Article from the Waupaca Republican – May 9, 1884 Issue

Transcribed and submitted to the Waupaca County Website
by Paula Vaughan September 2001

Waupaca – It’s location. A nice little city with bright prospects before it.

On section 19, 20, 29 and 30, on the Town of Waupaca and county of the same name, is nestled among the hills, on the banks of the north and south branches of the Waupaca river, the city Waupaca. Right in the city limits are two lakes with bold shore, fringed with natural shade trees, planted by nature’s own hand. The lakes are named Mirror and Shadow, and an outlet leads to the river on the south, which flows eastward and converges with the north branch at the brick yard about a mile below the city. The wonderful Chain o’ Lakes commences at Taylor’s landing about two miles west of the city limits and after leading from one beautiful lake into another tour or five miles, a little stream branches out from the last lake and after doing duty for the mills in the suburban villages of Rural, Parfreyville and Crystal River, it comes into Waupaca and is the same stream before mentioned. Here it turns the wheels of the woolen mill. It is one of the finest of water powers and has the Chain of Lakes and our own lakes in the city for reservoirs and feeders.

The natural resources of the town are numerous. A ledge of solid granite from 40 to 80 rods wide passes through the city on a ridge that looks as thought it might have been heaved up from the earth’s crust by volcanic action in an early day. The stone serves good purposes for foundations for buildings, and it is strange a company is not formed for working it up into paving blocks for shipment.

One of the most extensive beds of clay in the state is owned by a company, and the manufacture of the "Waupaca Red Brick" is carried on quite extensively about a mile east of the center of town.

Waupaca county being accessible to the navigable Wolf river, received settlers long before a railroad ever penetrated the state, consequently for the most part it can be classed as one of the old counties. However in the northern portion there is much woodland and but little settlement. The county is diversified as to soils and timber. Several towns abound in what would be termed light sandy loam and oak openings with scattering pines. Other towns will abound in maple, ash, elm, etc. with heavy clay loam. The light sandy soils produce the finest potatoes and clever seed, corn, hops and sorg, hum, and since he farmer has commenced to understand the wants of the soil in the way of turning under clover sod, keeping more stock, using salt, plaster etc. the wheat product has exceeded that raised on the new land years ago. The heavy clay soils are good grain and grass producing soils but take them one year with another the sandy soils with right treatment exact them in fertility.

The principle places in Waupaca county are New London, a thriving city on the east side of the county, on the Lake Shore and Western, and the Green Bay and Minnesota Railroad. The villages of the county range in the order named.

On or near the Central line, Weyauwega, Fremont, Baldwin Mills, Rural, Crystal River, Parfreyvill, and Sheridan. On or near the Green Bar Road running east and west through the county; New London city, Northport, Ostranders, Royalton, Manawa, Symco and Iola. On or near the Lake Shore and Western north, the New London; Bear Creek, Clintonville, Embarrass, Buckbee and Marion.

Many of the villages above mentioned are large and thriving, but we have not space at this time to particularize. The principal manufactures are lumber, staves, heading, handles, furniture, ties, posts, etc. Flour and feed has attention largely in most of the towns, and find ready sale at good prices, at home and up the lines.

Waupaca city has good schools, churches, and societies, the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, United Workmen all being represented by flourishing lodges. The population embraces Americans, Danes and Norwegians, and a few Irish and German. As the foreign population are mostly old residents with the Americans, and all the children of the families attend the same school a good social and business feeling predominates.

It is remarked by everybody visiting or living in the city that a more "social" place does not exist in the state.

The possibilities for the future of this city in a commercial and manufacturing point of view are on the side of a permanent and wonderful growth, if the resources at hand are taken advantage of. Our water power, nearness of timber, the clay and granite beds, the good agricultural and stock lands about us, the beautiful lakes, the healthy locality, should be a guide board to men or means to strike this place with their wealth and help develope the possibilities. Already several have sounded the key note. For example, see the substantial buildings that have been and are being erected. Witness the building and improvements going on to our milling industries; see the taste displayed in improving our streets and lawns. Manufactures will surely command attention in the future if the spirit already begun is not permitted to wane. In the line of manufactures Waupaca has quite a variety, such as mills, woolen mill, brick making, tannery, wagon shops, foundry machine shops, harness shops etc. but there is room for enlargement. The city has quite a number of first-class dwellings and buildings. The courthouse built of red brick in the Queen Anne style of architecture, on a good granite foundation, with sandstone cappings and trimmings, stands majestically on a beautiful square, shaded with native elms right in the heart of the city. The building is finished and furnished in good taste and is supplied with steam heating apparatus. The whole cost of the building including fire proof vaults, furniture etc, was about $27,000.

