In the summer of 1844, 4 years before Wisconsin became a state, a merchant named John Alexander came to Milton from Roxburgshire, Scotland with his wife and 3 sons. He purchased a parcel of land from Nathan Storrs (Storr's lake), which he farmed. On it he built a wheat warehouse, which is made of lime mortar, a primitive form of cement, invented by Joseph Goodrich of Milton House fame. John and hi
s neighbors took their wheat to Milwaukee, the closest port, to trade it for dry goods they needed. In 1914 the building became the Badger Garage and Machine Company, which housed a blacksmith shop and a repair shop for carriages and automobiles. Then in 1922, J.R.Davidson moved his Park Place Garage into the building, where he sold Buicks and Overland automobiles. In 1947 the Skelly/Davidson families turned it into the Sunnyview Apple Orchard Warehouse, their outlet in town for their orchards, where they sorted and graded apples and pressed cider. The building was put on the National Registry of Historic places in 1978, as part of the largest group of grout buildings in the U.S. It remained the orchard building, and a local landmark, until 1991 when the buisiness closed. The building was given to the Milton Historical Society in 1994. We obtained the building and began restoration in 2007. By 2008, we were licensed and making wine, and officially opened for sales on February 11, 2009.
166 years later, John Alexander's wheat warehouse still stands. Now 3 generations of our family work here in various capacities, making the wine, bottling it, and selling it in the tasting room. This building has been a place where the community has come together through the years. Now it's filled with wine, camaraderie and good fun! We invite you to come, savor and enjoy the experience!
