One of Platteville’s most enduring landmarks is the nearby World’s Largest “M”, completed in 1937 by University of Wisconsin-Platteville students. The “M”, a symbol of the old School of Mines, measures 241 feet wide by 214 feet tall and consists of some 400 tons of whitewashed stone. The lighting of the “M” is an annual tradition at UW-Platteville. Twice a year, the “M” is outlined with hundreds of smudge-pots lit by a torch carried by student runners from campus to the mound. The resulting display can be seen from 3 states. Steps lead up the side of the “M” so that one can climb to the top for a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside.

Built in 1837 by the Rev. Samuel Mitchell, the Stone Cottage stands today as it did 150 years ago. Much of the interior is the original furnishings of the home which was the private residence of the Rountree family and kept in its original state until the 1960’s when it was turned over to the Grant County Historical Society. The Rev. Mitchell was a soldier during the American Revolutionary War under General Washington and present during the surrender of Cornwallis in Yorktown. Historians consider the cottage a “gem like no other in Wisconsin” with its two-foot thick walls of dolomite Galena limestone.

Platteville’s Annual Historic Encampment, held in Moundview Park, is sponsored by the Platteville Area Chamber of Commerce. This event also coincides with Platteville’s “Dairy Days” festival and the admission is free. Enjoy Presentations on Woodland Indain lifeways, authentic Ojibwa legends, the lives of explorers, merchants, fur trappers and traders, and the clothing of the time. A wide variety of period music will be shared throughout the weekend, and the traders’ wares will be featured on Saturday and Sunday, providing the public an opportunity to take home a piece of the past.