Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1915-07-29
HISTORICAL FOLK
PICNIC At LAKE
DR.. A. c. Trowbridge of
Iowa University Gives an
Interesting Address.

annals of the Sauk County Historical
society more pleasant event than the
annual summer gathering on Thursday
enjoyed at the cottage of former Mayor
and Mrs. E. G. Marriott at Devils
Lake State park. Extra tables had
been prepared and over eighty were
served with an appetizing and sub tan
tial dinner.
The address of the occasion was Civ
en- by DR.. A. C. Trowbridge of Iowa uni
versity on the spacious porch of Mr.. and
Mrs. III. Grotophorst. Mr.. Trowbridge
has been coming to this region with
classes in geology nearly every year
since 1905 and perhaps no one has read
the rocks and other features of the
surface in the Baraboo Valley more
intently and with a better under
standing than this geologist. He took
for his subject Geographic Influence
on Sauk County History" The speak
er said he knew but little of the recent
history of the county, did not know
when it became county, who the of
ficers were or other events recorded
since the first settlements in territorial
times. He had gone back to the be-
ginning and had read in the rocks what
had transpired ages ago.
The speaker spoke of the soil, topo-
graphy; rocks and climate, and what
these have to do for the life of those
now residing here. The rocks to be
seen about the lake are marine depos
it, large sea covering this section of
Wisconsin at that time The sand was
brought down by rivers and layed in
horizontal layers which were after
wards titled, the north range to 80 de- /
grees and the south range to 30degrees. |
The surface of the country became
very rough, the mountains here reach !
ing height of about 1900 feet, as |
high as the Himalayas in Asia. Then |
the surface was worn down and filled |
in until it again became flat, then
was cut out by the streams again
and at last visited by the gla-
ciers He spoke of the drift at
the lake being $50 feet deep which
means than when the Wisconsin river !
flowed through the gorge the bottom
was $50 feet lower
All this had had a great influence on
the life of the people now residing in |
Sauk county. He knew of no county |
where the price of land varied so much as |
here, all the way from possibly so cents
an acre to 5000 an acre. Here were
found clay lines tone, sandstone, glacial |
and glacial outwash soils. Some are pro-
ducing such magnificent crops as find no !
comparison anywhere. especially clover
and small grains. Other soils were of no |
such value. He also referred to the rich
deposits of iron and sand, claiming the |
value of the latter to be greater than |
the former, for the day of building !
stone has gone and cement has come |
to stay.
The varied soils and temperate eli |
mate combine to make this prosperous
region. Were it not for the work by |
nature in ancient times, the rich land |
would not be here and different class |
of people would be existing under en- |
tireIy different circumstances. In this |
way the geography and geology of a |
community influences the local history |
The address was dotted with num- |
Der of amusing statements and was |
greeted with applause at it's close 1t |
gave an entirely new view sstO those |
present of the influences which are |
about us.
On motion of Superintendent A. c. |
Kingsford a vote of thanks was ex-
tended the speaker, MIR. and Mrs. |
Marriott, Mr.. and Mrs. Grotophorst, |
Mrs. Frank Avery, Mrs. G. w. Brunsch-
weller and others who joined in making |
the day pleasant one.
DR.. and Mrs F. R. Winslow, Mrs. V. |
S. Pease and Mrs. R. B. Jeffries be- |
came members.
Among those from out of town who
came as members or guests of members
are the following:
Mr.. and Mrs. W. w. Warner, Madi-
son.
Mr.. and Mrs. John .Fabry, North
Freedom.
Miss Ada Bellows, Anoka, Minnesota.
Mrs. Rebeccs Clark, Evanston.
Mrs. E. E Van Horn, Evanston.
Mrs. P. O'Brien, Oak Park.
Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel Cormode, Chi
cago.
Mrs. NJ. Rudd, Reedsburg.
Miss F. Meyers. Reedsburg.
Miss Ada Cook, Beatrice, Nebraska.