Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-06-19
VISITS FORMER HOME.
Mrs Jas Harng, of 0ntonagon, Visits
{ to Her Former Home on the Bank
of Eagle Lake.
SETTLED HERE AZ YEARS AGO.
"A Brief Resume of Earlv Dax
History.

/ y
NO one took more than passing notice
OF an elderly lady who stepped off OF
the south bound passenger train Tues
day morning. No one suspected that
lady, Mrs. Jas. Haring, formerly Mrs.
Josh. Fox, had visited these parts near
half a century ago, and was in fact the
first white woman to penetrate the
forests Of northern Wisconsin in this
section Of the state.
In 1856 Joshua Fox and man bv the
name Of Helm located on the east shore
of Eagle lake and established a trad
ing post there, G. L. Perry, deceased.
who was at that time living on yellow
Birch was engaged to erect suitable
buildings This settlement was called
him-me-cOn, from the Indian word
Have You Found It., and was so
named from the Indian guide asking
the. question of Mr. Fox when he chose
this beautiful site for his post. It was
in this building the famous bank Of
hlm-me-cOn was located, and also
where the first presidential election
was held in the fall of 1860 when Lin
coin was elected.
Messrs. Fox & Helm commenced
logging operations here in the fall of
1856, the first cut being made on the
east shore of Catfish lake, just little
south OF the Hemlock Summer Resort.
A year or two later man by the name
of BOnduell located on the north shore
of the Lakeland as he was married man
from that time Mrs. Fox had female
company. This place was afterwards
occupied by man named Hall, and
known as Halls Place, and is thus
referred two IN the government sur
veys Of the town.
The first post Office was also in the
old Kim-me-cOn bank building and was
the second Office on the old Ontonagon
mail route. This route is still quite
distinct in many places. 1t started at
Wausau and came through by way of
Pelican-now Rhinelander. 1t follow
ed the river much of the way and pass
ed through this place just south Of the
court house, following along the lake
past Gagen hill and crossed the thor
oughfare between Eagle and Otter lakes
little south of Magee's farm. An ap-
preparation for bridge across the
thol oughfare below Scattering Rice
lake was made by Marathon county.
From here it ran north by way Of
Twin lakes and Lac Viuex Desert to
Onotonagon. Mail was carried by
means of packers in summer and dog
trains in the winter and was received
twice a week.
In 1856 Mr.. and Mrs. Fox moved to
lilac vieux DESERT where they kept a
Ihotel for several years on the old mill
Itary road which was built through here
about that time. Their house at this
this place was also built by Mr.. Perry,
and was built of whip-sawed lumber.
This house is still standing and is oc-
cupied as a part of the Thomas sum-
mer resort, we'll known to tourists.
Mr.. Fox, who was also woodsman,
disappeared here and it was generally
supposed that he had been fowlly dealt
with or had met with some accident in
the woods. Several years later Mrs.
Fox moved to Ontonagon where she
| was married to Jas. Haring.
The old mail route was utilized by
the lumbermen when they first came
ND the Wisconsin valley and was aban-
doned by the government after the COM
pletion of the military road IN 1869.
All supplies had to be brought up the
river by canoe. 1t was possible to get
through by team in the winter but this
means was always uncertain.