David Taylor in 1881, built a home on the banks of Taylor’s Lake the first lake of the Chain. Ralizing the importance of the locality he made his house large enough to serve the purpose of a summer resort hotel. Mr. Taylor owns a nice little farm in connection, also a fine grove on the north bank of the lake which is reached by a pleasant drive along the shady shores. Here the Methodist society have for several years past held their annual camp meeting gatherings. Some of the attractions at Taylor’s are the famous Indian mounds that extend for quite a distance across his premises near the lake. Mr. Taylor is sinking as artesian well and hopes to have a fountain flowing in the near future. Taylor’s Hotel is capable of accommodating twenty or thirty boarders.

Greenwood Park Hotel at the Chain O’Lakes, a picture of which is in the illustrated supplement, located about two miles west of the city. A few years ago several gentlemen of Waupaca took a fancy to a piece of land containing about forty acres, laying on the south bank of what is now known as Hick’s Lake in the chain. They purchased the same and at once organized under the state charter the Greenwood Park Association. They built a small building at first in 1881, intending only to accommodate the families and friends of the members during the summer season. But no sooner had the enterprise become know, together with the charmingly attractive location for health, comfort and pleasure, than they were completed to enlarge the building and open to the public one of the most attractive and home like retreats for visitors in Wisconsin. Each year has added to the numbers of families from the south. The hotel is not run on that stiff and starched eastern style but on a plan calculated to make the guests feel as thought they were in a good, quiet home, with the natural beauties of the grounds and lakes, with facilities for games, rowing, fishing, etc. at their command and pleasure.

The Association has a number of cottages to let. In fact, the visitor can find things just to suit their fancy and inclination. A garden with fresh vegetables is connected with the house and pure country milk and cream is right at hand. The chain o’ lakes number from eight to thirteen silver links all winding placidly among beautiful islands and bays. The waters of these lakes are all from natural living springs, so there is no such thing as malaria abounds here and the shores are mostly hard sod and shady, with sandy and pebbly beaches. To those contemplating a season of rest and recreation during the heated season of summer, we say by all means visit Waupaca and Greenwood Park. The officers are members of the Association with address at Waupaca: A. J. Van Epps, President, W. A. West, Vice President, Chas. Churchill, Secretary, W. J. Chamberlain, Treasurer. Other memebrs – S. T. Ritchie, Manawa, Mrs. J. Jardine, Waupaca.

The "Shealtiel" is the bible name given to the mineral springs of Dr. G. H. Calkins and the meaning or significance of the word is: "Ask of God." It is pronounced shel tiel. A very pretty name, and it there is any truth in receiving blessings asked of the Divine Master, surely there is in His water that never creasingly flow from these natural fountains.

The wonderful cures effected by the use of this water from those afflicted with disease of the kidneys, rheumatism, etc., led the Dr. to have an analysis made, therefore a few weeks ago he sent a gallon of the pure aqua to chemist Bode, at Milwaukee. The following analysis and letter will explain the results of his examination: Milwaukee, May 1^st, 1884 – G. H. Calkins M. D., Waupaca, Wis. Dear Sir,-Herewith please find result of analysis made of the sample of water sent by you. 1 gallon U. S. Standard measurer contains; total quantity of solid substances: Chloride of Sodium – 0-1638, Sulphate of Soda – 0-1930; Bicarbonate of Soda – 0-7546; Bicarbonate of Lime –6-4350; Bicarbonate of Magnesia 6-3648; Bicarbonate of Protoxyde of Iron – 0-0468; Alumina – 0-0877; Silice – 0-6022; Organic Matter None.

The water is free from organic matter, very clear and of excellent taste. It does not contain any sulphate of lime, and is therefore well adapted for all medicinal purposes for which this class of waters, to which the Waukesha waters along are recommended. Yours Respectfully, Gustavus Bode, Analytical chemist

Home testimony – Having ourselves used and received benefit from Dr. G. H. Calkins mineral spring water, and believing that it possess rare medicinal qualities, we gladly subscribe our names hereto as recommending the same. M. F. Skinner, Jas. W. McCormick, J. O. Scott, Mayor; A. J. Poll, Mrs. G. L. Lord, Mrs. P. Gurley, Mrs. M. J. Nordvi, J. J. Demarest, W. H. Noyse, F. L. King, F. D. Randall, Merrick T. Allen, H. C. beadleston and J. W. Bemis.

These springs are located on the northeast bank of what is known as Hicks’ Lake-the second in the chain, two miles west of the city of Waupaca. They are in a delightful spot opposite Greenwood Park. Dr. Calkins contemplates erecting a magnificent Sanitarium and water sure establishment there some time in the future.