The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-05-18


.he spectators in town lots will prob
ably meet with reverses ard loss, but
these, after all. are but fragment of
the population.
FIRST PUBLIC TAVERN IN
KENOSHA.
The first tavern or public house in
KenOsha was built by Samuel Resigue
in 1885 on Washington Island, few
rods north of where the government
light house now stands About this
time there began to be considerable
travel on the lake shore between Chi
eago and Milwaukee by persons on
foot and on horseback, there being no
road then for wagons and other vehicles
near the lake. Washington Island was
then in its primitive glory; beautiful
grove of small trees covered the land,
and the soil, although almost pure
sand, which had for ages been untrod-
den by travel, was covered by a thin
turf of grass, interspersed with wild
flowers. 1t was picture of elysium,
such as in NEUROLOGICAL ages would
have been dedicated to some presiding
deity. Quite unlike then was the
island from now. When the surface
of the ground began to be trodden by
horses and cattle, the delicate turf was
broken and the sand was brought to
the surface; much of the fine growth
of timber Was cut away and the rural
beauty of the island impaired.
Samuel Resigue and John Noble
were the original claimants of the
island by right of first possession.
Judge William Bullen also claimed the
island by the same right. How these
conflicting claims were adjusted has
been before described, and need not
here be repeated; suffice it to say,
Resigue and Noble were declared the
| rightful owners of the south half.
Resigue conceived the idea that tav-
ern on the island would prove profit
able investment; he therefore proceed
ed to erect building of rough logs,
twenty-five feet square, and of suffi-
Gent height to make available chamber
room. The chamber was reached by a
rude ladder; hall ran through the
middle, on either sides of which stalls
were partitioned off with cotton cloth,
each of sufficient width to allow one
person to lie down on mattrass longi-
tudinally. The lower floor was econ
omized to the best advantage for fe.
male guests. The number Of persons
which could be slowed away in this
| twenty-five feet square edifce was
truly wonderful. Resigue stocked his
| little bar in one corner with intoxicat
ing drinks, of which the chief staple
was whiskey, and, having supplied his
bar shelf with few glasses and drink
ing cups, he put cut his sign. "Wash
ington House" and opened business
From the outset of his career as tav
ern keeper he had considerable pat
ronage. Tradition does not say thai
he achieved any reputation for thu
quality of his liquors, but he did gair
a widespread notoriety for the excel
lency of his table. He was an expert
capturer of wild game, especially
ducks and prairie hens; besides he was
a good hunter, and usually had on
hand supply of venison But more
than all, his reputation was his superior
cookery; his roast duck, it is said
would tempt any sick man to eat q
hearty meal; so of all other eatables
especially meats, he was first-class. II
is stated by a writer on early times in
Southport CHI. NJ. Simmons, we be-
lieve), that a number of prominent
earlysettl ers at that date Judge Will
liam Bullen, Charles and Harvey Dur
kee, Chauncey Davis and others of like
standing, were in the practice of TAX
ing dinners at Resigue's tavern. For
a considerable time he prospered in
his vocation, but after time the cur.
rent of business changed; tie travel
on the shore or beach of the lake was
| diverted to newly CONSTRUCTED wagon
road, running nearly on the line of the
| present road from Kenosha to Chicago
In the early part of 1898, Deacon
/ Whitney's temperance tavern house
built of logs hewn outside and inside
was erected on the lot where Bain's
hardware store now stands the deacon
was popular landlord and furnished
| good board at moderate prices. About
| the sametime a frame tavern house was
built by Doolittle & Bro. on the north
side of the harbor creek; these two
taverns being more convenient of &C.
cess to the general public than the tav-
ern on the island, drew more of the
travelling custom. Resigue sold out
his tavern on the island to Mr.. Cook /;
not long after he moved to California
taking the overland route, it being be-
fore the building of any railroad over
the Rocky Mountains. He died on the
Pacific coast many years ago.
SALEM.
Corn planting is DELAYED nv too