2019 Cooksville Community Events Schedule

Be sure to check the Cooksville Country Store for fliers or updates, and ‘Like’ the Cooksville Community Center on Facebook for notifications of upcoming events. Many activities are free and all are open to the public.

Saturday, April 27: Community Center Clean-Up Day
10:00am–1:00 pm, Schoolhouse

Sunday, April 28: Arbor Day Celebration on the Commons
2:00–4:00 pm, Commons, reception at Schoolhouse

Saturday-Sunday, June 1-2: Sustainability Skill Share weekend
Schoolhouse, various locations
A weekend of hands-on workshops, lectures, demonstrations, and
entertainment organized by Cooksville’s Low Tech Institute. The
event will include an open old-time music jam, and a free screening
of the film Albatross will be held at the Schoolhouse at 8:30 pm on
Saturday, June 1 (please check website for updates). Registration
and fees required for participation in workshops; other events open
to the public. Please visit https://lowtechinstitute.org/workshops/
sustainability-skill-share for details.

Tuesday, June 4: Visit from Snappers Brass Era Car Club
~ 1:00 pm, Around Commons
Car enthusiasts are welcome to visit the club and see some unusual
antique cars during their tour through Cooksville. Hosted by the
Cooksville Country Store.

Wednesday, June 5: Stoughton Chamber Singers Concert directed by John Beutel
7:30–10:00 pm, Cooksville Lutheran ChurchDue to renovations at the Congregational Church, this year’s concert
will be held in the Cooksville Lutheran Church. Handicap accessible.
Reception to follow.

Saturday, June 22: Cooksville Bell Choir Concert: Global Colors 
7:00 pm, Cooksville Farmhouse Inn
The 10-member Cooksville Bell Choir will present world music
selections arranged for hand bells and drums at the English Barn,
behind the Farmhouse Inn. Ample parking behind the Barn.

Thursday, July 4: Independence Day Picnic 
12:30–2:30 pm, Commons
Potluck community meal under the oaks. Share your favorite picnic
fare and outdoor games. Rain location is the schoolhouse.

Saturday, July 13: History Past . . . And Future? Stories about Cooksville, and the Meaning of History 7:00–8:30 pm, Schoolhouse
Come hear a fascinating presentation by Larry Reed, Cooksville
historian, and Ellsworth Brown, retired Director of the Wisconsin
Historical Society. They will draw from their impressive expertise
in local history, and tell how we become part of the stories of the
place where we live.

Sunday, July 28: HOT DOG!! 
4:00–6:30 pm, Commons
Nothing beats grilling out on a hot summer evening in late July!
Bring your best barbecue recipes, a healthy appetite, and your
dogs to the Cooksville Commons for a suppertime cook-off and
dog show! Rain location is the schoolhouse. Contest details will be
announced this summer.

Saturday, August 10: Christmas in Summer 

1:30–2:30 pm, Schoolhouse
Experience a one-room schoolhouse holiday pageant as it was
remembered by local residents who grew up attending small rural
schools and enjoyed performing for their classmates and families.
Always fun and full of surprises! This year’s theme is Bells, Whistles,
and Pumpkin Pie.

Tuesday, August 20: QPR: Question, Persuade, and Refer workshop
7:00 pm, Schoolhouse
Have you ever encountered a suicidal or severely depressed
family member, co-worker, or neighbor? Jean Papalia is the QPR
Coordinator of Safe Communities Madison-Dane County and will
provide a presentation on effective approaches for reaching out to
and helping discouraged people through difficult times. Booklet
included.

Monday, September 16: CCC Annual Meeting & Ice Cream Social 
6:30–8:30 pm, Schoolhouse
All Community Center members are invited to hear about the state
of the organization from its Board of Directors and participate in
Board elections. The community is welcome for ice cream before
the meeting. New to the Community Center? Join us with a $25.00
lifetime membership.

The Cooksville Community Center is the former one-room schoolhouse on the corner of State Rd. 59 and Church St. Although it is not heated, the schoolhouse has air conditioning, a kitchen with hot and cold water, and bathrooms (cold water only). The Community Center is available for rentals and is a popular spot for family reunions, weddings and picnics. The CCC is not handicap-accessible.

To our members: Thank you for your support! Not a member? Consider joining the Cooksville Community Center with a one-time membership fee of $25.00. You will receive news, information and first announcements of special events at the schoolhouse, and your dollars will support the on-going preservation of this historic building.

Event Locations:
Schoolhouse and Commons located on the Northeast corner of Hwy 59 and Church St.

Cooksville Lutheran Church, 11927 W. Church St.(handicap-accessible)

Cooksville Farmhouse Inn, 11203 State Hwy. 138.

Cooksville Country Store, 11313 N. State Hwy. 138.

The Cooksville Community Center is looking for a programming coordinator. Please contact Emily Beebe 608.712.2976 or etbeebe13@gmail.com for more information.

If you have an updated email address, phone number, or mailing address, please contact Emma Mallon at 608.490.3856 or elumallon@gmail.com.

The Cooksville Church

The Cooksville Congregational Church – “the little brown church on the corner” in Cooksville, Wisconsin – is available for weddings and other celebrations.
The Cooksville Church was designed and constructed for Congregationalists in 1879 by Benjamin Hoxie, a local self-taught architect. The church is one of the most distinctive buildings in the historic Village of Cooksville, displaying architectural styles popular at the time, such as round Italianate arches, Gothic Revival spires or minarets, varnished interior woodwork, and a hand-painted stained-glass window.
The Church played an important role in the lives of Cooksville’s transplanted New Englanders, who settled the village in the 1840s. It was the village’s first church and later served as the Porter Town Hall. The church was purchased in 1971 by Michael J. Saternus, a preservation architect, who restored the exterior, including the missing bell tower, four minarets, and front porch. The church has been repainted its original two tones of brown, and the interior has also been restored to its country-church simplicity. Once again, the Cooksville Church stands proudly at the village crossroads, an enduring monument to the vision, talents and hard work of the friends of Cooksville.
The Cooksville Church is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and in the State Register of Historic Places as part of the Cooksville Historic District.
The historic Cooksville Church is not affiliated with any denomination. It may be rented for weddings or other ceremonies. The Church has seating (pews and side benches) for about 120 persons. The Church is unheated and does not have toilets, although facilities across the street at the “parsonage” may be used.
Rental fees (subject to change) are $200 for the day’s event and $50 for each additional hour on other days (such as for rehearsals or set-up times.)
The Cooksville Church is located at 12113 West State Road 59 in Cooksville, Rock County.
For reservation information, contact Larry Reed at (608) 873-5066