Historical
2016
EAST TROY
A look back at the area’s history
Published by the
The East Troy Railroad Museum offers a trip back in time
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HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
By Tracy
Ouellette
EDITOR
The East Troy Railroad Museum runs on the last remaining piece of the original interurban network, which ran in Wisconsin in the early 1900s. By 1939, the railroad was retired by The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co. because of lack of ridership. Since everything from gas to groceries came in to East Troy by the railroad line at that time and the town passed a referendum to purchase the remaining 7.5-mile stretch of track and overhead for freight purposes. The Village of East Troy operated the railroad until the year 2000 when it was purchased by the Friends of East Troy Railroad. Today, the East Troy Electric Railroad has 32 pieces of equipment with more than 500 members worldwide, 110 active volunteers and 15,000 visitors each year. To make all this happen, the museum and railroad relies on dedicated volunteers. “We have 125 volunteers who make the museum function – no paid staff whatsoever,” 2016 SCHEDULE museum President Ryan Jonas said. “Volunteers are at the root of what makes it Fridays possible to carry out our mission. Without the June 10 to August 26 volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to give over Eastbound, departs East 20,000 passengers per year the experience Troy Depot of riding an historic interurban railroad,” he 10 a.m., Noon, 2 p.m. continued. The museum relies on program revenue and Westbound, departs donations to survive, Jonas said. Indianhead Park, “About one third of our operating budget is Mukwonago funded through fares. For the rest we rely on 10:40 a.m., 12:40 p.m., 2:40 many generous supporters,” he explained. p.m. (not a round trip) The train runs its regular schedule on weekends May through October and has multiple Westbound, departs special excursions throughout the year. Elegant Farmer Depot “We would like people to know about all of 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. (not a the wonderful things we have to offer,” Jonas round trip) said. “Our Dinner Trains, Themed Trains (such as our Oktoberfest train), Pizza Trains, charter Saturdays and Sundays service, Operator for a Day program, Night Photo April 30 to November 6 Shoot and so many other special events provide Eastbound, departs East something special for everyone!” Troy Depot 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., Noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. The museum’s historic rail cars travel a 10-mile trip from East Troy to Mukwonago, Westbound, departs showcasing the beauty of the county side. Indianhead Park, Riders can board at either the depot in East Mukwonago Troy or at The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago 10:40 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 12:40 (see schedule on this page). The depot museum p.m., 1:40 p.m., 2:40 p.m., is open on weekends and kids of all ages can be 3:40 p.m. (not a round trip) a trolley motorman, discover the joy of model layouts and learn about electricity. The gift Westbound, departs shop also features a unique selection of railroad Elegant Farmer Depot souvenirs. 10 a.m., 11 a.m., Noon, 1 And no trip on the rails is complete without p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. a stop at Lauber’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream (not a round trip)
East Troy Electric Railroad Museum Car 4420 runs the rails from East Troy to Mukwonago during the opening weekend of the 2016 season. The railroad, which is operated by volunteers, is the only one of its kind still running.
