Chequamegon Bay And Its Communities
History Column
The County Journal
Lars Larson, PhD
Emeriti Faculty
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Between 2009-2012, Lars Larson wrote a history column in The County Journal that presented the history of Chequamegon Bay and its communities as a series of articles on key historical topics. Access each article by clicking its title in the list below. Articles are ordered by date of publication. If you do not want to click the individual links you can also download all articles as a single file (.pdf 150MB).
1. A History Book (Dan Satran, editor) (12/20/07)
2. The Founding Of Washburn: 1882-1884 (1/1/09)
3. Washburn History: Great Klondike Adventure (6/11/09)
4. Veterans Remembered: Civil War 1861-1865 (6/25/09)
5. Veterans Remembered: World War I 1917-1918 (7/2/09)
6. Veterans Remembered: The American Legion 1920-1930 (7/9/09)
7. Veterans Remembered: World War II 1941-1945 (7/16/09)
8. A Settlement Becomes A Community: 1885-1888 (7/23/09)
9. A Settlement Becomes A Community: Docks And Ships (7/30/09)
10. A Settlement Becomes A Community: Sawmills (8/6/09)
11. A Settlement Becomes A Community: Schools, Libraries, Churches,
Culture and Government (8/13/09)
12. The Great Boom: Growth Of The Wooden City (8/20/09)
13. The Great Boom: Modernizing The Village (8/27/09)
14. How Washburn Stole The County Seat From Bayfield—1 (9/3/09)
15. How Washburn Stole The County Seat From Bayfield—2 (9/10/09)
16. The Great Boom: Washburn Ablaze (9/17/09)
17. The Great Boom: Brownstone And The Obelisk—1 (9/24/09)
18. The Great Brownstone Obelisk—2 (10/1/09)
19. The Great Boom: Railroad Mania—1 (10/8/09)
20. The Great Boom: Railroad Mania—2 (10/15/09)
21. The Great Boom: Washburn Becomes A Real City (10/22/09)
22. The Great Boom: Washburn’s Famous Crook (10/29/09)
23. The Great Boom: DuPont Arrives (11/5/09)
24. Wide-Open Washburn (11/12/09)
25. The Great Boom: Washburn Ablaze, The Sawmill Fires (11/19/09)
26. The Great Boom: The Port Of Washburn (11/26/09)
27. The Great Boom: Ethnic Washburn (12/3/09)
28. The Great Boom: Washburn, City Of Churches (12/10/09)
29. The Post-Boom Years 1900-1914—1 (12/17/09)
30. The Post-Boom Years 1900-1914—2 (12/24/09)
31. Farming The Cutover—1 (12/31/09)
32. Farming The Cutover—2 (1/14/10)
33. Visitations Of Disease And Death (1/21/10)
34. The Great War Boom: Prosperity Returns (1/28/10)
35. The Great War Boom: Housing People (2/4/10)
36. The Automobile Arrives In Washburn (2/11/10)
37. Washburn’s Grand Opera Hall (2/18/10)
38. Movies Come To Washburn (2/25/10)
39. Washburn In The Great War—I (3/4/10)
40. Washburn In The Great War—II (3/11/10)
41. Washburn In The Great War—III (3/18/10)
42. Washburn In The Great War—IV (3/25/10)
43. Washburn In The Great War—V (4/1/10)
44. Washburn In The Great War—VI (4/8/10)
45. Washburn In The Great War—VII (4/15/10)
46. Washburn In The Great War—Peace At Last (4/29/10)
47. Visitations Of Death And Disease (5/6/10)
48. Washburn During The Roaring Twenties—1 (5/13/10)
49. Washburn During The Roaring Twenties—2 (5/20/10)
50. Washburn During The Roaring Twenties—3 (5/27/10)
51. Washburn During The Roaring Twenties—4 (6/3/10)
52. Visions Of A Great Lakes To Ocean Waterway (6/10/10)
53. Visions Of Apostle Island Park And Airport (6/17/10)
54. Auto Campers At Memorial Park (6/24/10)
55. Log Rolling At Brownstone Bowl (7/1/10)
56. Summer A Time For Washburn Celebrations—1 (7/8/10)
57. Washburn Summer Celebration—2 (7/15/10)
58. Washburn’s Automobile Culture (7/22/10)
59. Washburn During The 20s: Farming The Cutover (7/29/10)
60. Prohibition: Moral Reform Gone Awry (8/5/10)
61. Beautifying The City Of Washburn (8/12/10)
62. Washburn’s Naval Militia (8/19/10)
63. The Carnegie Library, A Literary Cornerstone (8/26/10)
64. The People’s Government—1 (9/2/10)
65. The People’s Government—2 (9/9/10)
66. Washburn During The Roaring 20s: Entertainment (9/16/10)
67. The Telephone Comes To Washburn (9/23/10)
68. 1929 The End Of The Roaring Twenties (9/30/10)
69. Washburn In The Great Depression—1 (10/7/10)
70. Who Was Who In Washburn: The Founders—1 (10/14/10)
71. Who Was Who In Washburn: The Founders—2 (10/21/10)
72. Washburn In The Great Depression—2 (10/28/10)
73. The Great Depression Arrives—3 (11/4/10)
74. Washburn In The Great Depression—4 (11/11/10)
75. Washburn In The Great Depression—5 (11/18/10)
76. Washburn In The Great Depression: Civilian Conservation Corps—6 (11/25/10)
