Pendarvis ghost town was founded by early Cornish immigrants' miners as a mining community. The ghost town, which is located in Iowa County, Wisconsin, was once a hotspot for lead mining and is now a museum dedicated to Wisconsin's early lead mining heritage.

Pendarvis' early years

After lead and zinc resources were discovered throughout a large area of Iowa County, Pendarvis was developed in the early 1930s. As a result, many individuals from all over the world flocked to take advantage of the wealth. The population and communities in the area would grow as a result of this. Among the towns were Galena, Platteville, Mineral Point, and Pendarvis. The largest of the four boomtowns, Pendarvis, with a population of over 4000 people. Pendarvis, unlike other communities that specialized in lead mining, mined both zinc and lead.

Pendarvis's demise

Nothing lasts forever, as the adage goes. Mining activity in the area, like those in other boomtowns, began to collapse in the 1920s. Many people moved to other towns in search of greener pastures. The major material mined in the area was lead, and its depletion was the first to drive roughly three-quarters of the inhabitants out when business declined. Zinc mining, on the other hand, continued after the initial flight, but it was short-lived. By 1830, Pendarvis had become a ghost town, with no substantial business or government activities going in the town.

The town's structures were renovated by two men (Robert Neil and Edgar Hellum) who spotted the potential of the abandoned townsite. They were able to refurbish the Cornish building and transform it into a restaurant with the limited funds they had. The restaurant was a great help in raising additional funds to totally rebuild the village. The building was controlled by the two invested residents for many years until 1970, when the townsite and its building were handed to the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Pendarvis's current situation

In place of the once-famous Pendarvis town, the Pendarvis Historic Site now exists. The state of Wisconsin formally purchased it and now has entire control over it. It was only a year after it was bought that it was made available to the general public. The majority of the structures are in good shape and have been kept in their original state.  The townsite and mines are all managed by the Wisconsin Historical Society, which has preserved mining tools, artifacts, and other relevant historic objects that the miners left behind. These, and many other exhibits, are available to visitors on a tour of the townsite. The mines are closed due to their unstable nature and safety concerns, but pictures from when they were active can be viewed at the museum located on the historic site.