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Historic Reedsburg
As early explorers migrated
westward in the 1840's, they traveled the Mississippi and its tributaries,
primarily to trap beaver and other animals for their pelts. As they set up camp
sights in what was to become the state of Wisconsin, these newcomers were
impressed with the abundance and quality of timber in the region.
Henry Perry and Donald C. Barry
were recorded as the first white men to explore this region around 1844 in
search of good timber. But instead, they discovered a copper outcropping in the
south-east quarter section of Reedsburg Township (near the Reedsburg Country
Club), and abandoned their initial quest. Barry returned a year later with his
family, built a home and established a mining operation. He dug two tons of the
ore that year and sold it for $90 a ton. The claim was abandoned a year later
for lack of money.
Next on the scene was James W.
Babb, who, with his son, came to the Baraboo Valley in May of 1845. They staked
out a claim on the rich, fertile land that is known as Babb’s Prairie (west of
Reedsburg). After constructing a double log house, Babb returned to Ohio for the
rest of his family.
The sight that was to become
the city of Reedsburg was selected for settlement by early pioneers because the
Baraboo River at that point was shallow and the bottom was stone-lined for easy
fording. Native Americans had also used that spot as a convenient crossing. (Early
Pioneers Recall Their First Sight of Reedsburg - Excerpted from
the book, Reedsburg
Remembers 150 Years).
Another explorer visited the
area around 1847, discovered iron mines and returned to his home in Big Foot
Prairie, Walworth County, in southeastern Wisconsin. He took sick shortly
thereafter and died. However, he had conveyed the news of his discovery to David
C. Reed, who immediately packed up, came to this area and promptly purchased 200
acres of land, a portion of which was to become the city which took his name.
In 1848 Reed and a Mr. Powell
erected a water-powered sawmill and began turning out lumber to build crude
homes. Called "Shanty Row" by early settlers, these dwellings were
located down the center of what is now Main street. (Reedsburg’s
Sawlog War - Excerpted from the book, Reedsburg
Remembers 150 Years).
The landscape surrounding the
cabins scarcely lent itself to settlement as it consisted of swampland bordered
by hills covered with black oak timber. The marshes were eventually drained, the
hills leveled and the trees cut to build the first crude homes for these
tenacious adventurers.
At an Old Settlers’ Meeting
in 1897, President Ellenwood suggested that a celebration be held the following
year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the settlement of Reedsburg. He
noted that "Reckoning from the time that the land where the city is now
located was claimed by David C. Reed in company with Mr. Powell, fifty years
will be completed the coming spring." Also by 1848 numerous settlers had
arrived, built shanties and had begun the construction of a sawmill; a permanent
community had been established
Reedsburg has celebrated its
birthday ever since, based on that date.
Nineteen forty-eight, the
centennial of Reedsburg’s founding, saw the community come together once again
to celebrate, in a substantial way, the birth of their city. A huge parade wound
its way down Main street; a play depicting the trials and tribulations of the
early settlers was presented; and a historical booklet was researched and sold
during that special year.
The one hundred twenty-fifth
celebration in 1973 was more subdued with historic articles appearing in the
paper.
Reedsburg's Sesquincentennial
(150th) anniversary of
Reedsburg's birth was celebrated in 1998.
Written and submitted by:
Bill Schuette
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