EAST TROY
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TRACY OUELLETTE Historical East Troy
How the railroad came to be in East Troy
The East Troy Railroad Museum owns, maintains and operates historic electric trolley and interurban railroad cars on track completed by The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co. in 1907. The rail line between Mukwonago and East Troy is the last remnant of The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light interurban rail system, which once operated more than 200 miles of track in Southeastern Wisconsin. Since the East Troy line was the only form of public transportation in the area in 1907, it was designated as a U.S. Mail route. And since there were no competing railroads serving East Troy, TMER&L decided to offer freight service on the line. This was profitable for the railroad and led to the growth of several businesses in the area, including a Standard Oil Distribution Center, East Troy Lumber, a United Milk Products Plant, and Equity Co-op’s feed and fuel plant. With the development of better roads and highways, interurban lines gradually lost passengers as more and more people drove their own cars. By the late 1930s, the lines to Watertown, East Troy and Burlington were all experiencing financial difficulties. In October of 1938, TMER&L Co. was broken up into two separate companies. The Wisconsin Electric Power Company operated the power plants and handled electrical distribution; the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Transport Company (TMER&T) operated its transportation properties. In 1939, TMER&T petitioned the Public
Service Commission to abandon the lines to Watertown, Burlington and East Troy. The other lines were approved for abandonment, but the Village of East Troy and a group of concerned citizens opposed the abandonment of their line because the freight service was so important to area businesses. After several hearings and almost a year of negotiations, TMER&T agreed to sell the line from Mukwonago to East Troy to the Village of East Troy for $10,000. The agreement included an interchange with the Soo Line Railroad, which would allow freight traffic to continue. The Village of East Troy passed a referendum approving the purchase by a vote of 321 to 11. TMER&T crews continued to operate and maintain the electric railroad from Mukwonago to East Troy five days a week. Throughout the 1940s the railroad carried between 800 and 1,000 cars of freight each year. But because of increasing maintenance expenses and its desire to get out of the railroad business, TMER&T declined to renew its operating agreement in 1949, forcing the Village of East Troy to take over operation of the railroad in 1950. At this time the railroad officially became known as the Municipality of East Troy Wisconsin Railroad. In the early 1970s, The Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society began operating weekend trolley rides on the line using its own restored trolley equipment. In 1984, the Village of East
See HISTORY, Back Page
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HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
The band shell on the East Troy village square has been a gathering spot for visitors and residents since it’s creation. The square has always been the ‘heart’ of East Troy.
Looking back at how East Troy came to be EAST TROY AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Historical East Troy
The tri-Troy area has a long and fascinating history By Tracy
Ouellette
EDITOR
The first settlers in the East Troy area arrived in 1836, according to research done by the Troy Lakes Area Historical Society (now the East Troy Area Historical Society). The settlers built their camp on the banks of the Honey Creek in 1836. The Wisconsin Territory, as it was called at the time, attracted many people looking to start a new life at that time. The U.S. government allowed the settlers to claim as much land as they could homestead and farm – no more, no less. The settlers were required to stay on the land for several years and raise animals and/or farm crops. They also had to build a home – a permanent structure – within one year of occupying the land. In 1836, H. Roberts constructed a sawmill on Honey Creek. Within four years, the area had a hotel, general store, sawmill, blacksmith, chapel, school (held in the chapel), post office, doctor, lawyer and justice of the peace. Sewell Smith opened the first store in East Troy in 1841. The post office was established in 1838 in the home of Henry Powers, who lived close to Potter’s Lake. John F. Potter was the area’s first
postmaster. He was also the first attorney in the area. The post office moved to the village in 1841 when a Government Road from Milwaukee to Janesville was built. Once that road came to town, many of the original settlers moved on to other parts of Southeastern Wisconsin, which opened up the Honey Creek area to attract more settlers. East Troy was one of the central stopping points for travelers on that road and as more and more people began using the transport route, residents in the area would often offer rooms in their homes to weary travelers. In 1841, the stagecoach from Milwaukee to Beloit came through East Troy on a regular basis, bringing business to the newly established settlement. The Methodist Church in East Troy was the first to establish a congregation with meetings starting almost as soon as the settlers arrived in 1836. The Methodists met in the home of Daniel Griffin. The church would later become St. James, which is still in operation on the village square. The First Congregational Church began meeting in 1839 and the Catholic Church of East Troy, later known as St. Peter’s Catholic Church, was organized in 1848. Austin McCracken and Jacob Burgit are
considered the founders of the Village of East Troy. They owned all the land in the village when it was platted in 1847. In the spirit of building the community, Burgit and McCracken gave away free lots to anyone wanting to build on them and set aside land for the churches. The village square, which is now called Village Square Park, was a gift from the two men with the condition that no stores or homes ever be built on the property. The land has become
the center of the East Troy area and hosts events all year long bringing the people of the community together. Burgit also built a mill on Honey Creek and dammed the creek for water to run the mill. The dam on Highway G is on the same site as Burgit’s first dam. The East Troy House was the first permanent structure built on the square
See HISTORY, Page 6
Historical East Troy 2016
A look back at the area’s history Published by Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC 1102 Ann St., Delavan, WI 53115 • (262) 728-3411 Editor:....................................................................... Tracy Ouellette Creative/Production Manager: ................................... Sue Z. Lange Advertising Director: ........................................... Vicki Vanderwerff For advertising opportunities, call (262) 763-3330.
