1. Madison’s official city bird is a plastic pink flamingo. Voted in 2009, it’s an homage to an infamous prank on Bascom Hill circa 1979.
2. Madison is home to the “World’s Largest Brat Fest,” an annual fundraiser that has been held since 1983. In 2010, 209,376 brats were consumed during the festival—which is believed to be a world record for a single festival over a 4-day period.
3. In 1937 an electric “W” began decorating the Capitol dome during the college football season. The “W” measured twelve feet high and thirteen feet wide and was lit with 250 red light bulbs that faced the State Street on football weekends.
4. The dome of the state capitol is made entirely of granite, making it the largest granite dome in the world.
5. In 2013, “Prevention Magazine” ranked Madison #8 on their list of the “Happiest, Healthiest Cities In America.” It was also ranked #5 in “Best Places To Live” by livability.com.
6. Remember Chris Farley? He was born and raised in Madison.
7. Frank Lloyd Wright also considered Madison home during his more formative years–his teens.
8. Otis Redding, singer of the song “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” passed away when his plane crashed into Lake Monona.
9. Dane County Farmers’ Market on the Square is the largest producer-only Farmers’ Market in the country and boasts more than 300 vendors.
10. Madison has been the backdrop for more than 10 different films, including “Public Enemies,” “I Love Trouble” and “The Last Kiss”.
11. When James Duane Doty (he’s kind of the founder, he first purchased land in what is now Madison) lobbied for Madison to be Wisconsin’s state capitol, he offered the legislators buffalo robes. Maybe it was a bribe or maybe it was because winters have always been rough in this area.
12. Between 300 and 1300 AD, Native American “mound builders” once occupied what is now Madison. Where there once were thousands of effigy mounds; today only a few remain. Interestingly enough though, the Madison area has the highest concentration of effigy mounds remaining.
13. Madison has a higher percentage of gay couples than any other city in the Midwest, aside from Chicago and Minneapolis.
14. On a per-capita basis, the people of Madison buy more books than anywhere else.
15. More than half of the population in Madison is under 30. This is no surprise, as it’s a large university town.
16. Union Corners, technically East Washington Avenue and Milwaukee Street, gained its name during the Civil War. These corners once housed a bar popular with the Union soldiers, who would stop in for a drink before heading off to fight the confederates.
17. There is a state law that limits any building being built within one mile of the Wisconsin State Capitol and no buildings may be taller or overshadow it.
18. And while we’re talking about the capitol building, the state capitol dome is the second tallest in the nation. The tallest is, you guessed it, the nation’s capitol dome in Washington, DC.
19. Madison is the first city in the country to use zoning to achieve an aesthetic effect. It might have been due to the nationwide “City Beautiful” movement of the early 1900s.
20. In 1968, the first bone marrow transplant in the United States is performed at UW Hospital.
21. Madison is sometimes described as “The City Of Four Lakes.” Although there are five near Madison, the fifth is often forgotten. The lakes are Lake Monona, Lake Mendota, Lake Waubesa, Lake Kegonsa and the debated Lake Wingra.
22. It’s also one of only two cities in the United States built on an isthmus. What’s an isthmus you ask? An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas of land, typically with water on either side. The more you know.
23. Gates of Heaven is the nation’s 8th oldest surviving Synagogue.
24. Madison has more than 260 parks throughout the city, which spreads out to around 6,000 acres of parkland.
25. The Henry Vilas Zoo is one of about 10 free zoos in the nation.
26. 24 Pulitzers and 17 Nobel prizes have been awarded to University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty or alumni. No wonder there’s so much badger pride.
27. “Fighting Bob” La Follette, a former senator and Governor of Wisconsin, lived and schooled in Madison. He is a key figure in Wisconsin's history of political liberalism and has been called “arguably the most important and recognized leader of the opposition to the growing dominance of corporations over the Government.”
28. The documentary “The War At Home” is based on the many, often violent, protests taking place in Madison during the ‘60s and ‘70s.
29. Orton Park is Madison’s first city park and encompasses the entire Block 180 of the original plat of Madison. It was originally designated as a cemetery, but was declared a park in 1883 and officially opened in 1887.
30. Michael Feldman, NPR host of “Whad’Ya Know” calls Madison home.
31. During the Civil War, Madison was the first city to send out troops.
32. The Kohl Center, which houses the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s men’s basketball and hockey teams as well as the women’s basketball team, is the second largest indoor venue in Wisconsin.
33. In 1917, Madison had the first electric voting machine installed in the Assembly Chamber.
34. The Great Taste of The Midwest Craft Beer Festival was established in 1987. It’s the second longest running event of its type in North America.
35. Madison’s nicknames include “Mad City,” “The City of Four Lakes” and “Madtown.”
36. Madison claims its annual summer fireworks show, “Rhythm and Booms,” is the largest fireworks presentation in the Midwest.
37. In 1910, the first United States Forest Products Laboratory was established in Madison. Wood-n’t you like to know what they researched? (Hint: it’s wood.)
38. Elver Park is the highest point of Madison and its most popular sledding hill.
39. The Gilmore House is the only design built by Frank Lloyd Wright during his Prairie School years. This National Historic Landmark is internationally famous.
40. The Midwest Horse Fair has called Madison home since 1979. This fair is one of the top and largest horse fairs in America.
41. Olbrich Botanical Gardens was chosen as one of 10 Most Inspiring Gardens by “Horticulture” magazine.
42. Madison’s first library branch opened in 1913, as the Sixth Ward Branch. Eventually its name and location changed. It is known today as the Hawthorne Branch.
43. Willett S. Main Building is the oldest surviving commercial building on Capitol Square.
What's your favorite Madison fun fact? Tell us in the comments below!
