With the backdrop of the University of Wisconsin Campus and Edgewood College, the Vilas neighborhood is a highly sought after, historic area in the heart of Madison. The Henry Vilas Zoo is at its center, locally owned shops and restaurants line Monroe Street, and Badger fans can easily walk to Camp Randall on game day. An entrance to the UW Arboretum and its 6-mile loop around Lake Wingra is located within the neighborhood. Monroe Street, one of Madison’s most popular streets and commercial corridors, is a central hub.

At the turn of the 20th century, an electric streetcar line extended down Breese Terrace to Monroe Street, driving the sale of residential lots in the area. Architectural styles range from Victorian and Queen Anne, to Craftsman, Georgian Revival and Tudor.