In the 1880s, Stoughton's Coffee Street was known for its daily coffee breaks. With a population that was largely Norwegian, enjoying coffee between meals was simply part of everyday life.

As the T.G. Mandt Wagon Company grew, local tobacco warehouses hired women for seasonal tobacco steaming. Many worked at the Gunderson Tobacco Warehouse at Main and Coffee Streets, where they could easily walk home to check on their children, tend the house, and prepare meals. With a pot of coffee always on the stove, taking a few minutes to relax over a cup became a cherished tradition.

Today, that tradition lives on at Stoughton's Coffee Break Festival, held on the third Saturday in August. The festival features a Coffee Brew-Off, Cup O' Joe All Wheels Show, arts and crafts, and more!