Barron County, Wisconsin - Chapter 1: Geography, 1922

Barron county is one of the leading dairy regions of the Northwest. Its chief advantages are a soil and climate well adapted to all forms of agricul¬ ture, advantages of which the dairymen are at the present time making the greatest use, and which are not being neglected by farmers along other lines.

Supplementing these advantages is the county's location at the con¬ vergence of many important routes of railroad and highway travel and trans¬ portation.

Barron county now has twenty-one creameries with a production of over five million pounds yearly and 44 cheese factories with a yearly production of over six million pounds. More than 300 breeders of pure bred Guernseys and Holsteins belong to the two breeders' associations.

While the main branch of farming in the county is dairying there are several other lines of noteworthy importance, namely: potato, pea, cabbage, root crops and clover seed production. Barron is the third county in Wis¬ consin in potato production and produces more first quality potatoes than any other county or section of the state. The total shipment for 1920 was 2,344 cars. Certified seed potato production has been developed to a high state of perfection and buyers and growers from all parts of the United States secure certified seed from Barron county. During the season of 1920, 18,000 bushels of certified seed was produced in Barron county and sold at fancy prices.

Barron county has the largest pea cannery in the world located at Rice Lake and a second cannery nearly as large located at Barron. There are four other pea canneries which secure their product from the fields of J3arron county, located at Chetek, Cumberland, Turtle Lake and Clear Lake. The total acreage devoted to peas equals 6,500 acres with the resultant produc¬ tion from the canneries of 475,000 cases of canned green peas a year. Clover and grass seeds during the last year approximated one-half million pounds. The production of tobacco and of pedigree seed grains are lines of growing importance. Thus potatoes, peas, clover seed, seed grains and tobacco all produce ready cash for the farmer and add much to the prosperity of Barron county dairymen.

Barron county is located in northwestern Wisconsin. Its northern bound¬ ary is 75 miles south of Lake Superior from which it is separated by Wash¬ burn and Douglas counties. Its western boundary is some 25 miles east from the St. Croix river from which it is separated by Polk county. Its southern boundary is about fifty miles north from the Mississippi river from which it is separated by Dunn, Pepin and Buffalo counties. The southern boundary of the county also lies on a line about 366 miles north from the extreme southern boundary of the state.

The meridian of 92 degrees, west longitude, passes through the western part of the county. The forty-fifth parallel, north latitude, is some fifteen miles to the southward, and the forty-sixth parallel some twenty-five miles to the northward.

Nearly all the streams are tributary to the Chippewa river. The water¬ shed between the Chippewa and St. Croix rivers is near the western boundary, and a few small creeks in the extreme west drain into the last named stream.

The county is bounded on the north by Burnett and Washburn counties, on the east by Rusk and Chippewa counties, on the south by Chippewa and Dunn counties, and on the west by Polk county.

The area is thirty miles square, containing a land area of about 878 square miles or about 566,400 square acres. The county is about the size of the state of Rhode Island.

The mean annual temperature is between 41 and 42 degrees. The average date of the last killing frost is from May 20, to June 1, except in the extreme northeastern part, where it is a little later. The first killing frost averages from Sept. 15 to 20 except in the extreme northeastern part where it is a little earlier. The average growing season between frosts is 116 days. With the passing of the forests, however, the seasons are changing and the growing seasons growing longer.

The mean precipitation or annual rainfall and snowfall is between 36 and 40 inches. In the extreme western part it is between 40 and 44 inches. The wettest season is in May, June and July.

The land is rolling enough to secure a good natural drainage, with a predominant southwestwardly declination. The combination of gently slop¬ ing hills, with vales between, adds much to the natural beauty of the land¬ scape.

The surface varies from slightly undulating in the northern part where the drift deposits are abundant, to hilly in the southern part, where the drift is thin and the sandstone formation is deeply cut by the rivers and streams. A belt of low, hilly terminal moraine extends across the northeastern, and also the northwestern parts of the county. Quartzite ridges are prominent fea¬ tures east of Rice Lake and north of Canton and Lehigh. A broad valley bot¬ tom plain lies along the Red Cedar river in the vicinity of Rice Lake, Cameron and Chetek. A similar valley, more narrow, is occupied by the Vermillion river at Barron and east of Cumberland, and by the Hay river at Prairie Farm. The soils in the bottom lands are generally sandy loams and silt loams, while those on the uplands are generally silt loams.