77. Washburn In The Great Depression: Farming The Cutover—7 (12/2/10)
78. Washburn In The Great Depression: Farming The Cutover—8 (12/9/10)
79. Washburn In The Great Depression: Farming To Forestry—9 (12/16/10)
80. Who Was Who In Washburn: Pioneer Businessmen (12/23/10)
81. Who Was Who In Washburn: Pioneer Businesses That Continue Today (12/30/10)
82. Washburn During The Great Depression: Celebrations—10 (1/6/11)
83. Washburn During The Great Depression: Mount Valhalla (1/13/11)
84. Washburn During The Great Depression: Entertainment (1/20/11)
85. Washburn During The Great Depression: The Economic Base—1 (1/27/11)
86. Washburn During The Great Depression The Economic Base—2 (2/3/11)
87. Washburn During The Great Depression: The DuPont Barksdale Works (2/10/11)
88. Washburn During The Great Depression: Highways And Vehicles (2/17/11)
89. Educating Washburn’s Children—1 (2/24/11)
90. Educating Washburn’s Children—2 (3/3/11)
91. Who Was Who In Washburn: Two Family Businesses (3/10/11)
92. Who Was Who In Washburn: Civic Officials—1 (3/17/11)
93. Educating Washburn’s Children—3 (3/24/11)
94. Washburn During The Great Depression: The Churches (3/31/11)
95. Educating Washburn’s Children—4 (4/7/11)
96. Who Was Who In Washburn: Civic Officials—2 (4/14/11)
97. Educating Washburn’s Children—5 (4/21/11)
98. The Fire Monster Sows Destruction: The City (4/28/11)
99. Who Was Who In Washburn: Mill Owners And Managers—1 (5/5/11)
100. Who Was Who In Washburn: Mill Owners And Managers—2 (5/12/11)
101. The Fire Monster Sows Destruction: The Forests (5/19/11)
102. Washburn During The Great Depression: Health And Morals (5/26/11)
103. Washburn During The Great Depression: Clubs, Troops, Legionnaires (6/2/11)
104. Washburn During The Great Depression: Resurrection (6/9/11)
105a. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: The Slide Toward War
105. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Prelude To War (6/16/11)
106. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Preparedness (6/23/11)
107. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Day Of Infamy (6/30/11)
108. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—1 (7/7/11)
109. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Mobilization (7/14/11)
110. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—2 (7/21/11)
111. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—3 (7/28/11)
112. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: The Home Front—1 (8/4/11)
113. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: The Home Front—2 (8/11/11)
114. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: The Home Front—3 (8/18/11)
115. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—4 (8/2511)
116. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: The Home Front—4 (9/1/11)
117. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—5 (9/8/11)
118. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—6 (9/15/11)
118a. Red Cross (unpublished)
119. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: The Home Front—5 (9/22/11)
120. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—7 (9/29/11)
121. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Government (10/6/11)
122. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—9 (10/13/11)
123. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Improvements (10/20/11)
124. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: The Airport (10/27/11)
125. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Education—1 (11/3/11)
126. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Education—2 (11/10/11)
127. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—11 (11/17/11)
128. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—12 (11/24/11)
129. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—13 (12/1/11)
130a. Who Was Who In Washburn: Ministers and Missionaries—1 (12/8/11)
130b. Who Was Who In Washburn: Ministers and Missionaries—2 (12/8/11)
131. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—14 (12/15/11)
132. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—15 (12/22/11)
133. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: The Coal Dock (12/29/11)
134. Mother Nature’s Fury: Winds And Floods Bring Destruction (1/5/12)
135. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—16 (1/12/12)
136. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Agriculture (1/19/12)
