As a former township, Fitchburg covers approximately 35 square miles. John Stoner began farming in the area of Fitchburg in 1837, near the southern portion of Seminole Highway. Since Stoner worked the farm during the week and returned to Madison where he lived weekends with his family, the title of first permanent settlers goes to the Vroman brothers-William, George and Joseph. They were Dutch immigrants who came to the area to work on the State Capital, but they began farming and built a residence in Fitchburg in 1839.

Irish Fitchburg officially became a city on April 26, 1983. Driven by Madison’s continued encroachment into its boundaries and annexations of Fitchburg lands, the township government pursued a method of petitions signed by a percentage of Fitchburg’s residents in order to declare itself a city. The fight to become a City was finally determined by a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision which allowed incorporation to proceed.

A combination of city and rural life defines Fitchburg, WI.  Boasting a growing population of 23,000 plus, Fitchburg celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008.  It is an incredibly dynamic young city located just 10 minutes from downtown Madison.  Fitchburg is an environmentally progressive market.  Due to its close locale, Fitchburg plays a prominent role in the biking community, both for recreation and transportation.  It offers plenty of user-friendly bike trails, including the Capital City, Badger State and Military Ridge Trails, with easy access to unlimited possibilities of exploration.  In addition, Fitchburg hosts a beautiful park system, including McKee Farms Park, the largest of all Fitchburg’s green spaces, which features tennis, soccer, and baseball fields.  Other activities include the amazing Kids Crossing Dream playground, kite-flying on Sundays, and summer concerts in the park.

A rich assortment of Fitchburg community events ranges from a Thursday farmers market May through October, exciting holiday events from Easter egg hunts, other holiday festivals, an enchanted forest, and winter sleigh rides.  A diverse retail community offers up an assortment of independent businesses and other well-known establishments.  Finally, the local dining scene promises to satisfy cravings from calzones to paninis, steaks to curry, cold beverages to steaming hot gourmet coffee.