On the cover The Village of East Troy business district in 1914. (Photo courtesy of the East Troy Area Historical Society)
A blast from the past Page 4
HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
J. Lauber’s OldFashion Ice Cream in East Troy
Anyone wanting a glimpse into the past can find it at Lauber’s Old Fashion Ice Cream in East Troy. The shop is an operating replica of the old drug store soda fountains that were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Owner John Lauber opened the ice cream shop 41 years ago in East Troy to share his love of an industry that’s all but disappeared. “I remember going to the old drug store soda fountains as a kid and I just loved them,” he said. Lauber, who is one of the founders of the East Troy Electric Railroad Museum, said having his dream ice cream store in the area was a natural progression. Situated next to the Railroad Museum, the ice cream shop attracts visitors from all over who ride the trains from East Troy to Mukwonago. Joe Boehnlein – who runs Milwaukee’s Raasch-Raetz Funeral Home, Inc., with Lauber and is involved with the ice cream shop – said as a result, the ice cream shop remains a seasonal business that runs in conjunction with the trolley’s season. Boehnlein said the busy summer season is supplemented by people from Chicago and elsewhere who have summer homes on Lake
Beulah and in the surrounding area. “They are the bread and butter for the entire East Troy community,” he said. Boehnlein said, however, their reasoning for being in East Troy isn’t necessarily to make money, but more importantly, to be a part of the trolley museum. He said they don’t do it for the money, but for the love it. Lauber said it’s the regulars who frequent the store that makes it worthwhile. Some of them stop by every week and others travel from outside the area on a regular basis just for the ice cream and atmosphere. Lauber said most of the items used in the shop are from the Milwaukee area with a few smaller things picked up here and there over the years to outfit the shop. He has walls of antique soda fountain equipment, oldfashioned wood booths, an ice cream bar and a “penny” candy counter where children can spend their coins on things like candy dots and lollipops. Lauber has employed many of the area’s teenagers over the years, taking pride that he is now experiencing second-generation helpers behind the counter. “I would probably have even more of them, but some of the families have moved away,” he said. The ice cream parlor is open May through October. Hours are weekdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. Find J. Lauber’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream at 2010 Church St., East Troy, (262) 642-3679.
TRACY OUELLETTE AND EAST TROY AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Historical East Troy
Clockwise from top: Lauber’s Old Fashion Ice Cream shop in the Village of East Troy is a fun throwback to the past; the railroad depot (left) and grocery/fuel store provided residents with necessary transportation and supplies in the 1900s.