137. A Window On The Past: Washburn’s Historic Buildings—1 (1/26/12)
138. A Window On The Past: Washburn’s Historic Buildings—2 (2/2/12)
139. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—17 (2/9/12)
140. Washburn Community Affairs: Mt. Valhalla Winter Sports Center (2/16/12)
141. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—18 (2/23/12)
142. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Reconstruction (3/1/12)
143. A Window On The Past: Washburn’s Historic Buildings—3 (3/8/12)
144. (skipped)
145. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Disease And Hospitals (3/22/12)
146. Who Was Who In Washburn—1 (3/29/12)
147. A Window On The Past: Washburn’s Historic Buildings—5 (4/5/12)
148. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Crime And Saloons (4/12/12)
149. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Entertainment (4/19/12)
150. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—18 (4/26/12)
151. Who Was Who In Washburn—2 (5/3/12)
152. Washburn During The War Years 1939-1945: Boys At War—19 (5/10/12)
153. Who Was Who In Washburn—3 (5/17/12)
154. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: The War Ends (5/24/12)
155. Washburn During The Post War Years: The Dream Dies (5/31/12)
156. Chequamegon Bay And La Pointe (6/7/12)
157. Washburn Community Affairs 1940-1948: Highways And Autos (6/14/12)
158. Geography Of Chequamegon Bay—1 (6/21/12)
159. Who Was Who In Washburn—4 (6/28/12)
160. Washburn’s Early Economy: Shipping And Quarrying (7/5/12)
161. Geography Of Chequamegon Bay: Historic Names And Locations—2 (7/12/12)
162. The Founding Of Ashland—1 (7/19/12)
163. The Founding Of Ashland—2 (7/26/12)
164. The Founding Of Ashland—3 (8/2/12)
165. The Founding Of Ashland—4 (8/9/12)
166. The Founding Of Ashland—5 (8/16/12)
167. Ashland: The Great Iron City (8/23/12)
168. Ashland: Progress And Prosperity 1880-1883—1 (8/30/12)
169. Ashland: Progress And Prosperity 1880-1883—2 (9/6/12)
170. Ashland: Progress And Prosperity 1880-1883—3 (9/13/12)
171. Geography Of Chequamegon Bay—3 (9/20/12)
172. Boats On The Bay—1 (9/27/12)
173. Boats On The Bay—2 (10/4/12)
174. The Founding Of Bayfield—1 (10/11/12)
175. The Founding Of Bayfield—2 (10/18/12)
176. The Founding Of Bayfield—3 (10/25/12)
177. Bayfield: Progress And Prosperity—1 (11/1/12)
178. Bayfield: Progress And Prosperity—2 (11/8/12)
179. Bayfield: Progress And Prosperity—3 (11/15/12)
180. Bayfield: Progress And Prosperity—4 (11/21/12)
181. The Iron Horse Arrives At The Bay—1 (11/29/12)
182. The Iron Horse Arrives At The Bay—2 (12/6/12)
183. The Bayfield Rifles Began To Fire When Name Changed (12/13/12)
184. Old Brass Cannon, The Historic Relic, Wound Up As Scrap (12/20/12)
185. Chequamegon Bay Played A Role In State’s Fur Trading (12/27/12)
186. Early Settlers, The McClellan Mill, And A Horrible Train Wreck (1/3/13)
187. The Indian Historical Pageant Of ‘20s Had Short Run (1/10/13)
188. Among Editors In Washburn, Here’s A Look At Who Was Who (1/17/13)
189. Early Maps Show Geography Of Chequamegon Bay Area (1/24/13)
190. Chequamegon Bay Discovered By Expeditions From Europe (1/31/13)
191. Native Americans Have 10,000 Years Of History In Our Bay Area (2/7/13)
192. Chippewas Were Confined To Land Over Which They Once Had Ruled (2/14/13)
193. An Inside Look At Early Missions And Churches In The Bay Area (2/21/13)
194. Penokee History: Settlers Found “There’s Iron In Them Thar Hills” (2/28/13)
195. Iron Ore Reports From Penokees Lured Ellis, Beaser, Others To Area (3/7/13)
196. In 1874, Ashland’s Hopes To Be Western Great Iron City Were Dashed (3/14/13)
197. Prospects Of Iron In Penokee Range Drew A Crowd Like A Candle Flame (3/21/13)
198. Horse Power, Electricity Kept Ashland’s Street Cars Running (3/28/13)
199. Monuments, Memorials Dot Chequamegon Bay Region (4/4/13)
200. Huge Furnace, Kilns Made Ashland A Great Iron City (4/11/13)
201. Great Lakes To Atlantic Canals Faded At End Of An Era (4/18/13)
202. The Early Years Of Washburn Marked By Buzz Of Sawmills (4/25/13)
203. Back In The Day, Washburn’s Sawmills Could Really Cut It (5/2/13)
204. The Boom Bust Of Population In Chequamegon Bay Area (5/9/13)
205. For About 100 Years It Was Boom Time At Barksdale Works (5/16/13)
206. Postwar Years At Barksdale Works Saw A Couple Of Large Explosions (5/23/13)
207. End Of An Era For The DuPont Barksdale Works (5/30/13)
208. Shanagolden: Ghost Town Of The Cutover (6/6/13)
For more information contact Lars Larson.