HISTORY OF WISCONSIN

Published 1875

Page 695

 

            WAUPACA COUNTY – In the northwest part of this county are many bluffs and hills.  The soil there is in many places, rather stony, hard of cultivation, and not as fertile as in the valleys.

            In the rest of the county, the surface is generally level, or gently undulating, capable of being easily cultivated, and producing all kinds of crops and fruits adapted to a northern latitude.

           The eastern and northeastern part is heavily timbered, consisting of oak, maple, birch, ash, cherry, hickory, butternut, elm, basswood, ironwood, poplar, tamarack, pine, and, in a few places, hemlock. In the northern part is much valuable pine, which finds a way down the Wolf River to a steady market.  During the season when the logs are “driven”, the river is often completely blocked with logs, forming “jams”, in many instances, for miles; thus completely stopping the passing of steamboats for days and sometimes for weeks.

            The principal crops raised are wheat. Winter and spring wheat are both raised, and do well; as do corn, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat, peas and beans, potatoes, etc.

            The raising of stock pays well; and much that is excellent is being introduced.  Many parts of the county appear to be peculiarly adapted to the raising of sheep; and some good blood is being imported.  In 1870 the wool-crop of our county was 33,301 pounds.  The long wool, or “mutton varieties”, appear to be the most popular.  Sheep are remarkably healthy here, and generally fat.

            Our county ahs no lack of excellent water-powers.  In the north and northeast part of the county are the Little Wolf, Embarrass, and Pigeon Rivers, and in the south and west are the Waupaca, Pearl, and Little Rivers, - all excellent, and capable of much improvement.

            The Waupaca Woolen Mills are located on the Waupaca River, at Waupaca, the county seat, and turn out much excellent cloth.

            Several brick yards have been started at Waupaca, Weyauwego, Fremont, and perhaps one or tow other places, where excellent brick are being manufactured.

            A pottery has been running for some time at Weyauwego, where excellent light-colored crockery-ware is being made.

            A bed of the same kind of clay has been found at Fremont, and only awaits “skill and enterprise to bring it out”.

            The Wolf traverses the eastern part of the county, and is navigable for steamboats during all stages of the water.  A large and profitable amount of boating has been done for many years.

            Small lakes abound in different parts of the county, whose clear, pure waters are well stocked with fish.  The pike, pickerel, black-and-white or silver bass, perch, catfish, sturgeon, etc., abound in our lakes and streams, and are caught by our wily anglers in great profusion.

            The railroad facilities are good.  The Central Wisconsin enters the county near the southeast corner, and passes through in a northwesterly direction towards Lake Superior.  The Green Bay and Lake Pepin Road passes through the north part of the county, crossing the Wolf River at New London.  Other roads are in contemplation.

            Some towns in the county are settled mainly by emigrants from the Middle and Eastern States.  A few have a large proportion from Germany, Denmark, Norway, and other parts of Europe. Sober, intelligent, industrious, and enterprising as the majority of them are, it is no wonder that our county is so fast improving in wealth and real prosperity, and already ranks among the leading counties of Northern Wisconsin.

            Free schools are found in every neighborhood, where the children of the poor enjoy all the advantages of a liberal education with the sons and daughters of the wealthy.  The school-code is one of the best in the world.