Elcho Town

Elcho Town

Elcho township comprises two congressional townships numbered 34 of Ranges 10 and 11 East. It is situated in the northwestern part of Langlade County and is the farthest township north occupying two townships in different ranges in the county. Elcho township is bounded on the north by Oneida County, on the south by Upham township, on the east by North Ainsworth township and on the west by North Summit township.

East Elcho township survey was commenced July 18, 1859 and was completed July 24, 1859 by William E. Daugherty of the United States Survey. West Elcho township was surveyed six years later by James L. Nowlin. He started the survey July 8, 1865 and ended it July 20, 1865.

East Elcho township has but few swamps, those found being very small in area. The timber west of Post Lake and the Wolf river originally was very heavy and extensive tracts of the best quality of white pine were cut years ago. The soil of this township is good and well adapted to agricultural purposes. Gloucester sandy loam is found in sections 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 16, 17, 21 and 22. Plainfield sand is found in an extensive area in sections 11, 12, 13 and 14. Gloucester fine sandy loam is found in sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 17, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 34 and 35, while Gloucester sand is the principal soil in sections 3, 9, 10, 14, 15, 23, 24, 25 and 26. Sections 6, 7, 8, 22, 25, 26, 32, 33, 35 and 36, all contain some Gloucester silt loam. Peat is found in sections 5, 6, 8, 9, 16, 22, 25, 26, 29, 32 and 33. Post Lake, Loon Lake, Mud Lake, and Bass Lake are the principal bodies of water. The Hunting and Wolf rivers both run through sections in the township. The Hunting river flows through sections 19, 30, 31, 32 and 33 and the Wolf river through sections 11, 13, 14, 24 and 25.

West Elcho township was the last Langlade County civil division to be surveyed by the United States government. The survey required twelve days.

The thriving village of Elcho, second largest community in Langlade County, is located in this township in section 23. The principal lakes are Enterprise, summer resort of note, located in sections 3, 4, 9 and 10, Duck Lake in section 33 and Elcho Lake in section 12, north of the village of Elcho and west of Highway No. 39. Gloucester silt loam is found in

The Petition For Elcho

November 22, 1886, twenty-nine citizens of Summit Lake and Neva townships petitioned the county board for a division of these two townships and the creation of a new township to be known as Elcho. The petitioners were Byron E. Cole, Clarence H. Graves, Fayette Cole, John Schuh, F. Teske, N. G. Weaver, N. F. Weaver, Charles Races, Henry Ebner, Anton Follstad, Sigvart Solberg, Herman N. Idler, Ole K. Hedal, Hans Hanson, John Nelson, Charles F. Graves, F. L. Adams, Frank Cole, Thorvald Solberg, R. W. Cave, Lewis R. Lee, Christ Kunos, Ludwig Schladone, Anton Schuh, George H. Tappan, John W. Gormley, George Lorenz, Herman Wolfgram, and A. Seidenspinning, Supt. of the Frost Veneer Works, Elcho, Wis.

ORIGINAL AREA OF NEW TOWNSHIP. The ordinance creating Elcho township passed February 23, 1887. It detached township 34 of Ranges 9 and 10 East from Summit township and township 34 of Range 11 East from Neva township. Thus the original area of this township was 108 square miles.

Detachment Of Parrish

Elcho township consisted of three congressional townships until November 13, 1889, when township 34 of Range 9 East was detached from Elcho and formed into Parrish township. This left Elcho township, two congressional townships 34 of Ranges 10 and 11 East.

The First Election

1887. T. Solberg, N. G. Weaver and John Nelson were the first inspectors of election. R. W. Cave was elected first Town Chairman; Charles F. Graves, first Town Clerk; J. N. Nelson and Frank Lee, first Supervisors, and N. Weaver, G. I. Tappan and Christ Callsen, first Justices. N. G. Weaver, J. W. Gormandy and

Justices Of The Peace District No. 1

ELCHO DISTRICT. This district includes all of township 34 North, of Range 10 East and some of township 34, Range 11 East. The western part of the district is sparsely settled. The village of Elcho, second largest community in the county, is located in the northeast corner of section 13.

The village of Elcho was surveyed and platted by B. F. Dorr, first City Engineer of Antigo, and pioneer county surveyor. This survey was made in 1887, being recorded March 21, 1887. Streets were named Dorr, Elmo, Riordan, Rumele, Echo, Elk and Owono. Dorr's addition to the village was recorded February 20, 1904.

Before the Frost Veneer Seating Company moved their plant from Elmhurst, Rolling township to the present site of Elcho village in 1887, Elcho had but few settlers. Col. Byron Cole and William Cole, came from Colebrook, Waushara County, In 1885 and erected log cabins in the district, south of the village plat. John Nelson settled in the district about the same time. Other early settlers were : Richard W.

La Fayette Weaver, Harry Stewart, Frank McCormick, and the Frost Veneer Seating Co., all conducted boarding houses in the village primarily to serve the transient laborer.

The Muskie Inn, located in the village on highway No. 39, was erected by Charles W. Fish. It has been the scene of many notable banquets and convention meetings. Wm. Litzen manages the Inn for Mr. Fish.

