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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. -
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. -
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By Earl and Charmaine Kneevers During the late 19th and early 20th century, there was a relatively strong Socialist movement in the United States. Sheboygan, Wisconsin was one of those cities that had an active Socialist Party. The movement believed in public ownership and democratic management of the basic means of production and distribution. It had strong ties to the organized labor movement of the time. A strong leader of the Sheboygan movement was Fred Kneevers, whose history as a struggling worker with a family to support and with Socialist beliefs, brought him into the hotel and restaurant business to support his family when known Socialists were not welcomed in privately run businesses. The Kneevers' Hotel was a successful meeting place of the Socialists. -
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This book takes us back through the history of education in the northwest corner of Sheboygan County. Starting both sections with a history of the named township, this team of writers takes us from the early settling of the area to the recent consolidations. Each school is looked at in detail and the many pictures of facilities, classes and notable events take the reader on an enjoyable journey through the past. Also included are a comprehensive index, 1889 plat map, master plan for education in Sheboygan County and biographies of Ray B. Lightfoot, Violet R. Littlefield and Doris G. Phipps. Schools covered: Russell, Taft, Garfield, Little Elkhart Lake, Joliet, Elkhart Lake, Harrison, Dewey, Lime Ridge, Rhine Center and Victory. Originally published in 1997, this reprint contains updates and improved imaging. -
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. -
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By Bill Wangemann.
This is a collection of Sheboygan City Historian, Bill Wangemann’s 2005 and 2006 Sheboygan Press articles. Topics include Memories of Railroads, Electric Rail or the Interurbans, maritime stories- The Burning of the Niagara and The Mysterious Loss of the Pere Marquette 18, movies, TV and drive-in theater, Garton Toy and its fire, the stumpff fiddle and so much more.
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By Bill Wangemann Sheboygan deserves its reputation as a conservative city, quiet and law abiding. But here are some stories from the past that have been swept under the rug or lost overboard. Venture into the mists of the Lake Michigan Triangle that have swallowed boats, planes and entire tribes. Investigate speakeasy shootings, safes burgled by a flyswatter, poisoned Christmas candy and the hoax that had militiamen firing on their own cattle. Or just sit down with some bizarre anecdotes about a hometown you though you knew, from the town’s first baseball game to the man freed from jail by a jug of whiskey to the deputy sheriff who had to enforce Nicholas Hoffman’s first bath in fifty years. -
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By Edwin L. Fisher Because of the prominence and close connection by virtue of the Sheboygan County Historical Society occupation of his 1852 mansion, it was thought more should be known about Judge David Taylor and his family. As a Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice, he was one of the most important early settlers in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. As research proceeded so much interesting family-related information became available that the story expanded. -
By Mary Risseeuw
These letters, memoirs and travel journals span a hundred year period (1847-1959) and offer a fascinating view into the lives of the immigrants and their families. Some provide remarkable detail about their journey to America and their struggles to establish a new life. Others offer little beyond the basics: weather, health, crops, births and deaths. Most are grateful for the blessings of God and the fact that they are still ‘fresh and healthy’ (alive and well, in more modern terms!). The criterion for selecting the contents of this book was to present an overview of different settlements in Wisconsin and to provide a glimpse into the differences and similarities between the various immigration waves. There are vivid tales of crossing the Atlantic Ocean and personal glimpses into the Civil War, World War I and World War
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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.
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This is a reprint and update of the 1976 book done for the Bicentennial. This book was done in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Falls becoming a city. Trace the evolution of the business district and learn about the wide variety of civic groups which once kept citizens busy. See how the fire department has grown and take a peek at the folks who settled Falls -
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.
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By Laura Chase Smith This history of the township of Plymouth, the Villages of Plymouth and Quitquioc, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin was written by Mrs. H.N. Smith. This series of articles was published in the Plymouth Reporter between December 10th, 1872 and June 5th, 1873. It details the lives of Plymouth’s earliest citizens. -
Sheboygan County's iron-fisted work ethic began with its earliest residents. From the jackknife trading posts and mill wrights of the early 1800s to the spas and "Great Wall of China" of Kohler Company, the importance of commerce to Sheboygan County is evident. This wonderful pictorial history of the small family-owned business of Sheboygan County begins in the 1870s and ends with a great image of a 1950s American Classic-McDonald's Golden Arches. -
The story of the Milwaukee Northern . . . Sheboygan's interurban link to the rest of the world by Peter Fetterer. Available by about November 30, 2018. -
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By Don Lau This book documents the growth of education in the City of Sheboygan. Did you know that Sheboygan had a Day School for the Deaf, A Fresh Air School- Tuberculosis- as part of the Third Ward School and was the first home of Lakeshore Technical College? Dozens of photos. -
By Oostburg Historical Society Hundreds of photos of the village of Oostburg. Designed as a companion book to Oostburg, Haven of Hope. -
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By Pieter J. Risseeuw
A historical novel, originally published as a trilogy, of Dutch immigration of the mid-nineteenth century. This English translation is made available for the first time by permission of the original publisher and supported by Netherland-America Foundation of New York. Originally published in Dutch in 1947, the novel discusses the trials and tribulations of immigration and the establishment of the Dutch churches and colonies in Iowa and Michigan.
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Though we have nothing as dramatic as Pompeii, Mesa Verde or Petra, we, too, have lost settlements. Our lost settlements like Hoard, New Paris, Bear Lake, Gooseville and Hull’s Crossing are lost places of Sheboygan County- communities that were, for a short time, vibrant and busy, but fell into decline and disappeared except for the occasional mention on an old Sheboygan County map.We’ll take a trip back to reconnect with many of our local mysteries.Available about December 6, 2018. -
By Richard Zeitlin Between 1820 and 1910 nearly five and a half million German immigrants came to the United States. Most settled in the Midwest and many came to Wisconsin. Learn about the values and the Germans brought with them from the Old Country. -
Since 1953, August brings Bratwurst Day, a celebration of sausage and of our collective German heritage. The brat is a social food in Wisconsin where Germans first introduced it to the New World. We have brat fries on weekends like folks have BBQs in the south and Chicago has its deep dish pizza. It is part of a deep food tradition. Few things identify one’s German heritage more than making sausage. Sausage was a means of survival for our German ancestors during the winter months, as well as a way to use precious meat scraps and pay homage to their porcine good luck charm. This book documents the long and varied history of some of Sheboygan's nearly forty meat markets and sausage producers. We’ll revisit sausage-making in the county and remember the heyday of 1950s Bratwurst Days.
