News & Events of the Alma Historical Society

The Buffalo County Rifles joined the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, the only all-Western brigade in the Eastern armies of the Union. Under the command of General Ulysses S Grant for most of the war, they were part of the First Brigade of the First Corps of the US Army of the Potomac. After the battle at Stone Mountain the brigade took on the name "The Iron Brigade" because they "stood like iron" in the face of withering enemy fire.

Through histories, memoirs and letters you'll learn more about their war experiences and yearnings to return home to their families & farms and the rivers, bluffs and valleys of Buffalo County, Wisconsin.

Do you have family information or artificats you would share in the development of this exhibit? Please contact Dorothy Peterson, curator of the Alma Area Museum, at 608-685-3554.

Long-time journalist Dennis McCann takes us on an intimate tour of the Upper Mississippi River -- from Dubuque, Iowa, to the Minnesota headwaters, and dozens of places in between. Far more than a travel guide, "This Storied River" celebrates the Upper Mississippi's colorful history and the unique role the river has played in shaping the Midwest.

McCann explores the stories of people and places linked by the Mighty Mississippi's past, informed by newspaper accounts, local historical society documents, and the shoe-leather research of an experienced reporter with a deep love for his subject. Each chapter includes a short list of must-see sites for the modern-day explorer.