The Frost Veneer Seating Company erected the first manufacturing plant in Elcho in 1887. They operated until 1893, when the plant was moved to Antigo. The company located on Otter Lake, now known as Elcho Lake. The Jones Lumber Company of Manitowoc purchased the site and property of the Frost Veneer Seating Company in 1893 and erected a saw mill, the first Elcho saw mill. Charles W. Fish and Thomas Mullen, a traveling salesman, organized a $20,000 concern known as Fish & Mullen. They operated a planing and saw mill. The planing mill burned, was rebuilt, and shortly afterwards the saw mill burned. This left the concern with a planing mill and a saw mill site. At this time C. W. Fish purchased the interest of others in the business, but not until 1910, was the saw

The Elcho Jhgh School

Cave, Sigvart Solberg, Thorwald Solberg, Anton Follstad, Clarence Graves, Charles Graves, Anton Schuh, Charles Beard, Peter Tappan, John Gormanley, Wm. Brantner, and E. Youngbauer. Charles W. Fish, prominent lumberman, came to Elcho in 1895.

Elcho's first general store was opened in 1886 by Thorwald Solberg, a Norwegian, who had, before then, lived a short time, on a homestead in Antigo township. This storekeeper was also the first postmaster of Elcho. When the Jones Lumber Company came to Elcho, the Solberg store was taken over by them. Solberg & Niels Anderson, first Antigo merchant, followed the Jones Lumber Company. The Solberg & Anderson store was then taken over by Charles W. Fish, who, with the exception of an interval when it was sold to W. Litzen, still owns it. The original Solberg store was near the site of the Muskie Inn. Solberg first kept supplies at his home on section 12.

mill rebuilt. The rise and progress of Elcho since then has been interwoven with the success of the Charles W. Fish Lumber Company, which now operates five mills.

Postmasters at Elcho since 1886 have been: Thorward Solberg, Mrs. Byron Cole, Richard W. Cave, G. W. Jones, George Burton, Dudley Burton, R. Hanson. The present postoffice building was erected in 1915.

Elcho has splendid educational facilities. The first frame school still exists. It was built in 1887. Early teachers were Mrs. R. W. Cave, Flora Wilson and Dora B. Benedict. The pioneer school was used until 1902, when a new school house was built in block 14. It was a one story two room building originally but a second story has since been added.

In November, 1921, a high school was added to the educational institutions of Elcho. Dedicatory services were conducted in 1921. The principal address was given by Hon. Arthur Goodrick, Municipal Judge of Langlade County. J. W. Bluett was the first H. S. principal.

Elcho has two churches, The Holy Family Church in which those of Catholic faith hold services. The congregation organized January 31, 1905. Organizers were : J. H. Wigman, Bishop J. J. Fox and Rev. Conrad Saile. The Free Union Church is located in block 8. Rev. Fred Harvey, Congregational Pastor conducts services in this edifice. Rev. J. A. Snartemoe of Rhinelander conducts Lutheran services in this church.

Present business places are: The Charles W. Fish Lumber Company mills and lumber yards, Muskie Inn Hotel, Wm. Litzen, Manager; A. J. Carnahan Boarding House, The C. W. Fish General Store and Market; J. F. Steel Grocery; C. W. Fish Hardware Store, J. L. Olmsted, billiard hall and confectionery; The Elcho State Bank; Elcho Garage; and the Rothenberger Garage; a Drug Store, operated by R. G. Germanson, a meat market run by Earl Weaver and a barber shop run by Wm. Estabrook; Anton Thomas, shoemaker.

The first citizens to vote in Elcho township were: D. Callsen, Ed. Rosfach, W. H. Hinkley, J. Rutinger, B. E. Cole, George Behling, A. Follstad, R. W. Cave, C. Callsen, C. F. Graves, Louis Hansen, Otto Oleson, Ole Wesley, N. G. Weaver, John Konz, Moses Hinkley, J. N. Nelson, C. W. Maney, Peter Higgins, Ernest Youngbauer, C. Madsen, A. C. Sindberg, T. Solberg, N. F. Weaver, Anton Schuh, Wm. Berger, S. Solberg, Otto Walters, G. Erne, A. Herrman, R. Edwards, S. Aleff, Ed. Hinchley, August Kewrweter, H. Anderson, J. Shand, J. A. Adams, T. Edwards, A. K. Hadel, A. Delimater, M. Weiss, G. Walling, Jos. Herb, R. A. Cole, M. W. Eke, H. Anderson, John Swartz, H. Klan, H. Wolfgram, H. Hrisk, C. Klien, H. Barr, Louie Weller, H. Oleson, R. Peterson, E. H. Hansen, C. Beard, L. A. Harrington, G. Wright, J. W. Gormaley, Julius Follstad, Frank Herman, A. Schwab and John Qeualman - 64 in all.

District No. 2

District No. 2 is subdivided into three divisions with schools at Post Lake, the Sunset subdistrict and the Kosciousko (Polish) settlement. The Post Lake region is the most densely settled and the oldest in point of habitation by white settlers. Sunset subdistrict is situated nearer to the village of Elcho than the other two. It is well settled. The Kosciousko district has been settled since 1897.

