The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-10-14
A MODEL WESTERN
VILLAGE.
BY JAMES M. SWANK.


following article is a truthful description
of what was once the village of Kinnic-
kinnic, now River Falls. We have not
yet thousand inhabitants-we are on
the line of the n. w. Land Grant Rail
Road-and the village site is not on level,
but rolling prairie, so interspersed with
trees, that its natural beauty cannot be
easily excelled.-ED.]
"God made the country and man
made the town." Next to quiet, retired
residence in the country-far from the
noise and confusion of the busy business
world, and surrounded by the hard knocks
and sure profits, the industry and honor,
of farmers Gfe-we can imagine no
spot so attractive to man or woman of
true culture and honest purposes, undaz-
zled by the glare of fashionable folly and
unbegrimed by the DIRT of soulless GU
pidity, as a country village of the olden
style. We do not mean vilage-no
matter how old it may be-that is situated
upon some Western steamboat or railroad
route, for such places are organically and
from the force of circumstances little more
than points of traffic and centers of attrac-
ton for tinseled humanity and deprecia-
ted morality. EAST" is the watchword
of such places, and "fast' their life. Nor
do we refer to Western village which
glories in the appellation of "county
seat;" filled with its lawyers of great
capacity and little conscience; its court
house and jail; its rum-shops, rum-drink-
ers and rotten politicians from every State
in the Union-the last ever ready to
serve the dear people or save the country.
The continual hubbub and teapot tenn
pests pertaining to such locality are not
well calculated to allay the ftful fever of
this life, teach men the luxury of doing
good, put money in their pockets or wis
dom in their heads. Besides, towns of
both classes are seldom exempt from Sab
bath desecration, Botany-Bay lawessness,
widespread natural know -nothingism, and
host of other great blots upon their ex-
| istence. But we allude TO a village loca-
ted within the boundary Of an agricultural
district accessible by no other commune
cation than an old-tashioned turnpike or
a new-fashioned plank-road; populated
by conservative, intelligent, industrious,
public-spirited mon and women; having
no drays and omnibusses, no police force,
no lookup, no professional otfice-seekers,
no licensed and unlicensed grog shops, no
uverseers Of the poor, and no delinquent
subscribers 10 the village paper
Kinnckinnic (Wis( is such village.
We stumbled upon it one day in Septem-
Der last, without the aid Of interested rep
RESERVATIONS or any other conveyance than
that which naturally pertains to the right
of locomotion. We viewed it from the
highlands and the lowlands which sur
round it; we strobe over it in every direc-
ton and asked questions concerning it of
every person we met. And the result
was, that ere two days had elapsed, our
opinion was fixed that Kinnickinnic was
model village, according to the philoso
ply above set forth.
The village to which the musical Ian
guage of the Chippewas has given the
name of Kinnickinnic, is situated on the
right bank of sparkling, rocky-bedded
stream OF the same name, the waters of
which are constantly agitated by the fins
of neutrality-suspicious., frolicsome
trout. The site Of the town embraces an
area of about one square mile Of level
prairie, and is connected by the surround
ing country by fertile valleys stretching in
every direction between mounds Of aston
ishiDg regularity in shape and height.
Entering the village from the south, we
cross, within few rods of its mouth,
small tributary of the Kinnickinnic, which
threads its laughing way at this point
through detile bordered by great pines
two of which stand as huge sentries at
one end of the bridge which spans the
stream. A straight street from this point
leads along the right bank of the main
stream, which is also skirted by mighty
pines and venerable birch trees. From
the rocks which overhang the Kinnicbin-
mic, well out, near the center of the village,
two largo springs of excellent water.
But the most noticeable feature connected
with the stream is "the Falls" which
form at once water-power OF no small
magnitude, and one of the most romantic
and pleasant sights to be found anywhere
in this country of natural wonders. These
falls are situated near the lower end of
the village, where, within distance OF
half a mile, the Kinnicdinnie plunges
down seventy feet over three rocky bench
es. One of these benches has the shape
of perfect semi-circle, and, as the water
leans and foams over it, the looker-on
wishes for moment that all the world
were n semi-circular cataract.
So much for the beautiful site and ro-
mantle surroundings of our model village:
! We now turn to its artificial and social
characteristics. Kinnickinnic is scarcely
three years old, and yet it contains nearly
one thousand Yankee inhabitants, and
about one hundred buildings, all painted
white. 1t boasts a gay-looking, moderate
toned. but ive newspaper; well-kept
temperance hotel; stores. mills, and work
shops: classical seminary for young
ladies' and young gentlemen; district
school-house; music teacher, squire,
a LAWYER. a doctor and two preachers; Q