USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume I > Part 8
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
takes the entire flow of the creek before it reaches its junction with the main creek, but at other times a considerable stream is continually passing. The out- put of de Neveu creek, including the lake and the Eden stream, is 474 gallons per minute.
The junction of these several streams in one, a short distance from Lake de Neveu, is at an altitude of 95 feet above the lake, and if piped from that point to the city would furnish the city with nearly all the water it needs; in fact, all that it needs except in the hot summer weather ; and the water is about the same. as is now used from the fountains.
The east branch of the Fond du Lac river is formed from springs located in the towns of Byron, Oakfield and Fond du Lac. There are three mills on a portion of these streams in the town of Oakfield alone. The stream suffers, as some of the others, by exposure to the hot sun, but the entire output is of no mean amount, and without accurate measurement has been estimated at 3,645 gallons per minute, or 13,122,000 per day. The west branch of the Fond du Lac river, while fed partly by springs, comes largely from the great Eldorado marsh, and as a consequence the flow is very far from being uniform.
The flow of spring water into Lake Winnebago and into the valley in this vicinity amounts to the following number of gallons for each twenty-four hours: Taycheedah springs, as above named, and which have been measured, 536,366 gal- lons per day, springs flowing into Taycheedah creek, estimated at 288,000 gallons per day ; de Neveu creek and its tributaries, 701,760 gallons per day ; total, 1,526,126 gallons per day. The east branch of the Fond du Lac river is about 13,122,000 gallons per day, at a stage when there is no accession of surface water.
The numerous fountains originally gave Fond du Lac the name of "Fountain City." Its more than one thousand fountains which were in the city before the . building of the water works, were of great importance and wealth and the dis- cussion of the origin and flow of these fountains is a most interesting one to any one who has made it a study.
In addition to the lakes, springs; etc., the following important rivers rise in Fond du Lac county, mostly in the eastern portion : Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Mul- let, Milwaukee and two branches of Rock river, beside the little streams around Fond du Lac.
BEAUTIFUL ROADS
Everyone knows of the beautiful drive to Lake de Neveu and to Rienzi cem- etery. Not every one, however, knows of the beautiful drive from the east shore of Lake de Neveu, first, directly over the hills to the east, where at the former Germond farm is an elevation close to the road, 375 feet above Lake Winnebago. . Going east about two miles a beautiful view is obtained of Empire, some portions of Taycheedah and Marshfield, including the buildings of the monastery and con- vent at Calvary. A mile to the north is a beautiful view of Lake Winnebago and a portion of the city of Fond du Lac. But a still better view is obtained by turning to the north at the first road after leaving de Neveu lake, and after rid- ing about a mile in that direction what might be called "Observation Point" is reached, where a marvelous view can be had, including Byron and Oakfield to the south, Ripon country to the west, and the city of Fond du Lac, Lake Winne-
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
bago and Oshkosh to the north. America can produce but few scenes equal to this in beauty. Portions of some of the scenery can be seen upon different hills to the north, especially from the hill above Peebles.
The romantic drive passing from the ancient village of Taycheedah and wind- ing gracefully up the hills to the east toward Sheboygan, which was the original line of the old Sheboygan plank road, must not be forgotten. About a mile to the north of Peebles, in the town of Taycheedah and on the farm of Patrick Mc- Cullen, was located the government observatory, used in triangulation of this region of country. The hill upon which it is located is by no means the highest in the region but from it a view can be obtained that perhaps can nowhere else be had with the same effect. On the north can be seen the entire lake, and to the south the entire region surrounding Waupun. The government in doing the work above mentioned placed an observatory fifty feet high upon this hill, with another at Clifton on the north, and Waupun on the south, and had their ar- rangements for signalling from one to the other. Three small monuments or. stones still stand on this hill to mark the point of survey made by the government.
