Heading south, 28 miles from Madison, nestled in the rolling hills of Green County, you'll see a village just ahead known as New Glarus or "Little Switzerland."

As we drove through the little village with its Alpine style architecture and geranium-filled window boxes, we stopped at the Chamber of Commerce office and were directed to the Swiss Historical Museum, which, we were told, would be a good starting point for a tour of the village as it is the anchor of the community.

The museum, located on the Seventh Avenue hillside, is quite similar to, but smaller than Old World Wisconsin.

The museum, built by voluntary labor, opened in the 1940's and reached popularity in the 1970's.

Self-guided and guided tours by local guides of the 14 buildings of this Swiss village are available. One of the volunteer guides took us back in time and place to Switzerland in 1845 where times were tough as industries had closed. There was also a potato crop failure.

It was then that 196 residents of the Canton (State) of Glarus were bid bon voyage as they began a four month journey land, sea, land and then river to make a better life in what they called the New World.

After four months of travel, the weary Swiss found land prices too high in their originally targeted destination, Missouri.

They were pointed to Wisconsin, which was still a territory. They were told about a place several hundred miles north and near the Mississippi River where land was still inexpensive.

It was there that the 135 surviving weather and travel-seasoned Swiss found what was to become New Glarus. They loved the land, location, its timbered hillsides and its price, $1,500 for all of its 1,200 acres.

Arriving in August, they immediately built 13 large cabins to winter in. Dividing the 1,200 acres they’d acquired into 20 acre plots one for each of 60 families, they would have to wait for the spring thaw.

But what a first winter they experienced! History books relate that these Swiss, who were veteran snow country residents, had never experienced the raging winter of storms, snow and frigid temperatures that confronted them for almost five months during that first winter in the Wisconsin territory. But determined as they were, there were never any thoughts of returning to Switzerland.

Today, three of the original buildings are among the 14 at the recreated village.

Among the buildings are an authentic log home, an 1890's cheese factory, a one room schoolhouse, a replica of the community's first church, a fire house and print shop.

Of passing interest is the fact that when New Glarus got its first newspaper in the 1880's the publisher hired only women. This had been unthought of previously as the woman's place was thought to be in the home. The publisher hired women because their fingers were more nimble and better to assemble the handset type. Plus, women were better spellers.

Furnishings and collections from the Swiss colony are on display at the museum. The gift shop features books and souvenirs pertaining to New Glarus.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily May 1 through Oct. 31.

Our tour continued from old (the 100 plus years old buildings of the historical museum) to a comparatively new enterprise, the New Glarus Brewing Co.

The brewery began in 1993. It has since outgrown its first location and been named "Wisconsin's Best Brewery" in many successive years.

Situated at the outskirts of New Glarus, the brewery's new building was opened this last summer and looks like a great castle on the hillside.

This brewery brews 19 beer varieties, and this past year it sold 80,000 barrels of locally brewed beer. Its top seller is its Spotted Cow brand. All New Glarus Brewery beers are sold only in Wisconsin.

Tours with tastings are available Monday through Sunday. We didn't do the tasting, but did order a New Glarus beer, Staghorn Octoberfest, with lunch at the New Glarus Hotel-Restaurant.

The hotel was built in 1853 by early Swiss settlers and today its restaurant may serve well over 200 diners at any one time. The lodging has actually moved to a new Swiss style chalet, Chalet Landhaus, at the edge of town.

At lunch, we were seated in the restaurant's enclosed balcony overlooking downtown New Glarus. In that Swiss atmosphere, our luncheon choices had to be of two Swiss favorites, sauerbraten and roesti, the latter is the most typical of Swiss dishes.

Roesti consists of freshly cooked potatoes and Swiss cheese. Several variations were on the menu. My choice was vegetarian roesti. It was delicious.

Back in the 18th century, Swiss farmers enjoyed roesti for breakfast, which was considered the most important meal of the day. Our waitress said they may have eaten it at lunch and dinner, too!

Just a glance across the street from our windowed table and we knew what the next stop on our tour would be. There it was, the Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus, which is on the corner across from the hotel and features 55 different types of cheese. New Glarus is well recognized for its cheeses, especially Brown Swiss Kase, made, of course, from the milk of Brown Swiss Cows. These cows can be seen nibbling the grass on hillsides adjacent to the highways.

We met other tourists, from Illinois and Iowa, at the bakery, with its specialties of pastries and breads, and at a fresh meat market near the chocolate and cheese shop. But New Glarus is not all about food.

The retail shops feature Swiss and other European craftsmanship as well as handmade items and antiques. We had to put this part of our New Glarus tour on hold to see another day as time was running out. Also of special interest would be its many festivals, but those are on hold over the late fall and winter.

In the 1940's, several large industries related to dairying closed. It was then the village fathers, determined for the community to survive, turned to tourism. Thus was born the Alpine costumes and the Swiss architecture throughout the town.

And what a successful venture tourism has been. Visitors to New Glarus this year have come from 30 foreign countries and from each of our 50 states.

Because about one-third of the 2,100 residents of New Glarus are of Swiss ancestry, their festivals celebrate their Swiss heritage. These include Polkafest, Heidi Festival, Volksfest, Wilhelm Tell Festival and Octoberfest, complete with polka bands, yodeling and alphorns.

There will be a lighting of the Community Christmas Tree Nov. 27 and on Dec. 5, St. Nicholas Day. There will also be holiday shopping specials and a Christmas cookie sale at the Swiss Church.

For additional information about this unique village immersed in Swiss tradition, you may call the Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-527-6838.