District No. 2 was organized in 1894. From 1887, when Elcho township was organized, to 1895, the schools were conducted under the township system. This system was then continued from 1895 to 1912.

Post Lake is one of the most picturesque places in Wisconsin. The beautiful lake, stretching north into Oneida County from the center of section 23 of East Elcho township, affords excellent boating and fishing for the sportsman and tourist. Its shore line is dotted with the cottages of men and women, who, tired of the constant and incessant grind of the commercial whirl, come here in "The Heart of the Whispering Pines" to hold communion, so to speak, with God and His handicraft. The Narrows are bridged at section 11 by one of the best iron bridges in the county.

But Post Lake held an attraction for more than the modern tourist. Long before the first pine was cut in East Elcho township, bands of Menominee and Chippewa Indians camped on the shores of Post Lake. At the narrows of Post Lake on the farm of Charles Thompson, section 11, Charles Thompson dug up the skeleton of a man, who was buried in a sitting position. Harry Graves once found on the same site a signet ring bearing the insignia "I. H. S." and also of a tiny cross. David Edict identified it as a Jesuit Missionary ring, thus proving that this was once the trading post of Indians and French missionaries, who probably travelled in small bateau down the Wolf river, portaging the rapids and impassable places.

This was once a strategical point. Before the Charles Thompson farm was cleared and plowed the walls of a general defense works, broken and crumbled by time and disintegration, were clearly discernible. David Edick, who has been in this region for a half century, was one of the first to observe this defense work. This point commanded both arms of Post Lake and the Wolf river as well. The ruins of the old trading post on the east bank of Post Lake are still visible. The trading post is probably one hundred years old. A large birch tree has grown up in the ruins. Early settlers at Post Lake can recall when the east bank of Post Lake was dotted with the wigwams of the red men. It was among these tribes that the pioneer fur traders and supply merchants of pioneer days lived. Many married squaws who proved to be thirfty and industrious housewives.

The first school at Post Lake was a log building on section 10, erected by C. W. Maney. A second log building was erected shortly after the first one by Knute Anderson. This was used until the frame school was built on section 11. Early teachers were Loretta Bishop, Tillie Schultze, May Cornish, Anna Beard, May Taylor. Others were Ada Jersey, Lucy Miller, Margaret Deleglise, Margaret Moss, Otelia Person, Madge Hoyt, Edna Dumjohn, and Florence Helgerson. Pioneer school children in the Post Lake school were Isabell, Minnie, Nellie, Grace, Gilbert and Jennie Maney and Nellie and William Dagl.

From 1900 to 1901 Frank Wagner operated a sawmill on section 11. Charles Thompson built a sawmill on section 11 in 1903 and operated it until April 17, 1905, when it burned down. John Monroe had a sawmill on section 12 for one year. George McNinch, who operated a sawmill on section 14, sold it to Crandon people in 1922.

Harry Harmon was the first Postmaster. He was succeeded by Sim Jones. In 1903 Mrs. Charles Thompson was appointed Postmistress. She retained the office until 1913, when the office was abandoned. The rural free delivery system has been extended to this district from Pelican Lake. The pioneer settlers obtained mail from Elcho and those who settled in this vicinity before Elcho was established, from Lily, (New) on the old Military Road.

The Kosciousko or Polish District is situated south and west of Post Lake. The first settlers were Michael Mickezkak, who homesteaded on section 21 in 1897. The second settler was Valentine Dzewski, who came from Milwaukee in 1900 and located on section 21.

The school is located in the northern part of section 21, not far from the main highway from Post Lake to Elcho. It was erected by the Jones Lumber Company, once established at Elcho. The children attended school at Post Lake before this frame building was erected. There are about ten settlers in this region. The land is hilly and rolling. The school is in charge of the officials of District No. 2. Marine Javorsky was the 1921-22 teacher. The school may be abandoned in this subdistrict.

Miscellaneous

On October 7, 1893, District No. 3 was set off after the township board had voted favorably on taking territory from District No. 1 and No. 2. The first meeting was held at the home of C. W. Maney on October 18, 1893.

Final Settlement

Final settlement was made April 1, 1886, between Summit and Elcho township officers. The Elcho officials went on record December 6, 1887, favoring an immediate payment of their township's proportion of money due Lincoln County from the old original Ackley township, of which Elcho township (as it then existed) was once a part, as soon as the settlement was made.

New School In 1902

In 1902 the people of Elcho erected a new school house. The first township official meeting in the old school house was held on June 17, 1902.

New Bridge Across Narrows

The Wisconsin Bridge & Construction Company of Milwaukee built an iron bridge across the narrows of Post Lake in 1902. The span of the bridge is 100 feet. The bridge was completed before December 1, 1902, at a cost of $2,490. The wooden bridge, previously used, was erected in December, 1895, by Gust Schmege. It was completed in February, 1896, at a cost of $500. J. W. Parsons and Walter Dorczeski, County Commissioners, looked after the bridge during process of construction.