Milton is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,132 at the 2000 census (2005 estimate, 5,464). The city is located within the Town of Milton. The city was formed as a result of the 1967 merger of the villages of Milton and Milton Junction.
Originally named Prairie du Lac, Milton was settled in 1838 by Joseph Goodrich. Goodrich built an inn at the intersection of two trade routes in the area, The Milton House, today the oldest poured grout structure in the United States. Goodrich, a noted abolitionist, is believed to have aided fugitive slaves as a stop on the underground railroad.
The former Milton College operated from 1844 to 1982. Milton native Albert Whitford, a graduate, became a leading astronomer.
Milton is the site of a $70 million ethanol plant under construction by United Ethanol. A 170-foot (52 m) Cargill grain elevator is believed to be the tallest building in Rock County.
The city is increasingly tied to Janesville, its larger neighbor to the south, and parts of Janesville are now within the Milton School District as that city expands to the north and east.
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