It's time to roll out our monthly newsletter, ROOST Around Town! This month we're excited to feature Bay Creek, Madison, WI. Home to great local businesses, close to green spaces and Lake Monona, as well as convenient accessibility to points east, west, and central, Bay Creek is quickly becoming a popular place to call home. Yet, a lot of Madisonians have yet to discover this great little gem -- if you're among them, we're excited to introduce you... welcome to Bay Creek!

Bay Creek Madison WI -- some people consider it Madison's best-kept secret, while others have long known about its charm and amenities. Tucked along the water, just south of downtown Madison, you'll find a thriving neighborhood quietly making a name for itself. Bay Creek covers that crescent-shaped stretch of land along the southern edge of Monona Bay, from John Nolen Drive and Lake Monona to the east, to the Arboretum and N. Wingra Drive to the west.

This compact area is home to some important local history -- the site of an early pioneer cemetery, even earlier Indian burial mounds, and Madison's first railroad line. When Madison's population began to boom in the 1880s -- thanks to the bustling UW-Madison and new factories in need of employee housing -- developers turned to Bay Creek, and the neighborhood as we know it began to take shape.

Originally named "South Madison", Bay Creek long considered itself a separate community before the City of Madison annexed it in 1923. Today, Bay Creek has grown into a sought-after place to live, close to the heart of Madison. John Nolen Drive and Park Street offer direct access to downtown, the UW campus, and the Beltline. Residents enjoy a small-but-thriving local business district, including the Lakeside Street Coffee House and the recently relocated Cronometro, as well as outdoor destinations such as the very popular Goodman Pool and nearby Olin Park. Today, Bay Creek is often considered a "hidden gem" by those just starting out on their home search.

Want to learn more about Bay Creek -- or any of the other wonderful neighborhoods in Madison? ROOST's neighborhood guide is a great place to start!

Around Town: OCTOBER some area happenings of interest

All Month: Kraken Corn Maze, Treinen Family Farm, only 20 miles north of Madison.
Oct. 17-20: Wisconsin Book Festival; most events at new downtown library and surrounding areas. Free!
Oct. 18-20: Fall Art Tour. Visit artists' studios all over southwest Wisconsin and see how local artists work.
Nov. 7: Permaculture Workshop @ Olbrich Gardens. RSVP by 10/31; $15.

Live, Love, Roost recent highlights from the ROOST blog

We also want to share an important update about ROOST Around Town: Because many of our followers wanted to learn more about last month's absorption rate section, we're expanding that portion of our newsletter to include more data. We'll be sending neighborhood news at the beginning of each month, and a separate absorption rate issue a couple of weeks later. (And as always, if you're curious to see data for your neighborhood of interest, just let us know so we can help.)

We’re eager to hear from you. Love your neighborhood? Have an interesting piece of local history or trivia to share? Let us know — and we may include it in an upcoming issue of ROOST Around Town! To subscribe to ROOST Around Town, just send us an email at home@RoostinMadison.com with “Subscribe to Newsletter” in the subject line.

Original Blog