The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-08-05
EDUCATIONAL.
HISTORY OF MANITOWOC COUNTY
BY JOHN NAGEL.

culties to be encountered in preparing
the history of county of which so little
is a matter of record. Facts CLEANED
from personal recollections are general
ly fragmentaIy in character and unsat
isfactory to the compiler, bearing the
marks which lapse of time never fails to
impress and uncertainties which accomp.
any observation when not directed by
definite purpose. Though the pioneer
finds delight in recurring to events be-
longing to the earlier days of the county
when Civilization invaded the domain
of Nature, his "reminiscences are more
usually suited to a narrative embracing
curious anecdotes than to be part of
the authentic record of brief historic
facts. Besides memory is not exempt
from the mutations of time Age works
confusion of ideas and mass of things
is remembered, but nothing distinctly
Many of the early settlers have passed
from scenes in which they We're promin
ent actors Those that are left to con-
trast the progressive present with the
laborious past in which is bound their
life work suffer from infirmities which
make the present painful and the past
obscure. The primitive days of coun-
tvs history are usually most prolific in
those events around which interest clus-
ters, and it is much to be regretted that
the history Of the early period of this
county was not written when reliable
data could be more easily obtained. An
exhaustive search of the printed recol
lections of the first settlers of Wiscon
sin, results in disappointment when
prosecuted in the hope of finding refer
ence made to Manitowoc. Attention is
usually localized on Green Bay and
Prairie du Chen, the two Oldest places
in the state, and as travel between these
places followed the course of the Fox
and of the Wisconsin, explorers and
travellers rarely had occasion to direct
their steps toward Manitowoc. Com
munication between Chicago and Green
Bay was principally by water, though
the trip on n few occasions was over
land. But those voyageurs were more
interested in reaching their destination
than in exploring the country through
which their route led them, and in nc
counts of their journeys we find but an
occasional casual allusion to Manito.
voc, Explorations were generally con.
fined to the country drained by the large
rivers which afforded facilities for the
transportation of lumber, shingles, furs,
etc, dealings in which, constituted the
principal business of all who penetrated
the wilderness in search of wealth or of
homes. From this fact we find that
many places in the interior of the state,
have a history dating farther back than
Manitowoc which offered inducements
principally to persons of agricultural
pursuits Even in this county the first
settlers were attracted by the pine for,
ests which extended along the lake shore,
and the manufacture of lumber and
shingles was the principal industry for u
number of years.
The name "Manitowoc" is IN Indian
word and considerable diversity Of opin.
ion prevails as to its significance, auth
critics differing in its Interpretation
when they do not agree in ascribing it's
origin to the same tribe 1t is various
ly translated as The place of the Mani
tou, THE habitation of the Good Spir.
it, and The Devils Den All agree,
however, that the name resulted from Il
tradition current among the Indians,
that nondescript being was at various
times seen at the mouth of the river
The territory comprised by the county
of Manitowoc seems to have been occu.
pied at various times by different tribes
OF Indians The earliest authentic nc.
count is a report of John de St Comes
to the government Of Canada, in which
he speaks of the west shore of Lake
Michigan being inhabited by Mascon
tens. AS those are never mentioned ia
subsequent reports, it is probable that
their occupation was but temporary
Menomonees, Ottawas, Chippewas Win
nebagoes and Pottawattamies occupied
the country, sometimes in common.
The Pottawattames always maintained
sort of indefinite claim to the entire
western shore of Lake Michigan until it
was extingulshed by the treaty in Chi.
cago in the year 1888. The Menomonees,
however, were the generally acknow-
lodged owners of the territory and in a
treaty made at Green Bay, Washing
tom, Feb. 3, 1881, ceded to the general
government large tract of country in
Guiding the territory composing the
county of Manitowoc.
Bands of Chippewas and Menomonees
were in the county when white settlers
irst made their appearance. They were
at VII times peaceable snd did not offer
the slightest molestation to the settlers.
In different parts of the county large
corn fields, the rude agricultural efforts
Of the Indians, were found Those in
Mantowoc and on the flats of the Rap
ids were abandoned by the Indians. but
a plantation" at Cato Falls was under
cultivation in the year 1897 This seem.
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