Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-09-04
A DAY AT KNOWLTON
AND VICINITY
Wonderful and Substantial Growth In
That Part of Marathon County.


A. h Grout and G. D. Jones spent
Labor day with Charles e. Guenther
of Knowlton. 1t was also the great
pleasure of the Pilot editor to enjoy
Mr.. and Mrs. Guenther's hospitality
at this time. Mr.. Guenther drove his
car up in the morning after the Wau-
sau crowd, and to those who had not
been over the old Stevens Point road
for some years, it was a surprise to
see so many fine, fourishing farms
and handsome buildings along the
route between Mosinee and Knowlton.
They had sprung up, seemingly, as II
by magic and the abundance of crops
spoke louder than words, of the fer
tility of the soil. When we were told
of the wonderful display of farm pro-
duce made by the farmers of Knowl-
ton at the recent county fair, and saw
the towns specially arranged booth
of grains, it's fruits, it's produce and
100 per cent potatoes, we could only
think of the old road between Wall
sau and Stevens Point, as it was long
ago, with scarcely a farm to be seen
and thought it must forever prove
just barren waste of cut over lands
The transformation has come within
the past few years, mostly through
the persistent efforts of Mr.. Guenther.
He knew of the great fertility of the
soil and had the utmost faith that the
land would be eventually taken up and
made t0 bring forth crops in abund-
ance His faith was well founded in
life and experience of over sixty years
lived in the town of Knowlton, where
he was born. He is the son of the late
Leonard Guenther and Rosalia Starks,
who were among the pioneer settlers
of Knowlton They built the ''Knowl-
ton House" in 1S4S, on the banks OF
the Wisconsin river, on as picturesque
a spot as can be found in the valley.
1t was the half way stopping place be-
tween Wausau and Stevens Point and
from the outset became one of the
most popular hotels in the north, dur
ing the early days when the stage, the
lumber wagon and the canoe were the
only means of travel and transporta
ton and at a time when the chief
business of the pinery was numbering
and not much thought or time given
to agricultural pursuits, or to the ag-
ricultural possibilities. One could not
help but let his mind revert to the
past, while riding through this sec
ton of Marathon county, of the days
when Leonard Guenther and his sons,
Charles, Anthony, Thomas and Leon
ard, Jr.. Thomas Starks and sons, An
thony, Wells and Alois; j. X. Brands,
Andrew Warren; the Weeds, Redfields,
Wallaces and others, cut away forests. \
cleared up the lands, built houses,
churches and school houses and paved
the way for coming generations. The
older generation has passed away, but
the sons and their sons continue the
good work
Chas. Guenther has large holdings
up the river at Knowlton station on
the c., M. e st. Paul r. R., about
mile from the old hotel, which still
stands as a monument of the past. He
has a general store, large lumber in
terests, his large residence, ware
houses and grazing grounds for his
cattle and stock which extends long
distance down the river and is place
of beauty hard to excel in the county
and about a half mile northwest OF his
home he has a farm of 200 acres, in
which he takes great pride and it goes
without saying that it is numbered with
the best farms in the county. 1t was
the pleasure of the Wausauites, to in
spect the farm before the dinnerhour,
and the excellence of its, crops was
even a surprise to such an experienced
farmer as G. D. Jones. a Section of
seven acres is growing navy beans, and
on others are many varieties OF choice
potatoes, corn, buckwheat, grains, etc,
all producing an enormous yield, and
besides he has very promising or
chard. The farm has a gentle slope
to the Wisconsin river which makes
it very attractive and it is nearly all
under the pillow and without stump or
stone. Adjacent to the road and the
nearest spot to his home, Mr.. Guen-
ther has planted few acres and terms
it his garden patch" This he has
cultivated and cared for himself and
the beets, onions, squash, citron, car
rots, cucumbers, sweet corn, string
beans, strawberries (Which are now
bearing fruit, and cabbage, growing
there would delight anyone to see. In
one patch of cabbagesi there were
500 heads, each fit to be up as prize
winner in a county fair.
After a sumptuous corn dinner,
served at the Guenther home, Mr..
Guenther took the Wausauites on an
auto trip through some of the farm
ing and hardwood districts east Of the
Wisconsin river and one half section
of original hardwood timber, especially
is worth going a long distance to see!
The trip was then continued west of
the river showing that Knowlton is
one of the great agricultural assets
of Marathon county and bound to
make rapid strides from now on. The
trip included Dancy, and west through
the drainage district, and north
through the wonderful farming dis
tricts adjacent to Mosinee and Mara
thon city 1t was day thoroughly
enjoyed by all, made possible by the
generous hospitality of Mr.. and Mrs.
Guenther.
We would advise all who desire to
see a beautiful part of our county, to
take few hours off for ride through
this fertile and fast growing section.
A list of those who have opened up
new farms in the town of Knowlton,
who have now hundreds of acres free