Situated within Westport Township's expansive prairies along Six Mile Creek, the village known as Waunakee began as a country road with only a school and blacksmith shop. Because of the initiative of a few citizens, the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad decided to locate its depot on that dirt road. Established in 1871, the village of Waunakee sprang up almost immediately and continued to grow and thrive for the subsequent 140 years. Follow the development of the historic village as it unfolds through photographs, many of which were passed down from generations of centennial families who settled in the area. Witness how locals shipped agricultural products and traveled at the Waunakee depot. Discover Waunakee and Westport's best-known citizens, including a famous Victorian poet, a physician who practiced for over 70 years, and a renowned pilot who became president of an airline.