Kewaunee County
Kewaunee County is situated on the shore of Lake Michigan, one hundred and ten miles from Milwaukee. The general
typography of the county is rolling. The quality of its farming-lands is excellent, though in some places swampy,
yet, when drained, is susceptible of producing equal to the uplands. In the eastern part of the county the soil
is of a clay loam; but, as you approach the west line of the county, it is mixed with gravel and sand. There is
hardly an acre of land in the county but what is capable of cultivation. Actual settlers are in possession of about
one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land: the balance is held mostly by speculators. The county is heavily
timbered: the varieties are principally oak, beech, maple, basswood, elm, cedar, pine, hemlock, and tamarack. Owing
to the facilities for water-transportation, lumber and timber find a ready market. Railroad facilities are as yet
prospective; but the Green Bay and Lake Pepin Railroad must eventually have a terminus on the lake, and Ahnapee
will be the most direct point.
The principal source of industry is agriculture. Winter wheat has been grown in this county, aggregating forty
two bushels to the acre, and weighing sixty - two pounds to the measured bushel. Next in importance is the dairy
business. Manufacturers will in the future find eligible localities here, as timber, and especially hard-wood varieties,
is so plentiful.
Kewaunee village manufactures lumber to a large extent; and the supply of timber will last for many years to come.
This sketch was contributed by Edward Eoch and W. V. Perry of Ahnapee. - C. R. T.
[Source: An illustrated history of the state of Wisconsin: being a complete
civil ... By Charles Richard Tuttle; Publ. 1875; Pgs. 874-875; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack]
Kewaunee County, is bounded on the north
by Door County, on the east by the state line in Lake Michigan, on the south by Manitowoc, and on the west by Brown,
and contains about thirteen townships of land. It was set off from Door, April 16, 1852, and is attached to Manitowoc
for judicial purposes. The streams are Kewaunee and Red rivers, Benton's, Martin's, Ahnapee and Thorn-apple creeks.
It is attached to the second senatorial and third congressional districts and with Brown and Door, sends one member
to the assembly. The county having been so recently established has not as yet reached to much dignity as a county.
Kewaunee, Town, in county of Kewaunee, embracing the whole county.
Kewaunee, River, in county of same name, rises in the eastern portion of Brown County, and running southeast, enters
Lake Michigan, in town 23 N., of range 25 W. It is about 25 miles long, and is navigable for 5 or 6 miles from
the lake.
[Source: "Wisconsin Gazetteer": By John Warren Hunt; Publ. 1853;
Pg. 119; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack]
KEWAUNEE COUNTY.
BY HON. LYMAN WALKEB, AHNAPEE.
Kewaunee County is situated on the shore of Lake Michigan, 110 miles north of Milwaukee. Its coast is lined with
harbors, from which the products of its industry are readily shipped to market; in consequence of which the producer
realizes better prices, and more ready sales for the results of his toil.
The quality of its farming lands is excellent, and all kinds of grain and vegetables are successfully cultivated.
Winter wheat, especially, does well here. The following are some of the leading agricultural productions for the
year 1870; wheat, 200,000 bushels; oats, 150,000 bushels; Barley, 100,000 bushels; rye, 50,000 bushels; potatoes,
100,000 bushels; hay, 35,000 tons; butter, 100,000 pounds; wool, 20,000 pounds.
The county is heavily timbered; the varieties are principally maple, beach, oak, basswood, elm, cedar, pine, hemlock
and tamarack. Owing to its facilities for water transportation, lumber and timber find a ready market, and consequently
its exports are principally of this kind. The following figures show the amount of business done in this line:
The amount of lumber exported the past year was, 20,000,000 feet; shingles, 12,000,000; cedar posts, 600,000; railroad
tics, 300,000; telegraph poles, 10,000; cordwood, 20,000 cords; tan bark, 12,000 cords. The ready sale of these
articles enables the settler here to earn a comfortable living while clearing up his farm.
The population of the county is 10,281; most of these are foreigners. The large amount of unimproved land, possessing
in its excellent timber, its fertility, and its accessibility to market so great advantages, presents strong inducements
to those who are seeking western homes. Improved lands are held at an average price of $15 per acre; unimproved,
$5 per acre. About 21,000 acres still belong to the state, which can be bought at less rates.
[Source: "Transactions of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society",
Volume 9; By Wisconsin State Agricultural Society; Publ. 1870; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack]
An Act to set apart and incorporate the County of Kewaunee.
Chap 363
County limits.
The people of the State of Wisconsin represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact follows:
Section 1. All that tract of country lying and being within the following described boundaries, to wit: commencing
county limits at a point on the west shore of lake Michigan, where the north line of township twenty-one (21) intersects
said shore; running thence west, on the north line of said township twenty-one (21) to the north-west corner of
township twenty-one (21) north, of range twenty-three (23) east of the fourth principal meridian, running thence
north on the range line between ranges twenty-two (22) and twenty three (23) till it strikes the east shore of
Green Bay, thence northeasterly along the shore of said bay to a point where the same intersects the south line
of township twenty-six; (26) running thence east on the south line of said township twenty-six (26) to the west
shore of lake Michigan: shall be and is hereby set apart and organized, and shall constitute a county, with all
the rights and privileges of other counties, and shall hereafter be known in law and otherwise by the name and
style of Kewaunee County.
