Settlement in Dane County began in 1828 when Ebenezer Brigham discovered a load of lead in the Blue Mounds area, and established a tavern and inn. In 1849, the tract of land that would become Mount Horeb was purchased by James Morrison, and a year later sold a portion to Granville Neal. This initial settlement largely drew individuals of English, Irish, German, and Scottish ethnic backgrounds, as well as Yankees and settlers from Southern states.M.M.Darrow. "The History of Mount Horeb Part One: The Earliest Years." In The Mount Horeb Centennial Book: 1861-1961. Edited by Betty Sebenthal, M.M. Darrow, Vera Babcock, and Ansel Kittleson. Madison: Craftsman Press, 1961. pg. 7Mount Horeb Area Historical Society. Mount Horeb, Presettlement to 1896: A History Celebrating Mount Horeb's Quasquicentennial. Blanchardville, Wis.: Ski Printers, 1986, p. 2. As the population of the Blue Mounds Township grew, so too did the need for a new post office. In 1861, the first post office in Mount Horeb was established in the home of English immigrant and Methodist Episcopal lay minister George Wright. As the new postmaster, Wright selected the name Mount Horeb for the settlement. The "Mount" portion of the name is said to be inspired by the surrounding geography, while "Horeb" is derived from the Biblical location wherein the prophet Moses received the Ten Commandments from the Judeo-Christian God while leading the Jewish people through the Sinai Peninsula on their exodus out of Egypt. References to this site can be found in the books of Exodus, Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, Psalms, and Malachi. When Wright moved to Norwalk, Iowa, the post office moved to a space closer to the settlement referred to as "The Corners." The name changed to "Horeb's Corner," before officially being designated as Mount Horeb.Darrow. pg. 7 and 9Trollway. "History of Mount Horeb." Accessed: October 27, 2017. http://trollway.com/history-of-mount-horeb/
