EXHIBIT 31.1

               CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT
                          TO RULE 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A)

I, R. Richard Bastian, III, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended
March 31, 2004 of Blackhawk Bancorp, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly
report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed  such disclosure  controls and  procedures to  ensure that  material
   information   relating  to   the  registrant,   including  its   consolidated
   subsidiaries,  is  made  known  to  us  by  others  within  those   entities,
   particularly  during the  period  in which  this  quarterly report  is  being
   prepared;

b) Evaluated  the  effectiveness of  the  registrant's disclosure  controls  and
   procedures  as of a  date within 90  days prior to  the filing  date of  this
   quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

c) Presented  in this quarterly report  our conclusions about the  effectiveness
   of the disclosure  controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of  the
   Evaluation Date;

5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our
most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of
the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions):

a) All significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal  controls
   which  could adversely affect  the registrant's ability  to record,  process,
   summarize and report financial data and have identified for the  registrant's
   auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

b) Any  fraud,  whether or  not  material,  that involves  management  or  other
   employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal  controls;
   and

6. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in this
quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls
subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective
actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Date: May 3, 2004                                    /s/R. Richard Bastian, III
                                           -------------------------------------
                                                        R. Richard Bastian, III,
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer