Transcribed and submitted to the Waupaca County Website
by Paula Vaughan

From the Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Edited by Lyman Copeland Draper, LL. D., Secretary of the Society Volume III

Being a page-for-page reprint of the Original Issue 1857

Under the Editorial Direction of Reuben Gold Thwaites, LL. D., Sec. and Superintendent

Madison, Published by the Society 1904

New London and Neighborhood By A. J. Lawson

Northport - Northport is a young, thriving and promising little village, three miles below New London by land and four by steamer of Wolf River. There has been a disposition lately manifested among its inhabitants , to call it "Boston", but the name by which it is known is unique, pleasant and appropriate, from the fact, that it is the most northerly town below the mouth of the Embarrass, from which it lies nearly due west. A warehouse for some years has stood there in its loneliness, giving it a rather desolate appearance, especially in high water. But it has been convenient for the accommodations of immigrants that have been rapidly filling up the excellent agricultural region and the pinery, lying north and west of it. This warehouse was built by an Irishman, Patrick, and most of the settlers in the vicinity have been Irish, until within a past year, with exception of a few scattering settlers of New England origin, among whom is James A. Stoddard, Esq., and others who have held claims and owned lands there for some years, and bo0rne the hardships of a new settlement. Mr. Patrick sold out a year and half ago to Mr. Seldom Burbank, who, in conjunction with Mr. Stoddard, laid out a village plat. For a year past an excellent New England immigration have settled there. It is evidently quite a desirable and feasible locations for thriving mechanical villages. The land rises on the north side of the river gradually, for half a mile, embracing a large number of mound springs of excellent waters. It is believed these springs could be combined and furnish water power sufficient to run machinery to a limited extent, and thus be rendered valuable. These springs furnish at any rate water to supply the wants of a large town. Besides the springs, there are quarry stones, of gray lime, suitable for building material. A brick yard has been laid out, and brick made almost equal to the far famed Milwaukee brick. Pine and other valuable lumber contiguos. The Stevens' Point plank road runs through the town. It is becoming a point of interest. The prospect for increase of population is flattering. It only needs capital and enterprise to make it a point of importance. There are now two stores, two taverns, a ware-house, and through the generous encouragement of the owners of the town plat, a steam sawmill, of the first class, is about to be erected by Kimball & Co. Northport lies nearly in the centre of the township of Mukwa, and is become a fixed fact. While it may attempt competition with New London, we trust it will be friendly, and that the one will not depreciate and excite prejudice against the other, but that they will co-operate to their mutual advantage.

There are other towns below on the river that are flourishing, which are not necessary to allude to in this paper. Suffice it to say, they are monuments of peace and enterprise, and of themselves show to the traveler and stranger as he wends his way up the river, what stout hearts and ready hands can accomplish, in the work of planing peaceful and happy homes, busy workshops and whirling machinery, in the wilderness beneath the unpillared arch of heaven.