The geological formations are the Barron quartzite, in the eastern part of the county, and the Upper Cambrian (Potsdam) sandstone over the remain¬ ing parts of the county. The Lower Magnesian limestone caps the upland ridges in the southwestern part.

Glacial drift is an abundant formation over the bed rock in the eastern, northern and western parts of the county. Alluvial gravel and sand forms a broad plain along the Red Cedar river and its tributaries in the central and southern parts of the county.

The thickness of the surface formations of glacial drift in the inter¬ stream areas, in the northern part, reaches probably a maximum of 150 to 200 feet, though the thickness is usually 25 to 50 feet. The thickness of the alluvial sand and gravel in the valleys probably reaches 200 to 250 feet in the deepest parts of the old channels. The complete thickness of the Upper Cam¬ brian (Potsdam) sandstone is preserved only where overlaid by the Lower Magnesian limestone in the southwestern part of the county.

The water bearing horizons are the sandstone, the glacial drift, and the alluvial sands and gravels along the rivers. The wells are of variable depth from 10 to 30 feet in the valleys up to 200 feet upon the upland ridges. Well records show a depth of drift of over 200 feet in places north of Barron and west of Rice Lake.

Springs are a common source of water supply in the valley bottoms of the southwestern part of the county. These springs are specially abundant along the Hay river and the tributaries and are a source of an excellent water sup¬ ply on many farms.

The altitudes generally range from 1,000 to 1,200 feet along the valley bottoms, and 1,200 to 1,400 feet over the intervalley areas. The quartzite ridges east of Rice Lake, and north of Lehigh and Canton, reach a maximum altitude of over 1,600 feet.

The county is dotted with many fresh-water lakes, forming the head¬ waters of several large streams and many brooks. There are also a number of artificial lakes caused by the building of dams.

The Chetek lakes, Chetek, Prairie and Pokegema, are a group of three fine lakes located in the southeast corner of the county, and almost wholly in the town of Chetek. Of these lakes, Prairie lake is the largest, being, accord¬ ing to the most recent surveys, nearly six miles long, and at its widest part about three-fourths of a mile wide. Lake Chetek has an extreme length of about three miles and a width of about one and a quarter miles. Chetek city is on Chetek lake. Prairie Lake and Lake Chetek join, making a continuous body of water. Pokegema Lake is about one and three-quarters miles long and three-quarters of a mile wide. Mud Lake, a smaller body o'f water, lies north of Pokegema, and is connected with it and Prairie lake by narrow channels. These lakes are drained by Chetek river, a tributary of the Red Cedar (Menomonie) river, with which it unites in Dovre township. In the eastern part of Chetek township is Taber's lake. Bass lake is in the southern part, Jacobson's lake in the central part.

The name Chetek is of Chippewa origin, and is said to be the Indian name for pelican. Pokegema is said by E. P. Wheeler, formerly of La Pointe, whose manuscript Chippewa vocabulary is in the possession of the State Historical Society, to be a corrupted form of "Bu-ka-gum-ma", meaning "the river divides." Verwyst gives it as "Bakagama", or "branch lake", that is a lake which is the branch of another, usually a larger lake. Prof. J. D. Butler (Wis. Hist. Colls., IX, pp. 118-119) renders it "Pocagamah", and says that it is a Chippewa word for "Confluence."

Sand, Little Sand, Kidney and Beaver Dam lakes form a pretty chain in Maple Plain township. Upon the last named lake, which corners in Maple Plain, Crystal Lake, Lakeland and Cumberland townships, is located the city of Cumberland. In the northern part of Maple Plain township is Little Horseshoe lake. In the township are also Kirby, Bryer, Spirit, Bass and other smaller lakes.

Devils lake is partly in Oak Grove township, and Long lake just north of its boundary line. Tuscobia lake is also in Oak Grove township. Red Cedar lake is a large lake in Cedar Lake township. In the township are also Hem¬ lock, Maple, Pickerel and Twin lakes.

