A young Norwegian moved to Brodhead as a section hand in 1882. His name was Axel Anderson. He had a talent for working with electricity. He teamed up with Charles Lucas and Dr. T.W. Nuzum to lease water rights to produce electricity. Brodhead was one of the first cities in Wisconsin to have such a luxury.
A replica of the Clarence Covered Bridge has been constructed over the Historic Mill Race. The original bridge spanned the Sugar River south of town on what is now Highway 11.