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Preserving the past, serving the present Page 5
HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
Historical Society volunteers charged with keeping the history By Tracy
Ouellette
EDITOR
he mission of the East Troy Area Historical Society is “Preserving the past, serving the present.” And the volunteers who make up the society’s members work hard to do just that. “We’re here to preserve history,” Historical Society President Mike Wozny said. “We’re the collectors. We bring in the artifacts, preserve them and make them available to the public because otherwise it’s not worth anything.” The society was charted as the Troy Lakes Area Historical Society on Oct. 30, 1984, with 19 original members – Judy and Larry Mitten, Joan Couture, Noara Taylor, Bernice Maier, Lillian Dwyer, Linnea Loesch, Ruth Grunow, Debie Grunow, Meghan Adsit, John Barnes, Joe Barr, Al Gruling, Jeanne Schwartz, Jett Berken, Rosemary Maske, Charolotte Lawler, Diane Mee and Blanch Stevens. Since that time, it has grown to more than 60 members and now owns and operates the Kubicki Heritage Center in downtown East Troy, where the society houses its archives and museum. The society is governed by a board now, which includes Wozny, Vice-President John MacKenzie, Secretary Emily Stahl, Treasurer Doris Kranitz and Kim Frank, member at large. “It took us a while to get here,” Wozny said. “In the beginning we would meet at members’ houses. Then we met in St. Peter’s basement for a while before meeting at Kate’s Needful Things and then the Lions Club. We were all over the place.” And so were the artifacts. Without a building dedicated to the society, members stored the artifacts the society was collecting in their homes. “We were storing things all over the place,” Wozny said with a laugh. “Under members’ beds, in garages, just all over. The stuff was scattered everywhere, but there was always the hope we would eventually have a building.” That dream became reality when the Historical Society bought the old police station on the square and renovated it to suit their needs, moving in, in 2010. “There were a lot of happy people who were able to reclaim their houses when we moved in here,” Wozny said. The museum houses the society’s archives and artifacts and is available to the public at 2106 Church St. It is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and by appointment from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday (May through November). Wozny said making the museum and artifacts easily accessible to the public is something the society is dedicated to. “What good is it otherwise?” he asked. “If people can’t use it, what good are we doing?” Wozny said many people don’t realize the extensive collection the society has and the amount of time and energy it takes to maintain it. Aside from the artifacts society members have collected over the decades, the society has a large archive of ancestry information to help people researching genealogy, thousands of photos dating back to the 1800s, and the Southern Lakes Newspapers archive of the East Troy News since it began printing in 1893. Although there are some restrictions on how certain things can be viewed, the items housed in the Heritage Center are available for the public to see and use.
All volunteer
The Historical Society and Kubicki Heritage Center are run by society members on an all-volunteer basis. Wozny said one of his “missions” is to get more people interested in history, especially some of the younger people. “I need a new generation of people to help keep the history alive,” he said. “I need their skills and energy. We have technology needs and we could really use some young blood at events. It’s hard for the older members to do things
Thank you for all your help! Southern Lakes Newspapers wishes to thank the East Troy Area Historical Society and Mike Wozny for providing the photos and history in this publication. All the hard work by the society’s volunteers is greatly appreciated.
TRACY OUELLETTE Historical East Troy
Clockwise from top: The East Troy Area Historical Society runs the Kubicki Heritage Center in the East Troy village square. The museum is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays and by appointment; the Southern Lakes Newspapers East Troy News archive is housed at the museum and available to the public; Historical Society President Mike Wozny researches a request.
like the Ghost Walk and stand around outside in the cold for hours.” The Ghost Walk, which will be in October, is just one of the events the society has to raise funds. The annual 5K run is another. The Blast to the Past 5K Run-Walk will be Aug. 27 in the village. Wozny said he would like to add more community events to the society’s schedule, but can’t do it until there are more people to help. “I’d like to have a turn-of-the century picnic with period
costumes, games and activities from the past, but I need more volunteers to pull it off.” The East Troy Area Historical Society exists for the purpose of educating the public about the history of East Troy, Troy, Troy Center, La Fayette, Spring Prairie, and the Troy Lakes area, and for preserving artifacts from these communities for the benefit of all of its citizens. The Historical Society is an accredited 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates by donation and the efforts of volunteer members. Membership is open to all interested citizens.