Staples lake is on the western border of the county in Crystal Lake town¬ ship. Loon lake lies between that township and Almena township. Crystal, Long, Scott and Weckert lakes are also in Crystal Lake township.

Vermillion lake is in Cumberland township, Beaver Dam lake partly so. Rice lake and Lake Montanis are in Rice Lake township. Rice Lake city is on Rice lake, whiph is partly artificial.

Big Horseshoe lake lies on the western border of the county partly in Almena township. In that township are also Echo lake, and Upper and Lower Turtle lakes.

Lying partly in Bear Lake township is the large body of water which gives the town its name. Butternut lake is in the northern part; Fish lake in the southern part. There are also a number of smaller lakes.

Lakeland is fairly dotted with lakes. Silver lake is in the eastern part; Granite lake in the western part. In the township are also Dunning, Buck (Amber), Duck, Robinson, Little Silver, Shallow, Spider, Pipe and smaller lakes.

Nearly all of these lakes are popular summer resorts, and are dotted with beautiful summer cottages. Nearly all have been used in logging opera¬ tions.

Since Barron county has very little territory not suitable for some sort of agriculture it will never have extensive tracts of forest or wide expanses of unsettled territory, yet it has much to offer to the person seeking a little respite from the tedious grind of life's stern duties. Most of the lakes fur¬ nish excellent fishing and boating, and along the shores of many of them may be found secluded nooks where one may pitch a tent and live close to nature. Along the larger streams many attractive camping places may be found. The lakes and rivers of the county furnish plenty of such game fish as black bass, yellow bass, pike and pickerel and an abundance of sun-fish, croppies and perch. Numerous trout streams yield fine catches of brook, rainbow and brown trout.

Sharp tail grouse, prairie chicken and partridge may be found in season, while wild duck of many kinds frequent the lakes in large numbers. Gray and fox squirrels are becoming more numerous as the country is settled. To the nature lover who neither fishes or hunts, our woods, lakes and rivers with their myriads of feathered songsters are a source of constant interest and delight. In addition to what nature has provided, some communities in the county are setting apart suitable grounds for tourist campers.

The principal river running through the county is the Menomonie (Red Cedar) river, which rises in the extreme northwestern part of the county, draining Cedar Lake, and flows in a generally southern direction into Dunn county where it joins the Chippewa river. At Rice Lake it passes through a beautiful chain of lakes. Its principal tributaries are the Long Lake stream (Brill river), Bear creek, Yellow river and Chetek river, which join it in this county, and Hay river, which joins it in Dunn county.

Bear creek rises in Bear lake in the northern part of the county and . after spreading into a pretty chain of lakes enters the Menomonie river.

Yellow river drains Silver, Granite, Amber, Duck and other lakes in the northwestern part of the county, is joined by the Vermillion river, which drains Vermillion, Poskin, and other lakes, and flows in a southeasterly direc¬ tion into the Menomonie river.

All these streams have various smaller streams as tributaries, so that one can not travel far anywhere in the county without crossing one. This abundance of water has been one of the active factors in the importance of the county as a dairy region. It also facilitated greatly the transportation of logs during the logging years.

Practically all the settlers of Barron county in the earlier days came up the Menomonie river valley from Menomonie. A very few came in from St. Croix valley, especially to the region about Cumberland. Outside of its influences on the climate, the nearness of Lake Superior had almost no bear¬ ing upon the early development of the county.

The greater part of the surface of Barron county was originally covered with a forest growth. A small portion in the extreme southern part was of the description called "oak openings", but, generally speaking, the county was covered with a dense growth of mixed pine and hardwood, comprising almost every variety of tree growing in this latitude. The pine was inter¬ spersed with a lusty growth of red and white oak, rock and water elm, yel¬ low birch, sugar maple, ash, butternut, basswood and other deciduous trees.

Upon these pine forests the early history of Barron county is based. Logging the forests brought here the lumbermen, who later stayed and estab¬ lished farms, and upon the ruins of the early lumber camps, the cities and villages of the county are founded.

Its later development, as stated, is based upon the wonderful richness of its soil, its location, and its especial adaptability to the dairying industry.

