The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-06-20
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: This Region Of Ours. 3
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County is like that of most other
portions of the Lake Superior
region. It was visited in the earl y
days by Jesuits, traders, trappers,
and hunters, and Our knowledge
of it is mainly derived from such in
cidental and meager records as they
have left US. In the year 1865, only
forty-fve years after the landing of
! the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth
Rock, Claude Allouez, the Jesuit
missionary, founded the first Cath
olic Mission, (the Mission of the holy
Ghost), in what is low the state of
Wisconsin, on the shores of Chequa-
megon bay. The exact location of
this mission is no longer known but
it is certain that it was on the
northwest shore of Chequamegon
Bay. and from the most reliable data
that we have been able to discover
we are led to believe that it was on
the exact spot where the city Of
Washburn now stands.
Washburn is located on the north
western shore of Chequamegon Bay,
thirteen miles from Ashland, if the
traveller goer by rail, or seven by
boat; it is $50 miles from Milwaukee,
1877 from St. Paul and 1877 from Eau
Claire. 1t has twelve miles of har
Dor frontage with a depth of water
ranging from sixteen to twenty-five
feet, and is without doubt the very
best natural harbor on the entire
chain of lakes.
Washburn is as yet what may be
termed "new town, the first set
Element having been made no longer
ago than in 1883, when the Chicago
ST. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha
railway company extended its North
ern Division from ST. Paul to Bay
field. The road was built to this
point in May of that year and the
foundation laid for what is now con-
coded to be the most thriving city
of it's years in the entire lake region.
1t has four large saw mills cutting
an average of six hundred thousand
feet of lumber daily and giving en-
ployment to perhaps a thousand
men the year round; it has one mag
nificient grain elevator with cap
acity of 900, 900 bushels, and is the
trans-shipping point of the North
Western Fuel Company, and has not
less than two hundred business
houses all doing, prosperous and
growing business.
Washburn has: The finest climate
in the United States.
The finest land locked harbor in
the world.
An excellent drainage and sewer
age system.
A complete electric light system.
Two weekly newspapers.
Two lines of railroad and two log
ging railways.
Water works, reservoir and direct
pressure systems.
The finest and best residence sites.
Good schools and churches with
fine buildings.
The best advantages for manu-
featuring.
Seven thousand live, energetic
people.
Two state banks.
Washburn wants: More factories
of all kinds
More capital in all classes of man
ufacturing.
More factories for making up Of
birch and hard wood products
A tannery and similar enterprises.
More railroads to open up the
western marnet direct.
Another industry for which Wash
burn is already famous is its brown
stone. 1t has three of the largest
quarries in the northwest, -Babcock
& Smith, Hartly Bros, and Prentice
Brownstone quarries, each operating
extensive quarries. The natural
resources OF these quarries are
practically exhaustless and an army
of men working night and day for
centuries would still find limitless
beds of this valuable stone untouch-
ed.
The section Of country surround
ing Wasnburn and directly contig
uous is especially adapted to the
wants of the home-seeker. Its soil
is wonderful and productive, It's