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HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
• History
(Continued from page3)
and served as an inn for travelers. The original log cabin building is still part of the East Troy House, which is now owned and operated by Dave and Reenie Allen along with Ivan’s On the Square. Although East Troy would eventually become known for its railroad, there were many attempts in the 1850s to bring the railroad into the area that failed. While the local farmers were in favor of the railroad, the business community opposed it because tavern owners and shopkeepers feared it would take business away from locally owned establishments. The railroad eventually went through Eagle. The Troy territory, which is what the entire tri-Troy area was called, was named after Troy, N.Y., because many of the original settlers came from there. In 1843, the state legislature split up the territory because it was too large. The western part was named Meacham, after an early settler named Jessie Meacham, and the eastern part kept the name of Troy. The western community was not happy with the change, including Meacham, who traveled to the state capitol to reclaim the name of Troy for his territory. Local legend says Jacob Burgit heard about Meacham’s trip and followed him to keep the Troy name for the eastern territory. Burgit didn’t make it in time and the legislature gave the name of Troy to the western section and the “easterners” were left with the name of East Troy for their township. Being one of the largest populated area’s in the county, East Troy was the site of the first Walworth County Fair in 1850. Doug and Linda Umbreit built a store on the village square in 1871, called Doug’s Variety and Linda’s Yarns. It was
later owned by Will Wood E.L. Brooks, Lawrence Clancey and Frank and Bessie Williams and operated under the name Wilmer Brothers General Store. Over the years it has housed Dr. O’Leary (on the second floor), John Williams’ lunch and ice cream counter, the post office and a laundromat. The East Troy Gazette was the first newspaper in the area, established in 1879 by Francis D. Craig. He sold the paper about a year later and bought it back in 1881. Publication stopped in 1882. In 1885 and 1886 Wilbur G. Weeks published an experimental East Troy edition of the Delavan Republican called the Star; Simeon K. Graves and Washington S. Keats were the local editors. The East Troy News was established in 1883 by Samuel K. Adams; it is still in publication today and owned by Southern Lakes Newspapers. Telephone service came to East Troy in 1881 when the East Troy House connected with Mayhew General Store, four miles away. The Grand Theater Opera House was built in 1890 by J.F. Jude. It could seat 500 people, which was a lot considering the population of the area at that time was about 600. The opera hall hosted many performances, including operettas, concerts and plays. When the Churchill family purchased the building, they added a basement and built a bowling alley and installed pool tables in it. It was renamed the Grand Theater when it became the area’s movie theater and was the center of East Troy’s entertainment activities for many years. According to documents at the Historical
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and build another, larger school on Division Street. The “old red schoolhouse” housed all the kids from kindergarten to high school for four decades. In 1894 a new school was built on the same site and was in use until 1940, when the high school was built. The lake communities in the area also built up over the same time period. The original Hotel Beulah was built on the shores of “Crooked Lake” which would later become Lake Beulah in the late 1880s by John Porter. The hotel could handle up to 250 guests and had a dance hall, ice cream parlors and sleeping rooms. The hotel burnt down in 1895, but was rebuilt. The new hotel was larger and more elaborate than the original with a reception room, ballroom, writing room, several private parlors, large dining room overlooking the lake, billiards room, barber shop and candy and ice cream store. The hotel changed hands multiple times until 1911 when it burnt to the ground and wasn’t rebuilt. The Village of East Troy incorporated on March 6, 1900. The election of officers was June 22, 1900. August Wilmer was elected village board president, with trustees A. Noblet, C.W. Smith, O.F. Winne, R. Brownlee, O.H. Marshall and A. Lumsden. In the years since, East Troy has grown into a thriving, close-knit community that includes the Village of East Troy, Town of East Troy and the Town of Troy. Information for this history was taken from East Troy News articles, personal letters, artifacts and other publications provided by the East Troy Area Historical Society and “A Century of Commitment to the Community,” published by the State Bank of East Troy in 1992.