Direct railroad communication is had with St. Paul and Minneapolis, 88 miles away, at the head of Mississippi river navigation; with Duluth and Superior, 107 miles away, at the head of the Great Lakes; with Sault Ste. Marie. 403 miles away, at the joining of Lakes Michigan and Superior; with Milwaukee 300 miles away, on Lake Michigan; and with Chicago, 370 miles away, the gateway of the Middle West. These distances are from Barron, the county seat.

The line of the Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul & Omaha Railway con¬ necting the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul with Duluth at the head of the Great Lakes, passes through the western part of the county, with stations at Turtle Lake, Perley, Comstock, Cumberland, Barronette and Su¬ perior. The line of the same company connecting Milwaukee and Chicago with Duluth passes through the eastern part of the county with stations at Cartright, Chetek, Cameron, Rice Lake, Tuscobia and Haugen. A branch leaves this line at Tuscobia, and extends across the northeastern corner of the county, eventually reaching Park Falls. The stations in this county are at Brill and Angus. The line of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie, the familiar "Soo", connecting the Twin Cities with Sault Ste. Marie, crosses the central part of the county with stations at Turtle Lake, Almena, Poskin, Barron, Cameron, Canton and Lehigh. The line of the same road extending from Ridgeland to Reserve, the familiar "Blueberry", passes through the southcentral and northeastern parts of the county, with stations in this county at Dallas, Hillsdale, Barron, Cameron, Rice Lake and Mikana.

The North Wisconsin Railroad, now owned by the Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul & Omaha, was completed from Hudson to Spooner through this county in 1877-79, the rails being laid over the bridge at Cumberland in the fall of 1879. The company had planned to put the line through in 1875, but litigation over the land grant caused delays.

The Chicago-Duluth line of the same company was completed through Barron County in 1882-83. The branch from Tuscobia, northeast, was built in 1902.

The "Soo" line was completed through the county in 1884, and reached Rhinelander in 1886. Work started at Turtle Lake, in 1884, and the first 46 miles west of that place were completed that year.

The "Blueberry" division of the "Soo" had its beginning in 1893 when the Rice Lake, Dallas & Menomonie Railroad company was organized. A line was constructed from Rice Lake to Cameron in 1894, thus giving the "Soo" a track into Rice Lake. In the fall of 1900 the line was completed from Barron to Ridgeland, thus giving a line running north from Ridgeland to Barron, thence over the "Soo" tracks to Cameron, and thence north to Rice Lake. From Rice Lake, northeast, the line was opened in 1901.

There are four cities in the county: Rice Lake, with a population of 4,457; Barron, with a population of 1,623; Cumberland, with a population of 1,528; and Chetek, with a population of 1,154. There are five villages: Turtle Lake, with a population of 679; Cameron, with a population of 572; Haugen, with a population of 426; Dallas, with a population of 425; and Prairie Farm,

The history of the county may roughly be divided into five periods: 1, Geologic ages; 2, Aboriginal Occupancy; 3, Era of the Explorers and Fur Traders; 4, Logging Days; 5, Modern Dairying and Agriculture. During the geologic ages the earth was formed and assumed its present surface. During the Aboriginal Occupancy the Mound Builders lived here, and left evidences of their occupancy. Following them came the Indians, who had villages here and there nearly up to forty years ago. The Era of the Explorers and Fur Traders overlaps the period of the Chippewa Indians. Both French and American traders had camps in the county. The Logging Days started with 1848 and continued practically until well toward the close of the century. Farming began in the county in 1855, but it was not predominant as the county industry until the beginning of modern dairying and agriculture near the dawn of the present century. Most of the farming was then merely an incident. Nearly all the male citizens spent their winters in the woods and their springs on the drives, returning and working their farms only in those seasons when they could find no employment with the lumber companies.

During the lumbering years the wealth of the county was slowly being drained away. The lumber companies were cutting off the vast forests of pine to enrich other communities, leaving Barron county a region of black¬ ened stumps, rotting brush, "slashings" and tangled undergrowth, interspersed here and there with groves of hardwood. The period of Modern Dairying and Agriculture covers, roughly speaking, the past two decades, and during those few years the county has reached its present prosperity and pre-eminence.