growing population of more than 6,000 people, Mount Horeb is already a village of considerable size, but it remains as warm and tightly-knit as ever. Settled mainly by Norwegians and Swiss, the village has retained many of its historic buildings, most of which are fine examples of Scandinavian-influenced 19th century architecture.
The trolls are another illustration of the influence of Scandinavian culture in the village. In Norwegian folklore, trolls bring good fortune, usually in the form of gems and precious metals. These days, they bring tourists. Mount Horeb’s Main Street – dubbed the Trollway – features many wooden trolls that prove very photogenic.
Though tourism is an important industry in the village, it’s not the only thing that keeps the economy going. Mount Horeb is also home to the North Cape Commons Corporate Park, which is predicted to bring in more business activity into the village.
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