Another very fine view can be obtained on the hills above the Prehn mill, and at almost any point to the north of this, and especially at the top of the hill about one mile north of Prehn's. The region tributary to the road from Green Bay, Stockbridge, etc., formerly came over the hills until a point above the Gouter- mout farm was reached, when it runs down what in earlier times was known as the "McClure hill." The lover of a romantic drive would do well to drive up this hill, which leaves the Calumet road just north of Goutermout creek, and pass north over the hills to the north line of Taycheedah, turning at that line to the west and coming down through another most beautiful glen to the Calumet road. He is then within about a mile of Winnebago park.
It would be impossible to enumerate all the beautiful drives that can be had among the surrounding hills, but the following may be mentioned: A drive to the picturesque Byron camp grounds by way of the prairie and the valleys to the west, and in returning go directly east from the camp grounds a mile to the Byron Corners, and then directly north on what was formerly known as the "Mil- waukee road" to the city. Some views of the valley from the tops of the numer- ous hills that are passed are unsurpassingly fine.
For a long drive, a trip to Long lake and Dundee is especially attractive; an- other is that to Dotyville, north to Eggersville, returning by the old Sheboygan plank road. But the finest carriage trip, perhaps in the state, is the trip around Lake Winnebago. A good team will take the pleasure seeker from here to Neenah in an afternoon giving him time to stop at Morley's Point, which is the finest point on the lake, with its clear water and bold shores, passing the resorts also of Pawcatuk and Stony Beach, and also passing in sight of Island Park, which is the only island in the lake. About midway at the north end of Lake Winnebago is a resort upon the sand beach that is kept up by residents of Apple- ton, and is quite attractive. The next stop is at Clifton. At this point is a drive up as steep a road as can be found, to the top of the cliff, 250 feet above the lake. This scene is one of rare grandeur and beauty, the valley extending north to Kaukauna and Appleton, both of which are hidden, however, by the intervening timber, with Neenah and Menasha in front, and Oshkosh and Fond du Lac away to the left. Leaving for Fond du Lac one drives on the old cemetery road, which.
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
in early days was traversed by such men as ex-President Taylor and Jeff Davis when they were lieutenants in the army, and traveled from Fort Howard on the north to Prairie du Chien to the southwest, by way of Fond du Lac and Portage. Traveling a distance of three or four miles Stockbridge valley is reached and from that point to Fond du Lac is a valley noted for its fertility and beauty. The valley is from two to three miles in width from the bluff to the lake. After leaving Stockbridge on traveling to Fond du Lac the following places are passed : Quinney, Brothertown, Calumet, Pipe village, Winnebago park, Pecbles, Taycheedah.
WINNEBAGO PARK
In the fall of 1888, John Heath, Walter W. Wild, Dr. J. H. McNeel and the late Charles E. Huber, held an informal meeting to discuss the question of estab- lishing a summer resort on the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago. The action of this meeting led to the incorporation of an association, and in February, 1889, after careful investigation, the resort was located on the site now known as Win- nebago Park. In March following a committee was authorized to purchase twenty acres of Mr. Beyer, to include a half mile of lake front. The park is ten miles from Fond du Lac, on the Calumet road, and by water, seven miles from Lakeside Park. The lots are 50 feet front on the lake and 300 feet deep.
Perhaps of all the beautiful spots on the banks of Lake Winnebago there is none more charming for situation than Winnebago Park. It is an ideal place for rest, comfort and the enjoyment of the refreshing and healthful sports which are almost inseparable from grove and water. No energy was spared in the effort to make the park beautiful in all its surroundings. The forest was subdued, and during the first season three hundred cords of wood were removed from the park grounds. Dr. McNeel was the first president of the association and to John Heath was given the honor of naming the new resort. In 1889 a club house was built, 24x40 feet, which will seat 100 persons. It is equipped with a first class range, and what is still more important, a brick oven of large capacity was built, which greatly facilitates the culinary work of the club house. It is also abun- dantly supplied with tableware and all other needful articles necessary to give the members and their friends faultless service.
The first cottage on the grounds was a portable one owned by Ed Wild, which was removed from Lake de Neveu, and it still remains one of the curiosities of . the place. Since then other members of the association have erected cottages, most of them attractive and modern summer houses.
