Skip to Main Content
Wisconsin Hometown Stories

Janesville: Growth

Janesville grew by adding the making of farm implements to its expanding agriculture.

Aired 05/07/2006 | Rating NR

Wisconsin Hometown Stories

Janesville: Growth

Clip: Special | 5m 27sVideo has Closed Captions

Janesville grew by adding the making of farm implements to its expanding agriculture.

After the Civil War, Janesville’s population exploded. Railroads opened new markets for Wisconsin wheat. When wheat crops failed, farmers expanded into tobacco, dairy farming and cotton. At the same time, agriculture fueled Janesville’s industrialization, as farm implement manufacturing began.

Aired 05/07/2006 | Rating NR

Wisconsin Hometown Stories is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin

Janesville: A Perfect Society

Video has Closed Captions

Idealistic New Englanders chose Janesville as the location for building a perfect society. (9m 30s)

Janesville: GM

Video has Closed Captions

GM came to Janesville to build tractors, and switched to making cars. (58m 1s)

Janesville: I Love You Truly

Video has Closed Captions

Carrie Jacobs Bond was the first woman to sell a million copies of a song. (5m 29s)

Janesville: Intro

Video has Closed Captions

Pioneer settler Henry Janes blazed a trail soon followed by hundreds, and then thousands, (9m 18s)

Janesville: Lincoln Slept Here

William Tallman built a grand home that housed famous guests including Abraham Lincoln. (5m 52s)

Janesville: Milestones

Video has Closed Captions

New parks, better schools and government, and good-paying jobs helped Janesville thrive. (6m 28s)

Janesville: Strong-minded Women

Video has Closed Captions

Janesville's Frances Willard and Lavinia Goodell led a movement for women’s rights. (5m 44s)

Janesville: Two Names

Video has Closed Captions

Through technical advances and marketing genius, Parker Pen put Janesville on the map. (8m 7s)

Providing Support for PBS.org

Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship

Wisconsin Hometown Stories is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin

Sign in with Email

or

Continue with GoogleContinue with FacebookContinue with Apple

By creating an account, you acknowledge that PBS may share your information with our member stations and our respective service providers, and that you have read and understand the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Are you sure you want to remove null from My List?