Rhonda Fochs - Wisconsins Lost Towns

Wisconsins Lost Towns

Rhonda Fochs

DEDICATION

To the Holbrooks.
You gave me family, love, laughter, and a wealth of stories, tales, and memories. I thank God everyday for the gift of you. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think of you, that I dont miss you.

Copyright 2017 Rhonda Fochs
Cover map iStock/Getty Images

All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-68201-058-7

First Edition: May 2017

Printed in the United States of America.

Published by:

North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc.

19485 Estes Road

Clearwater, MN 55320

www.northstarpress.com

Without the assistance, help, and support of many, many people and organizations, this book would not have been possible. Early historians, known and unknown, wrote local and family histories and left them for later generations. Those early records and memoirs have proven to be an invaluable record of the times and people of the past. Their memories, letters, oral and written histories are a treasure trove of memories, tales, anecdotes, and facts that would be lost without their foresight and their efforts to record them. Without their contributions we would be severely limited in our knowledge and rich details of the past. It is a great debt, that I, that we, owe to those early historians.

I cant stress enough the importance of local historical societies and museums. These local repositories are true gems right in the midst of our local communities. With limited funds and resources, the staff and volunteers of these organizations preserve our past and ensure our future. I urge you to visit them, support them, and perhaps even volunteer. Without them, and the people involved with them, we would be sorely lacking in our historical knowledge and legacy. Libraries are equally important. This book could not have been written without them.

To my family and friends, I thank you for your belief, support, and your help in so many ways.

To all those that I missed, my apologies and thanks.

Please pass your own family and local memories on!

ORGANIZATIONS

Adams County Historical Society

Buck-A-Neer

Clark County Historical Internet Library

Iron County Historical Society

Langlade County Historical Society

Manitowoc County Historical Society

Marathon County Historical Society

Mellen Area Chamber of Commerce

Mid-Continent Railway

Milwaukee County Historical Society

Oconto County Historical Society

Pepin County Historical Society

Portage County Historical Society

Price County Historical Society

Richland County Historical Society

Sauk County Historical Society

Sawyer County Historical Society

Shawano County Historical Society

Sheboygan County Historical Society

Trempealeau County Historical Society

Vernon County Historical Society

Walworth County Historical Society

Winter Area Chamber of Commerce

INDIVIDUALS

Kevin Abing

Ruth Anderson

Joyce Bant

Gail Barrenco

Jodie Bednar-Clemens

Joyce Bednar Young

Nick Benard

Nancy Bergman

Jesse Borlen

Pat Blackman

Beverly Brayton

Harry Davis

Martha Degner

Linda Deith

David Engel

Crystal Foley

Jill Gondeck

Barb and John Grek

Joseph Hermolin

Virginia Feld Johnson

Sue Johnston

Mary Lee Klaus

Carol Krogan

Margaret Kropp

A.K. Lallas

Jeffery Lentz

Linda Levenhagen

LuAnne Lind

Jodie Fobes Livingston

Michael Meier

Terry Mesch

Carol Pearson

Gary Peterson

Larry Reed

Kate Reily

Tammie Renel

Melinda Roberts

Jerry Rohlinger

Marion Scharfnagel

Janet and Stan Schwarze

Anne Seubert

Elaine Spindler

Gordon and Toni Stevenson

Pastor Sylvia Lee-Thompson

Catherine Techtmann

Norbert Vissers

Dave Walters

Kitty Werner

Matthew Wykle

Barb and Mark Zimmerman

A few years back my grandmothers former house (also my aunt and uncles former house) was up for sale. I hadnt been inside the house for decades, so my cousin Caryl gave me a final tour.

Just driving up to the house brought back memories. I could almost see my aunts and uncles and grandmother coming out to greet me. Going into the house intensified the feeling. Everywhere I looked I saw the people of my past. All of us at the kitchen table, eating, laughing and telling the stories of the past and our lives.

Oh, how I wish I had listened better. How I wish I had paid more attention to the banter around the table. But I was young, and the people and places didnt mean much to me. As I grew older and could listen and observe better, they too were older. My time listening to their stories was growing short and then was over all too soon. Now they live in my memories and in my heart. Tears fall as I write this. Walking through that house brought it all back as it does when I think of them.

With time and thought, I realized that, even though it was home to loved ones, it was only a house. A house filled with memories, but the people who lived there, the people who brought it to life are gone, except from the heart. Their stories are special and they matter.

Such it is with all lost towns. Each and every one is special, as were the people who lived there and brought them to life. By sharing their stories, we keep the people and the towns alive.

My Aunt Charlotte once wrote, Land is land. It is the people who are the history makers.

Journey to the past, as we visit the people and places of Wisconsins Lost Towns.

With no clear-cut definition, determining what constitutes a ghost town is highly subjective, often a matter of degree and opinion.

Purists will define a ghost towna true ghost townas a town that has been completely abandoned. Others argue that a ghost town is any community that is a semblance, shadowor ghostof what it used to be.

At its core, on a basic level, the most agreed upon definition would be that of a human settlement that has been abandoned. With an arbitrary definition in place it is possible to further classify ghost towns into categories or classes based on definitive characteristics.

The most common breakdowns and classes are: **

CLASS A Barren site, nature has reclaimed the land, no visible signs of former inhabitation;

CLASS B Rubble, foundations, roofless buildings;

CLASS C Standing abandoned buildings, no/rural population, hamlet, no viable organized community;

CLASS D Semi/Near Ghost town. Many abandoned buildings, small resident population;

CLASS E Busy historic communitysmaller than in boom days;

CLASS F Restored town, historically preserved status. A seventh category could also be included:

CLASS G town joined to or was absorbed by neighboring/thriving city.

Many communities, whatever their class, did leave behind tangible remains in the form of cemeteries. The hallowed grounds are a visible record of the times and lives of the towns inhabitants. Many areas also carry the towns name.

**Modified from Gary Specks