Books

By James E. Schultz.     More than a history about Schultz's great grandparents, this book features:

• threads of our German heritage, including food, wine and beer, language, religion, music, dance, and customs woven into the family history and indexed;

• sections devoted to “Why they came”, “Today’s German Attitudes”, and “People and Places”;

• a “Special Find” for each of the eight featured ancestors, a genealogical gem that I uncovered;

• a wide variety of church, government, military, personal, and other resources, with a list of 40 resources cataloged as an appendix; and,

• a section called “Challenges, Tips, and Surprises” that provides helpful pointers for finding information.

A Time for Reflection 1892-1992 This booklet was prepared for a centennial celebration of the arrival of the first Volga Germans in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. That small group of seven, unsure of their destination or what they would do when they arrived, was followed by many other relatives and friends. Today, thousands of people who live in Sheboygan - or who lived there at one time - are descendants of German Russian immigrants. “A Time for Reflection” is our anniversary theme, for now is an appropriate time to reflect on our ancestors’ lives and to count the many blessings we have received as a result of their courage and sacrifice. With a new government in power, many Russian people of German descent will be searching for relatives and acquaintances in the West. Many Americans, too, want to be reunited with lost kin. We want to be ready to help each other. The history, chronology, and maps in this booklet represent only a small part of our unique heritage. Here is a brief look at the Volga Deitsch, how they got to Russia and why they came to America, and then to Sheboygan. It is a tale of more than 200 years of travel, hardship and joy endured by our ancestors. Older generations might recall the good times as well as the not-so-good when they read about old customs and practices. Younger people may learn a history they did not know existed. This 2016 update adds extra photos and more history.

By Mary E. Meyer

This book is a concise history of the port of Sheboygan, complete with photos of the harbor and the ships that plied its waters.  Histories of harbor industries included.

Out of Stock

By Peter Laun and the Elkhart Lake Historic Race Circuits Preservation Society.

After WWII, open road racing gained popularity all over the United States due to the influx of European sports cars purchased by American veterans who had experienced the thrill of road racing overseas. The driving force behind the growth of the sport in America and the main organizer of these races was The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). A Midwest course was deemed necessary for racers, and Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin was chosen as the site. In 1949 the Milwaukee chapter of the SCCA and the Chamber of Commerce of the Village of Elkhart Lake planned the first road race at Elkhart Lake, scheduled for July of 1950. These open road races lasted from 1950-1952, when they were deemed too dangerous for spectators and drivers.

Sheboygan, Wisconsin, known for years as "Chair City" has been home to such companies as Phoenix Chair, Northern Furniture Company, Mattoon, Crocker Chair, Bemis-Riddell, Thonet, R-Way and more.  This book traces the history of furniture making in Sheboygan County from the mid-1800s to present day companies.

By Bernard Michaels

The poignant story of immigration and settlement of the Irish in Sheboygan County, this book gives an account of the Byron-Lima Settlement, a span of some thirty miles in which over 600 Irish families settled.  The community's irregular borders ran from Kennedy's Corners in Lima to the frame church of Byron's St. John.  The town of Mitchell, Sheboygan County is at the heart of this story.

By Elmer Koppelmann The village of Howards Grove began as two separate villages, Howards Grove and Millersville. Not until 1967 did the two unite into one incorporated village. The first European settlers to settle in the town of Herman (originally named Howard) were the "Lippers"- a group of 13 families and seven orphaned young people from Lippe-Detmold, Germany. The year was 1846, and the group's leader was Friedrich Reineking. They settled on the land that is now Lakeland College. This volume brings the history of the area back to life, and documents the families and businesses that, today, make up Howards Grove.

Across time, cemeteries have acted as places of burial and remembrance, but they also provide vivid records of community history. Whether large or small, well maintained or neglected, historic cemeteries are an important part of our cultural landscape. The vast richness of expression through form, decoration and materials inform our understanding of the individuals buried in historic cemeteries and their cultural significance. The very stones that mark the graves form a museum of their own.

A church’s stained glass windows, to some degree, play much the same role to a community. They tell the story of some element important to the life of parishioners. They uplift, beautify and instruct.

This volume will introduce readers to some of the most interesting and beautiful stained glass windows and cemetery monuments in the county. We’ll discuss the background and history of each form of expression and much more. Consider this a primer to Sheboygan County’s treasures.

The cheese industry has been very important to Sheboygan County, Wisconsin since the 1870s. This is a history of the industry in the county. It is divided by townships and lists some 210 different factories that existed over time.  It deals with cheese making in the home, the development of cheese factories, factories and their locations, cheese makers, the cheese making season, tools and equipment, the growth of the industry, cheese exchanges, types of cheese and much more

By Gustave Buchen

Considered the quintessential book on Sheboygan County history, this volume by Gustave Buchen, was written in 1944, when many of the original settlers were still alive. The information is well documented and tells the story of Sheboygan County's first years. The book includes an index, maps of early Sheboygan County and drawings. 2015 Reprint.

By Robert Spatt. The City of Sheboygan has many interesting and important "Firsts". This book documents many of those items. There is bound to be a chapter for every interest and although residents of Sheboygan will know many of these firsts, there are a lot of surprises. Some of the firsts are obscure such as the first bratwurst stand, the first department store, the first female principal of a school, the first baby born in Sheboygan; Others, such as the city founder, Farnsworth, and many of the sporting events, maybe remembered by many. The final chapter is entitled “Et Cetera.” Here are little known firsts that don’t fit into any category – Peter Dinkel and his canaries, Clemens Reiss the first to cross the city’s new Eighth Street Bridge in 1923, the street sprinkler who sprayed water on the dusty dirt streets and other obscure first facts. A book to pick up and read a chapter at a time then casually sprinkle conversations with a “did you know that….”

Rebuilding a Railroad in the 21st Century: Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, documents the rebuilding of an 11-mile rail line in Sheboygan County, after being dormant for nearly 30 years.  This was more than just a fix-it-up job, but the replacement of the entire line from the ground up with new track built to modern standards to handle heavy loads.  It also required one trestle to be completely replaced and others reinforced.  Adding to the generous amount of photos, there are “before” and “after” photos taken at dozens of locations, and it won’t seem possible that these photos were taken at the same location. Also included is the history of this line from the pre-civil war era to current times.  Old rail dating back over 150 years was found and included is the story that these old rails tell.

This collection of stories, images, ads, news articles and factoids  is designed to give you an introductory look at the local history of the 1920s and 1930s in Sheboygan County. It deals with vice- Prohibition, prostitution, gambling, raids on stills and crime over two decades.  It is by no means comprehensive and much of what has been collected is story. This is meant to be fun and informative  --  a great conversation starter.