In June, 1893, John Boyle started the project of building Recreation Hall, which was ready for occupancy on the 4th of July following. Yearly this hall . has been the scene of many happy hours. Socials, musicales and delightful entertainments of various kinds have been given, and notably among them the popular Sunday afternoon sacred concerts. In 1893 the ladies association of Winnebago Park was formed, which has been of great assistance in the furnish- ment of the club house and the installment of a high grade piano for Recreation Hall.
The park is supplied with pure, cold fountain water, which is obtained at the depth of 40 feet. As a place for summer homes of those who delight in nature,
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
it lacks nothing, and its future possibilities are unbounded. This is the verdict of all visitors, not only of this country but also those from foreign lands, and the experience of every year since the park was opened, has been that the gentlemen who originated the scheme "builded better than they knew." The scenery is not only the most charming of all nature's building, and the sunsets matchless in their beauty, but Lake Winnebago-the largest fresh water inland lake in the United States- is the pride of anglers. It contains an abundance of black and white bass, pickerel, pike and perch. One boating party in 1897 caught eighty- six in an hour and a quarter. In June, 1897, a party of three caught forty with the line off the park docks.
Another feature of the park is the boating and bathing advantages. The shore is clean and convenient and the water is so graded in depth that children, as well as adults, can row or bathe with perfect security.
CHAPTER III
CREATION OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
ACT OF ORGANIZATION FOR COUNTY OF FOND DU LAC-PRESCRIBES BOUNDARIES AND METHODS OF GOVERNMENT-FIRST WHITE MEN IN COUNTY-LAND IS SUR- VEYED-FIRST SETTLER-REMINISCENCES.
At the time of the creation of Fond du Lac county but one family was living within its borders, that of Colwert Pier, and for that reason no provision was made for its organization. Hence, all that could be accomplished by the legisla- ture was the designation of the boundary lines, the establishing of a county seat, which was "at the town of Fond du Lac," and the attaching of the county to Brown county for judicial purposes. It was not until March II, 1839, that an act was approved, for the organization of the county, and this act only pro- vided that the organization be "for the purposes of county government only."
The act of organization is in the following words :
Section 5. The county of Fond du Lac shall be organized for the purposes of county government only from and after the first Monday in April next, at which time the election for county officers shall be held at the places and in the . manner provided by law, and the candidate for county commissioner having the highest number of votes shall serve two years from and after the first Monday in August next; the candidate having the next highest shall serve for one year from the time aforesaid, and the candidate being third on the list shall serve until the first Monday of August next, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The returns of the first election shall be made to the clerk of the county commissioners of Brown county, who shall canvass the votes and certify the result of the election in the manner provided in other cases.
Section 6. The said county shall remain attached to the county of Brown for judicial purposes, and shall pay annually into the county treasury of Brown county five per cent of all taxes levied and collected in said county of Fond du Lac, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of courts ; and the qualified voters of said county shall have power, on the first Monday of April next, to elect a collector to discharge the duties incident to that office in place of the sheriff; and such collector shall continue in office until the first Monday of August next and until his successor shall be elected and qualified, and thereafter a collector shall annually, on the first Monday of August, be elected, and in case of a vacancy in the office of collector, the county commissioners shall have power to supply such vacancy until the next annual election.
Section 7. All duties in relation to any election required to be performed by a sheriff within said county may be performed by a deputy, to be appointed in such county by the sheriff of the county of Brown.
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
In accordance with the above provisions of the territorial act an election was held August 6, 1839, at which time John Bannister, Edward Pier and Reuben Simmons were chosen as members of the board of commissioners; A. Raymond, treasurer ; J. Bannister, registrar. The completion of the organization was upon the meeting of the commissioners, when Reuben Simmons was elected, by his fellow members, chairman, and Mason C. Darling, clerk. These officials at once entered upon their respective duties and the new Wisconsin bailiwick started on its career, continuing to be attached to Brown county, however, for judicial purposes, until March, 1844, when, by an act of the territorial legislature, approved January 22, 1844, the organization of the county was completed. The provision of the act follows.
