The town of Ceresco (Wisconsin Phalanx) was established by a communist who spread socialist ideas all over the United States. Unlike the former mining towns that boomed with a population exceeding 900 people, Ceresco town started with a small population of 150 loyal followers. Ceresco town was abandoned by the year 1850 to date.

Ceresco to the world

Ceresco was dormant most of its early years until a determined activist Chase Warren, a Southport resident, joined Franklin in the spreading of the Fourier system to the residents. With determination and hope of reaching new levels with the sermon, Warren organized the drafting of the constitution to guide the loyal residents. With the true heart of an activist, he made sure that the newly drafted constitution was distributed among the residents in the area. Within a few years to the arrival of Warren, an election (first ever election) was held. 

Shortly after the election, major sales of the land were made under the condition that the members were not to build permanent structures on the piece of land. The strict rules and regulations however did not discourage buyers and investors who bought 1844 had settled in the land. Several petitions regarding the ban of permanent structures were revisited and the first permanent structure was built in 1945. The increasing population led to the land's future subdivision into agricultural, mechanical, and residential areas. 

Life and religion at Ceresco

The residents in Ceresco engaged themselves in farming activities planting crops like tur, nips, potatoes, and buckwheat. Life was never individual but communal in the town. Though farms might have been individually owned, farm produce was shared selflessly by the locals. Cooking and eating were also done at once in one kitchen and eating table. Materials used to build the houses were mostly limestone but there were some minor temporary tents and log cabins that were used to host visitors. In terms of religion, the town was an all religious community with frequent church services, bible studies, and Sunday school. Social crimes like stealing, gambling, drinks trafficking, and others were highly prohibited. 

Decline and desertion

The Fourierist movement began facing national decline resulting in slow campaigns in Ceresco. The population in the town began to reduce day by day as most of the residents opted out. In 1848, only 29 families were residing in the town. The town was fully deserted by 1849 and the lands were donated to poor families in and near the town. Wisconsin State Legislature who were high in support of the gesture merged the Ceresco villages and Ripon town naming the new village as Morena. Today, there are no signs of ever existence of the town. However various old maps show the whole region as in the heydays.