Preserve America Communities: Madison, Indiana's Wine Country, By Melody Schubert: Founded in 1809, Madison, Indiana is one of the most historic river cities in the United States. It was here that the construction of the first railroad west of the Alleghenies began, and led to the rise of a booming economy for Madison in the Mid 1800's.

While other cities like Indianapolis gained popularity, Madison's growth was limited, which helped it retain its small town charm. Madison's Main Street and entire downtown is a National Register historic district, with more than 1,700 contributing structures, including two National Historic Landmarks.

Indiana’s Winemaking History

It may be surprising to know that Indiana has a long winemaking history. Travel to Switzerland County in Southeast Indiana and you’ll find yourself in the birthplace of the American wine industry. It was here that the first successful winery was established in America. 

Dufour’s winery, founded by Swiss immigrant Jean Jacques Dufour, known as John James, harvested their first grapes sometime around 1806 or 1807. In those days the town of Vevay, New Switzerland where the Dufour Winery was located was known as the Indiana Territory. Other wineries in the area were not as successful because they used imported European varieties of grapes. Dufour’s success came from his research into the art of viticulture (wine growing agriculture) and the use of a native grape, the Vevay Alexander, which he nurtured.

In the early 19th-century, the wine industry in the Ohio River Valley grew by leaps and bounds, and became the largest wine-producing region in North America. By mid-century the art of winemaking became a victim to the Civil War when many of the wine growers and winemakers left their fields to fight in the War. Left unattended the vineyards were later devastated by mildew and degenerative crop disease, and then came Prohibition. Not until the emergence of many family-owned wineries in the 1960s did the Ohio River Valley reclaimed its reputation as a top wine-producing region. Today, with a total 16 million acres encompassing four states, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, the Ohio River Valley is recognized as the largest designated wine area in the U.S.