History of the Village of Plain
Writings taken from A History of Plain, Wisconsin by Hildegarde Thering
It was generally agreed that the Village of Plain was started by 1882. Perry’s Store, B. J. Wilcox Blacksmith Shop, the Stutz Saloon, and three houses made up the inland village.
In order for the village businesses to be handled more effectively, Plain secured a village charter in 1912. The first charter election was held on June 4, 1912. The first meeting of the Village Board, after the Village was incorporated in 1912, was held on June 17, 1912.
The swimming pool was built in 1957, the library was started in 1964, and the municipal building was finished in 1966. The Plain Municipal Building included a four-stall fire station, a library, village administration rooms, and a meeting hall. In 1977, a new addition of three stalls was added to the four-stall fire station. In 1981 the Wastewater Treatment Plant was finished. The Park Pavilion was built in 1996. In 2002 the Kraemer Library and Community Center was constructed and paid for all in donations.
In 1967, the Franklin-Plain Corporation land was annexed to the Village and in 1968 the Village accepted the Westbrook addition.
The Westbrook Hills Golf Course was started in 1971 and in 1973 was given over to the Village.
The Green Technology Training and Enterprise Center was built in 2011, with Madison College starting classes in January of 2012. Madison College continued through May of 2014. The Villlage Offices moved to Green TTEC in June of 2015. The Plain Fire District took over the old Municipal Building at that time. EMT apartments were completed in June of 2018. The Village office moved to 510 Main Street when a private company leased the Green TTEC building. In 2020, Kevin and Diane Kraemer purchased a farm located on the eastern side of Plain for the purpose of developing single family sites. The land was annexed into the Village shortly after their purchase.
Village of Plain Presidents
|
1912 |
Pat E. Walsh |
|
1913-1919 |
John B. Liegel |
|
1920 |
John W. Bauer |
|
1921-1922 |
George Liegel, Sr. |
|
1923-1928 |
Philip Bettinger, Sr. |
|
1929-1946 |
Mike A. Ring |
|
1947-1950 |
Francis Bettinger |
|
1950-1954 |
Mike A. Ring |
|
1955-1960 |
Alfred Kraemer |
|
1961-1964 |
James Straka |
|
1964-1969 |
Alfred Kraemer |
|
1969-1971 |
Edmund Hetzel |
|
1971-1975 |
Frederick W. Viney |
|
1975-1987 |
Ralph Soeldner |
|
1987-1996 |
Robert Fredrick |
|
1996-2007 2007-2011 2011-present |
William Gruber Raymond J. Ellenbolt Raymond Ring |