Section 1. That from and after the first Monday of March next, the county of Fond du Lac shall be organized for judicial purposes, and shall enjoy all the privileges of other counties of this territory.
Section 2. The counties of Sheboygan, Calumet and Marquette are hereby attached to the county of Fond du Lac for judicial purposes.
Section 3. The said judicial county, composed of the counties of Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Calumet and Marquette, shall remain a part of the third judicial district, and the courts therein shall be held by the judge of the said district, at such times as shall be established by law.
Section 4. The first election of sheriff for said judicial county shall be held in the several counties before named, on the first Tuesday of April next, and thereafter at the time prescribed by law; and the return of said election shall be made to the clerk of the board of supervisors of Fond du Lac county, who shall proceed to canvass the same as the law requires.
Section 5. All writs, processes, appeals, recognizances, or other proceedings, sued or commenced in the district court of Brown county prior to the said first Monday of March next, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution issued thereon in the same manner they might or could have been had this act not passed; and execution on any judgment heretofore rendered in said court, shall have the like force and effect, and may be executed and returned by the sheriff of said county of Brown, anything in any law of the territory to the con- trary notwithstanding.
Section 6. The county seat of Fond du Lac county is hereby established upon the north half of the northeast quarter of section fifteen, town (ship) fifteen north, of range seventeen east, in the town of Fond du Lac; Provided, a good and sufficient warrantee deed, duly executed, of a public square for the location of county buildings, embracing at least ninety thousand square feet (be delivered by the owners thereof to the county); and a bond entered into with the board of supervisors of the county, conditioned to provide a suitable room for holding courts for the use of said county for the term of three years, the whole to be free of charge to the county, and to be entered of record in the registrar's office of said county. But it is herein further provided, that unless such deed and bond, duly executed, shall be thus recorded on or before the first Monday of March next, the county seat shall be and remain as now established by law; and the supervisors of said county shall be hereby authorized to provide a building for the temporary holding of such courts until county buildings shall be prepared at the county seat ; and such building thus provided (a certificate of
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
such fact being recorded in the office of the clerk of the board of supervisors of said county), shall be deemed to be the court house of said county.
Section 7. All appeals to be taken in the manner provided by law, from the decisions of the probate court of the district composed of the counties of She- boygan and Manitowoc shall be made and returned to the district court of Brown county, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
Section 8. From and after the first Monday of March next, the county of Marquette shall be organized for county purposes, and the first election for county officers of said county shall be held on the first Tuesday of April next, at the house of S. W. Beall, the place appointed by law for holding the annual town meeting, and the returns of the election of such county officers shall be made to the town clerk of the town of Marquette, who is hereby authorized to canvass the same and to issue certificates of election.
Section 9. Such election shall be conducted in all respects as the law requires for conducting the town meetings, and it shall be the duty of the clerk of the board of supervisors of Fond du Lac county to post up notices of such election, and also of the town meeting of the town of Marquette, at two or more places in such county ten days at least before the day of such meeting.
Section 10. The several towns in the counties of Calumet and Marquette, and the county of Sheboygan, shall annually pay to the treasurer of Fond du Lac county, eight per cent of all taxes, except schoolhouse taxes, levied therein, to assist in defraying the expenses of the courts. And it is hereby made the duty of the collectors of the several towns in the counties aforesaid, and of the collector of the county of Sheboygan, to collect and pay such percentage to the treasurer of the county of Fond du Lac, on or before the first Monday of Janu- ary in each year; and the receipt of such treasurer shall be a good and sufficient voucher for such amount in settlement with the treasurer of his own proper town or county, and the collectors of such towns and counties shall be liable to the county of Fond du Lac, under their official bonds, for the payment, as aforesaid, for the percentage herein mentioned.
Section II. From and after the first Monday of March next, all assessments that shall be made in the county of Fond du Lac, for the purpose of raising taxes, shall embrace improvements on real estate, in addition to the property now liable by law to taxation.
