Winnebago County, Wisconsin - Chapter 30, 1880

HE cuiinty (if Winnebago, comprising si.xtcen townships, four of which arc fractional, constitutes one of the finest tracts in the Fox Valley. It is situated west of Lake Winnebago, which boiinils its entire eastern border.

The tract embraced in its limits forms the northeastern extremity of the great prairie and opening countrj' of Wisconsin; and one more lovely and picturesque cannot be found in the West.

Its surface is generally rolling; the more level districts being on the margin of the streams. The greatest altitude is one hundred and seventeen feet above the level of Fox River. The country, in its natural state, resembled avast park, in which prairie, woodland, lake and river combined in one diversified scene of natural beauty.

It is one of the best watered districts of the State, being intersected by three navigable rivers, the Upper and Lower Fox, and the Wolf, and bordered by Lake Winnebago, a body of water thirty-five miles long and ten to twelve wide. The lovely water scenery of the county is one of its charming features. In nearly every direction the scene embraces distant views, disclosing vistas, in which lake and river, prairie and forest are blended together in exquisite harmony. The mouth of the Upper Fox forms one of the most spacious harbors in the State. This stream, between Lake Butte des Morts and Lake Winnebago averages five hundred feet in width. It empties into a handsome bay, on the shores of which Oshkosh is situated. The mouth of the river is ahalf mile in width, and, with the handsome point that forms the northern outline, and the steamers and numerous sailing crafts moving on its surface, forms a most attractive scene.

The shores of the lake were originally forest, a belt of "timber" extending inland from two to five miles, which was composed chiefly of oak, sugar-maple, hickory, elm and basswood. Adjoining this were heavy burr-oak openings, which, in some places, approached the shore of the lake. Along the shore, in the town of Black Wolf, were what were called "timber openings," and Indian planting grounds; being very large, tall oaks scattered at intervals through open spaces, with occasional thickets of hazel brush, plum and crab-apple. The undergrowth was so kept down by the annual fires, that large tracts presented the appearance of great, well-kept parks. At some points the lake could be seen through the trees from a distance of one or two miles back from the shore. The Indian planting grounds were mere open spaces, with an occasional tree or clump of bushes, and were the sites of the Indian villages that previously occupied the most eligible points on the lake shore. On Lakes Butte des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan were also many large Indian clearings, the sites of villages and planting grounds; for, as stated in previous pages, this count)- was the center of a large Indian population.

A large proportion of the shores of the lakes is handsome, undulating land, frequently forming points with gravel and sand beaches. In some places on the margin of the streams and lakes, were extensive hay marshes, with a luxuriant growth of red top and wild pea vine. The bottoms of the smaller streams and the "interval lands" also furnished natural meadows.

The soil, though varying much in different localities, when taken as a whole, is nowhere surpassed, - from a deep, purely vegetable mold to a vegetable loam, clay and sand, all resting upon a sub-soil of clay, and small areas of sand mixed with ochre, which makes the earliest and richest soil known. The prevailing rock is of limestone, which is found in extensive quantities, supplying an abimdance of hard, durable building stone, and superior grain growing qualities to the soil. Sand stone is also found to a limited extent.

Good water is everywhere abundant; the lakes and streams meandering through the country from various directions, with innumerable springs as feeders, furnish a lavish and never failing supply, while excellent wells are readily obtained at a depth of from ten to thirty feet, and by drilling from fifteen to one hnndred feet (generally within forty-five feet), constant flowing fountains of purest water are produced, discharging from two to five feet above the surface, in any part of the county, the deeper fountains supplying water of remarkable medicinal qualities.

The lakes and streams abound in a great variety of the finest fish, of which the black bass, rock bass, pickerel, pike, perch and sturgeon, are prominent, affording rare sport to those whose inclination leads in that direction; and added to these are the sucker (red horse), buffalo fish, cat-fish, and other varieties.

In the northeastern, as in some other portions, extensive beds of brick clay of superior quality are found and largely utilized, producing the cream-colored brick.

The notable products of the county are wheat, rye, oats, corn, barley, buckwheat, hops, potatoes, butter and cheese, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs; apples, plums, pears, cherries, grapes, and a profusion of the smaller fruits, with an abundance of hay, both natural and cultivated.

As evidence of the inexhaustible fertility of the soil, Mr. Commodore Rogers, of the town of Oshkosh, pointed out a field of wheat, just harvested, the twenty-fourth consecutive crop on that piece of land; which was equal to the average of this year's growth within the town.