Dudgeon-Monroe NeighborhoodDudgeon-Monroe Neighborhood Sign

Welcome to Dudgeon-Monroe! Named one of Madison Magazine’s Eight Great Neighborhoods, Dudgeon-Monroe Neighborhood lies along a narrow southwest-to-northeast strip along Monroe Street on Madison's near West Side. Stretching from Odana Road to Camp Randall Stadium, visitors and commuters know the area for Monroe Street’s eclectic shopping and dining and its quick access to downtown and the UW campus. But lest you balk at the thought of living near a busy traffic corridor, you really owe it to yourself to take a closer look at the streets where Dudgeon-Monroe residents actually live. Read More...

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More About Dudgeon-Monroe

Surrounded in large part by Lake Wingra, the Southwest Commuter Bike Path, parks and Odana golf course, Dudgeon-Monroe is actually a sanctuary of calm in a highly walkable area surrounded by nature just a hop, skip, and a jump from shops, restaurants, and pubs. Due to its proximity to Lake Wingra on the neighborhood’s eastern border, the Dudgeon-Monroe area was inhabited by early Madison settlers as early as 1848. Its long and diverse history has resulted in a neighborhood that is rich in cultural and natural resources. Dudgeon-Monroe residents are proud of their neighborhood and justifiably so. Visitors from Oregon or Washington might find similarities to Portland’s Hawthorne District or Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill.

Dudgeon-Monroe Lifestyles

Ironically and in true Madison style, stability and continuity combine with quaint two-story homes shaded by immense burr oaks to make the Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood highly desirable – even trendy. Shops and boutiques on Monroe bolster the Midwest Hip quotient: numerous galleries, the only Trader Joe’s in town, a gourmet cooking supply store, the city’s only kosher bakery, and on and on. The neighborhood is also home to the non-profit Young Shakespeare Theatre, housed in an old church at the northeast end of West Lawn Avenue.

Dudgeon-Monroe Home Styles

Running parallel to Monroe Street the length of the neighborhood, tree-lined West Lawn typifies much of the neighborhood, practically oozing Norman Rockwell-like Americana. Regardless of architectural styles – they range from Georgian to Cape Cod with occasional Prairie and Craftsman influences thrown in – homes here project a kind of tranquility not found in the ‘burbs. Homes are relatively close together and typically have no garage or a one car garage, however with the high degree of charm and walkability of the neighborhood, many residents are happy to make the trade-off.

Now about that name... The dictionary defines “dudgeon” in two ways: a kind of wood used for dagger handles, or an emotionally charged state. Neither seems to be relevant here. The neighborhood takes that half of its name from Dudgeon Park and Dudgeon School (later Wingra School), both named for Madison schools superintendent Richard B. Dudgeon (b. 1853-d. 1922).

"We chose Dudgeon-Monroe for its sense of community, the character & charm of the older homes there & because it’s within walking distance of shops & restaurants. We love supporting the neighborhood’s small businesses!" -
Dudgeon-Monroe resident

If you love what you see, contact a West Side specialist at Lake & City Homes and explore everything that Dudgeon-Monroe has to offer!

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