Secton 12. The clerks of the boards of county supervisors of the counties of Calumet and Marquette, and the clerk of the board of commissioners of She- boygan county, shall be required to forward to the clerk of the board of super- visors of Fond du Lac county, on or before the first Monday of April next, a certified copy of the poll lists of the last annual election; and the board of su- pervisors of the county of Fond du Lac is hereby required to meet at the clerk's office, in said county, on some day prior to the first day of May next, for the pur- pose of preparing a list of jurors, and taking any other measures necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
Section 13. The clerks of the several towns in the counties of Fond du Lac, Calumet and Marquette, and the clerk of the board of commissioners of Sheboy- gan county, shall post up notices of the election of sheriff for such county at the proper places, at least ten days prior to the said day of election.
Section 14. (This section brought the southern part of Lake Winnebago
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
within the bounds of Fond du Lac county, and is recited in the article entitled "Fond du Lac County Boundaries Established," to be found elsewhere).
Section 15. (This section submitted the question of the annexation of Win- nebago county to Fond du Lac county for judicial purposes, to the legal voters of the first-mentioned county, for adoption or rejection, "on the day of the annual town meeting in April next." The election was held on the 2d of that month, at which time twenty-five votes were cast in favor of being attached to Fond du Lac county, and five against ).
On the 7th day of December, 1836, the counties of Brown and Milwaukee were divided, by and under an act entitled, "An Act to Divide the Counties of Brown and Milwaukee." Section 9 of that act provided : "That townships (thir- teen) north, of ranges eighteen and nineteen cast, and townships fourteen, fif- teen and sixteen, of ranges fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen, and townships seventeen and eighteen, of ranges fourteen, fifteen and sixteen, shall be and hereby are constituted a separate county, and be called Fond du Lac ; and the seat of justice of said county is hereby established at the town of Fond du Lac."
The territory thus set off as Fond du Lac included all the present county except the towns of Osceola, Forest and Marshfield, and so much of Calumet as lies in townships 17 north, of ranges 18 and 19 east; also, nearly all the south half of what is now the county of Winnebago.
By an act of the territorial legislature, approved January 6, 1840, all that territory included in Fond du Lac county north of townships 16, in ranges 14, 15, 16 and 17 east, was taken from it to form a portion of Winnebago county.
The same act took from Calumet county fractional townships 17, in ranges 18 and 19 east, and added them to Fond du Lac county, constituting nearly the whole of the present town of Calumet.
By the provisions of an act approved January 22, 1844, "all that portion of Lake Winnebago lying south of a direct line drawn from the point where the southern boundary of the Brothertown Reservation enters said lake on the east, to the town (ship) line between town (ships) sixteen and seventeen on the west side of said lake," was made a part of the county of Fond du Lac.
By an oversight of the legislature in the act approved December 7, 1836, constituting, among others, the counties of Fond du Lac and Marquette, already mentioned, five townships in Fond du Lac townships 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 north, of range 14 east-were also included in the county of Marquette. By the erec- tion of Winnebago county, two of these townships-townships 17 and 18 north, of range 14 east-were assigned to that county, still leaving three-townships 14, 15 and 16 north, of range 14 east-as belonging both to Fond du Lac county and Marquette. To cure this defect an act was passed, which was approved March 6, 1848, and which brought Fond du Lac county to its present limits as follows :
"An Act to Define the Boundaries of Fond du Lac County, and the Jurisdic- tion of Counties to Lake Winnebago; also to legalize the acts of said county as to certain towns therein organized." Be it enacted by the council and house of representatives of the territory of Wisconsin:
Section I. That township number thirteen north, of range number eighteen east, and townships number thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen north, of range
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
number nineteen east ; and also all that part of Lake Winnebago lying south of a line extending due west from the south line of the late Brothertown Reservation, to a north and south line corresponding to the division line between ranges number seventeen and eighteen, and all that part of the same lake lying south of an east and west line extending from the intersection of the town line between towns sixteen and seventeen with said lake, and running east to the range line hereinbefore mentioned, are hereby made and declared to be a part of the county of Fond du Lac.
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