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    Watertown, Wisconsin:: 1836-1936
    Watertown, Wisconsin:: 1836-1936
    Watertown, Wisconsin:: 1836-1936
    Ebook166 pages45 minutes

    Watertown, Wisconsin:: 1836-1936

    By W.F. Jannke III

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    About this ebook

    Watertown, Wisconsin, nestled in the southeastern part of the state between the largest city, Milwaukee, and the state capital, Madison, was once considered the second largest city in Wisconsin. Founded in 1836 by Yankee settlers from the East coast, these individuals were soon joined by Irish and German immigrants who contributed to Watertown's unique cultural and ethnic make-up. The town was granted a village charter by 1849 and became a city in 1853. Watertown, Wisconsin: 1836-1936, explores this exciting era of growth and expansion in the city's first one hundred years. From the arrival of the stage line in 1844 to the new ideas and inventions presented in the twentieth century, the reader is able to gain insight into the development of this wonderful community. However, amidst all of this change, there is one thing that has remained constant--the people. Within the pages of this book, the lives of the residents of Watertown are represented through the images and the text, thus bringing to life the rich history of this community.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439627938
    Watertown, Wisconsin:: 1836-1936
    Author

    W.F. Jannke III

    W.F. Jannke III was born and raised in Watertown. His ancestors came to the city in the 1840s, one founding the first lager brewery in the city. Jannke attended Watertown public school and graduated from Watertown Senior High School in 1979. In 1985, he graduated with an associate's degree in commercial art from Madison Area Technical College. In 1983, he began an association with the Watertown Historical Society and has served as the president of that group for several years. He is also a founding member of the Dodge-Jefferson Counties Genealogical Society, Inc., and has served as its president in the past. In his spare time he enjoys reading, writing, collecting vintage Watertown memorabilia and acting. In 1988, he founded the Watertown Players, the city's local theatrical group. He is the author of nine previous books on the history of Watertown and Jefferson County. He is also in great demand as a lecturer on Watertown history and currently teaches a class on the history of the city as well.

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      Book preview

      Watertown, Wisconsin: - W.F. Jannke III

      capitol.

      INTRODUCTION

      I have longed to tell the story of Watertown, Wisconsin, for quite some time. I love this place and its history, but it is a difficult thing to attempt to condense the history of a place you live in and love to a mere 128 pages. The text could go on and on, but that is not the scope of this work. Therefore, I decided to try to tell the story through pictures. Unfortunately, a whole slew of questions then arose—what to include, what to leave out, what are the locations of these views, etc. So I decided to simplify things by narrowing my focus to the period between 1836 and 1936, the city’s first one hundred years.

      Why this period? This was an exciting era, a time of growth and expansion. Businesses, many no longer represented in Watertown, began and flourished during this time period. Hundreds of people from all parts of the globe traveled here and left their unique marks on the city. So many people migrated here that by 1855, Watertown had over 8,500 residents and was considered the second largest city in Wisconsin. Now the astute reader will soon discover that there are no images from 1836 in this book. In fact, there are no images included from the time period before 1854, because photography was not invented until 1839. While there were photographers plying their trade in Watertown as early as 1847, no pictures from this period are know to survive.

      Some things have been omitted, partly due to space limitations, but mostly due to a lack of photos or other pictorial representation. Undoubtedly, once this work is published many of these previously unknown images will come to light. If any readers have any photos of Watertown pertaining to anything that was not covered in this volume, please contact me. My address can be found at the back of the book. If there are enough new images, perhaps a second volume could be produced.

      Watertown was founded in 1836 by Yankee settlers, who were closely followed by Irish and German immigrants, and then Bohemian and Welsh immigrants. All of these settlers contributed to Watertown’s unique character. In 1839, the name of the town was changed from Johnson’s Rapids to Watertown, Wisconsin, named for Watertown, New York, where many of our earliest Yankee settlers hailed from.

      City growth was slow but steady. By 1844, there was a stage line routed through the town, and the first newspaper made its appearance in 1847. Also in 1847, the first brickyards opened, and large brick structures (many of which still stand in the city today) soon began to replace the wooden buildings. Watertown was granted a village charter in 1849 and became a city in 1853.

      Though Watertown experienced a bit of a lull in growth and expansion in the years following the Civil War, due in part to over-extending its credit to encourage the coming of the railroad in 1855, it still continued to advance. City services such as water, electricity, and sewage were introduced in the early 1890s, and by 1900 Watertown was again on common ground with comparably-sized cities.

      The twentieth century brought a plethora of new ideas and inventions. Automobiles replaced the horse, and the trolley and train competed for daily customers. Small shops expanded into large department stores, and opera houses became movie theaters. However, throughout all of this change, one constant did remain—the people. It is important to remember that fallible individuals no different than you or I made history, not demi-gods. Therefore, while history may record only the names of those who do or have done great things, it is important to remember that we are contributing to the making of history on a daily basis whether we are aware of it or not. This book pays tribute to the many individuals who have made Watertown what it is today.

      To accurately and completely tell the story of Watertown, I would need a much larger volume. It is my hope to one day write a thorough history of the city. Until that time, however, this volume will have to suffice. I hope that you, the reader, whether a long-time resident or brand-new to the city, will come to realize just what we had and what remains in order to garner new respect for the community. My family has lived and worked here since the early 1840s, and although it may not be a perfect place to live, I cannot imagine living anywhere else.

      I humbly dedicate this book to the citizens of Watertown, Wisconsin—past, present, and future.

      W.F. Jannke III

      PROLOGUE

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