Attached to Manitowoc.
Sec. 2. The county hereby organized shall be attached to Manitowoc county for judicial purposes, and for the time
being, shall constitute one town for all town purposes, and shall be known by the name of the town of Kewaunee,
and under such name shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges given by existing laws to other laws in
this state.
First election.
Sec. 3. The first election in said town shall be held at the residence of John Yolk, near the mouth of the Kewaunee
river, on the first Tuesday of April next, to choose such town and other officers as they are required by law to
elect, and, from any cause said election shall not lie held as above provided, it shall be lawful for any three
qualified electors of said town to call an election, by giving ten days' notice of the time of holding the same
by posting notices in three of the most public places in said town.
Expenses to be paid to Manitowoc.
Sec. 4. Said comity shall pay to the county of Manitowoc annually, all expenses incurred by said county of Manitowoc,
in transacting the legal business either civil or criminal of the said county of Kewaunee, and the amount so paid
shall not, in any event, be less than fifty dollars per annum, and such sum or sums of money may be sued for and
collected from the county of Kewaunee, by the supervisors of the county of Manitowoc, in an action of debt, in
any court of competent jurisdiction.
County Officers
Sec. 5. At the first town meeting held in said town the electors of said county of Kewaunee shall vote for county
officers, and the county officers then elected shall hold their offices until the first day of January next and
until their successors are elected and qualified.
Records to be transcribed.
Sec. 6. The register of deeds (under the direction of the supervisors of said county of Kewaunee) when elected
and qualified is hereby authorized to procure from the office of the register of deeds in Brown county, copies
of all deeds mortgages, assignments, satisfactions, bonds, contracts, and all other instruments filed or recorded
in his office, which may in any way effect the title to any land or lands lying and being situate in said county
of Kewaunee, and the expense of transcribing said records shall be paid by the county created by virtue of this
act.
Judgments to continue.
Sec. 7. No judgment lien now existing on any real estate, within the limits of the county hereby organized shall
lapse or be impaired by reason of any change of jurisdiction herein provided.
County Seat.
Sec. 8. The seat of justice of said county of Kewaunee county is hereby temporarily located at the village of Kewaunee,
at or near the mouth of Kewaunee river.
J. McM. SHAFTER.
Speaker of the Assembly.
E. B. DEAN, Jr.
President pro tern, of the Senate.
Approved. April 16, 1852.
LEONARD J. FARWELL.
[Published June 15, 1852]
[Source: Wisconsin session laws, Volume 1852; By Wisconsin, Wisconsin. Office of the Secretary of State; Publ.
1852; Pg. 549; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack]
KEWAUNEE
Milwaukee Free Press (10 December 1912) submitted by Diana Heser Morse
The best asset of Kewaunee is its magnificent river and harbor and its beautiful and romantic location.
The agents of John Jacob Astor in their travels through the west in search of town sites, selected Kewaunee as early as 1836 as the probable point for a great city and they laid out a town covering miles of territory and advertised it in the New York press as the only rival of Chicago in the west.
Prior to that, it has had a history of its own. Long before Milwaukee was thought of, old Jacques Vieaux, the father-in-law of Solomon Juneau, had a trading post upon the bluffs on the north side of the river. It was one of the ten first towns in Wisconsin - along with Milwaukee, Green Bay and others - to receive a state charter in 1839.
Kewaunee prides itself most upon its fine harbor. It is unequaled as a natural harbor on the west shore of Lake Michigan. It was the original car ferry town on the Wisconsin shore and in 1893 sent ou the first cars by ferry to cross Lake Michigan.
Its chief industries are the manufacture of scientific school furniture, aluminum shops, farm machinery, cheese boxes, and the preparation and shipment of cheese.
Its principal buildings are a fine new court-house situated upon a magnificent bluff overlooking the city, lake and river, costing $60,000, a new hotel, the Karsten house, just completed at a cost of $55,000, and a new school house in the course of building costing upwards of $55,000.
It has sent out to the world such men as Prof. Ransom A. Moore of the University of Wisconsin, William H. Timlin, justice of the supreme court, Samuel H. Sedgewick, a member of the supreme court Nebraska, Judge John C. Karel of Milwaukee and many others now prominently linked with the life of Wisconsin.
It has many fine residences, including those of the late George Grimmer, John L. Hanety, John B. Bergman, George A. Duvall and Col. George W. Wing.
Among its enterprising business men are Edward Seyk, L. Albert Karel, Charles Cherney, Frank H. Wises, Albert L. Leyse, William Karsten, Frank Hamachek, Wenzel Kieweg, John E. Hutchinson, and Charles V. Mashek.
