The town of Pleasant Ridge was the home of the African Americans who were enslaved in Virginia and other States in the US before the American Civil War. The community grew rapidly giving rise to the town in the 1850s. The town had a good run until it was deserted in the 20th century (1959) when the last resident in the town died.

Rise of the Peasant Ridge

In Virginia, the Black Americans were discriminated against and they had to work long hours on the farms and camps to earn a living. The first family to relocate to Pleasant Ridge town was the Charles Shepherd’s family who had been released from slavery in Virginia after the death of their boss. The Shepherd family worked tirelessly at the local lead factory and within no time they were able to buy their land. All the African Americans who had been enslaved in other states such as Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas fled to this town. In the civil war of America, men in the Shepard town were allowed to join the military by the Union Army which gave them a chance to fight in the war. (Their regiment was the strongest and most revered) The Founder of the town, together with his son died during the war which left a handful of African Americans surviving at the war.  The population of the town increased as soon as the civil war came to an end giving it a peak of over 200 residents. The relocation of the slaves in the location comprised of the blacks and the whites who settled fairy in the townsite. In the year 1898, a county district school, Grant County District School, was established in the area offering employment to both the whites and the black teachers. A cemetery and a church were also built in the townsite.

Decline and current condition of the town

In the 20th century, the population of the town began to decline as most of the scholars in the town relocated to other towns in the state to pursue more job and education opportunities. Diehard residents left in the town relocated as well leaving only a few people in the townsite. The last resident living in the area is recorded to have died in 1959.

The only thing left on the townsite is the cemetery and the church. However, a historic marker was erected on the townsite to commemorate the town of Pleasant Ridge. The church building was entered in the Old World Wisconsin open-air museum from where it is preserved. One can visit the townsite as it is open to the general public.