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Society, by Feb. 8, 1893, East Troy had a bank, bakery, dentist, shoe shop, auctioneer, barbershop, opera hall, broom factory, three doctors, two stock brokers, three paint shops, two livery stables, two harness shops, parochial school, two meat markets, four grocery stores, hardware store, furniture store, two millinery shops, photograph gallery, two first-class hotels, drug store, village park, flour mill, mineral spring, four insurance agents (and the home office for Farmers’ Insurance Co.), three blacksmith shops, school house, three general stores, billiard hall, two wagon and repair shops, machine shop, planning mill, creamery and cheese factory, weekly newspaper and job office, two clothing stores, two tailors, three agricultural machine dealers, boot store, five churches, and six secret societies – Masons, Order of the Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, Grand Army of the Republic, Relief Corps and Modern Woodmen. The electric railroad came to East Troy in December 1907. The electric cars made traveling to and from Milwaukee much easier for area residents and was widely used. (See Page 2 for more information on the East Troy Electric Railroad.) The village’s water system was established in 1908 for the cost of $13,500. A 691-foot well was bored, providing the village with enough water to protect the area’s structures from fire, which was the reason for its construction. The first East Troy public school began classes in 1839, at the East Troy Chapel. The school was established by Louise Augur. The first school building was constructed seven years later on Church Street in the village. It only took nine years for the village to outgrow the schoolhouse
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HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
Looking back The East Troy Area Historical Society has a large collection of historical photos that tell the history of the tri-Troy area. Clockwise from top: The Beulah Beach Resort on Lake Beulah in the late 1940s to early 1950s; the Mitten Farm in 1900, pictured from the left are Walter George Mitten, Ellen Mitten and Joseph Mitten; the East Troy village square in the 1950s; Howie Milbrath, Lyle Wolline work at Sinclair Station; and the Oak Park Hotel on Army Lake in the Town of East Troy, circa 1914. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE EAST TROY AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Historical East Troy
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HISTORICAL EAST TROY • 2016
• History
(Continued from page 2)
Troy canceled the Historical Society’s operating lease and began looking for an organization to lease and operate the entire railroad. The village approached the Wisconsin Trolley Museum, which had a strong core of volunteers restoring trolleys at the old Milwaukee Road depot in North Prairie. The village asked if they would move to East Troy and take over the line. The Wisconsin Trolley Museum agreed, entering into a 25-year operating lease. In the spring of 1985 it moved its collection of seven trolleys to East Troy and took over operation of the railroad. A new trolley car barn was built in East Troy, and a new power supply was installed to provide power to the overhead catenary system. In 1993, the Friends of the East Troy Railroad began to negotiate with the Village of East Troy to purchase the property outright. The sale was completed on January 13, 1995. So, since 1985 the East Troy Railroad Museum has operated and maintained the East Troy Electric Railroad and since 1995 the non-profit corporation has owned the railroad as well. The line no longer handles freight, but maintains an interchange with the Canadian National Railroad at Mukwonago. Source: The East Troy Electric Railroad, www. easttroyrr.org.
• Back in time
EAST TROY AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Historical East Troy
The driving of the gold spike at the East Troy Electric Railroad on completion of the railroad line. The railroad is still in operation, offering excursions from East Troy to Mukwonago and back every weekend May through October.
(Continued from page 2)
Parlor next to the East Troy Depot (see Page 4 for more information on Lauber’s). What you should know before riding: • Parking is free; • Smoke-free trains run rain or shine; • Boarding is available at either end – The Elegant Farmer or East Troy Depot; • Visa, Mastercard and Discover are accepted; • Public washrooms are available; • Train schedule, ticket prices and equipment subject to change without notice.
Planning for the future Jonas said the museum’s future plans include moving all maintenance activities from the East Troy Car Barn to its new maintenance facility in Mukwonago. “Once the car barn is cleaned out, we would like to fix the building up and open it to the public,” Jonas said. “As a very popular question is ‘can we see the other pieces of equipment’ surfaces all too often, we will soon be able to say yes! The museum has a collection of 32 different pieces of equipment from all around the country. Jonas said.
“We look forward to the opening of our Show Barn!” he said.
About the railroad The East Troy Electric Railroad is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization run by volunteers committed to the operation and preservation of historic trolleys and interurban railcars. All proceeds and sales benefit the education and preservation work of this museum. Contributions are tax deductible. For more information, visit www.easttroyrr.org.
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