This file part of www.watertownhistory.org website
Milwaukee-Watertown Plank Road
Completed in 1853
The
building of roads to open the country for settlement and military purposes was
one of the first concerns of the settlers and the government. Following old Indian trails, a
Milwaukee-Watertown wagon road was constructed in 1837. Later this was planked and ultimately became
Federal Highway 16 (sometimes locally called the “Oconomowoc Road”).
During the first few years, whenever we had to buy supplies, two of us
would go together—of course on foot—[from Lebanon] to Watertown and carry them
home on our backs, a distance of seven miles or more . . . Very soon we laid
out a road to Watertown. Wherever the
ground was soft, we laid trunks of trees as foundation,
forming what the Americans called a ‘plank road’ . . . At one time I worked
with others from Lebanon on the Milwaukee-Watertown Plank Road, between Ixonia
and Watertown. We put down logs. Fifty years later, in the spring, I drove over
the same stretch and there I saw traces of the old foundation. [Reminiscence of Ernst
Gottlieb Dornfeld (1831-1907), “My Home Town”, Charles Werth, published in Lebanon Leader of 03 1995]
1844-1853
Watertown Daily Times, 30
and 31 Dec 1986
The first mention of a plank road for Wisconsin occurred in 1844 when a
road was proposed from Milwaukee to Prairieville (Waukesha) or Mequanigo
(Mukwonago). This proposal did not receive too much attention, and it was not
until 1846 that the first of 133 plank road charters was granted. It was given
to the Lisbon and Milwaukee Plank Road Company by the territorial legislature
which authorized it to capitalize at $50,000. The road was to be constructed of
timber and plank, "so that the same form a hard, smooth and even
surface," from Milwaukee to Watertown or any part of the way.
Interest in the proposed road soon lagged, but when residents of
Watertown held a "plank road ball" in the American House there in
February, 1848, and when extensive rains came that spring, making dirt roads
almost impassable, subscriptions of stock in the plank road company picked up
and the total stock issue of $50,000 was subscribed.
An amendment to the road company's charter was approved by the
territorial governor on March 1, 1848, changing the name of the company to the
Madison, Watertown, and Milwaukee Plank Road Company, and authorizing an
increase in capitalization to $300,000. James D. Doty was elected president and
Alexander Mitchell treasurer.
On August 8 the board let contracts for "grubbing," grading
and clearing ten miles of the road between Watertown and Oconomowoc, but
interest tagged again until a new meeting was called and Elisha Eldred was
elected president. Alexander Mitchell remained as treasurer; William A. Prentiss
was elected secretary. Eldred became the driving force behind the project.
Contracts for the actual construction of the road were let in October of
1848, and work was in full swing by the next month, though the amount of cash
on hand, due to the installment payment plan for stock subscriptions, was
probably between $12,000 and $13,000. The cost of a plank road was about $2,000
a mile. Wisconsin residents were lacking in capital but this could be overcome
by having farmers along the route take small stock subscriptions and pay for
them in material and labor. Experience of plank road builders in central New
York state led Wisconsin promoters to expect 25%. if not 50% earnings on stock.
Plank roads are basically just what the name implies. The first construction
step was the clearing and grubbing. In flat land the trees, stumps, roots, and
other obstructions were removed from the width of road.
After the roadway was cleared, it was graded for a width of 24 feet
between ditches. The center of the road was raised six inches higher than the
sides with a gradual inclination to the ditches. Before the actual grading was
done, the roadway was ploughed to a depth of eight to twelve inches and
thoroughly dragged to pulverize the earth.
The stringers, upon which the planks were laid, consisted of white oak
boards, one and one-half inches thick, eight inches wide, and not less than
twelve feet long. They were laid in trenches so that the upper surface of the
stringer was level with the earthen road bed. The outside stringer was set one
and one-half inches lower than the other, and eight feet in width was allowed
between the two, though in portions of the road near Milwaukee the stringers
were laid 12 feet apart. The space between stringers was filled with earth to
one-half inch above the surface of the stringer.
The one remaining step was the placing of the actual planks. They
consisted of oak boards three inches wide and eight feet long. They were placed
on top of the stringers and pounded down with a heavy maul until they rested on
the stringer. The planks were not nailed down or fastened in any other manner.
This proved a disadvantage when the road was engulfed by high water, as the
planks would float away. It was done because nails or similar objects would
work loose and injure horses' hooves.
The road mainly followed the old Madison Territorial road. In Milwaukee
there were two forks. Traced on a modern day map of Milwaukee and
vicinity, the north fork would begin at 12th place and Juneau avenue, the south fork at 11th street and Kilbourn Avenue.
The two forks would come together at what is now 15th and Highland Boulevard.
The road zig-zagged to 35th street and then followed State street into
Wauwatosa. Crossing the Menomonee river on the Harwood Avenue bridge, the plank
road continued westward through Elm Grove on a route still known as the
Watertown Plank road, connecting with the Bluemound Road at the Durkel house.
Winding along the Bluemound Road to Goerke's Corners and then northwest along
County Trunk SS over the Pewaukee and Fox rivers to Pewaukee, the planked
thoroughfare continued on the old U.S. Highway 16 and crossed the Oconomowoc
and the Rock rivers before entering Watertown.
Once the work on the road was begun, it continued without any serious
interruptions. By 1849 ten miles of the road were in use near Milwaukee, and
the portion between Oconomowoc and Watertown was graded and grubbed.
In September of 1849 the board closed the books to additional stock
subscriptions. Although there is no definite record of how many shares were
sold, the Milwaukee city directory of 1854 listed the capital stock at
$105,460. At $10 per share, this would indicate 10,546 shares. These were sold
to an unknown number of stockholders, but by November of 1850 the total stock
was held by 70 persons.
By the end of 1850, 38 miles of the road were either planked or well
graveled. In June of '53 the road was finished to the bridge in Watertown. The
new road was 58 miles long, the longest plank road in Wisconsin. Its reports
were, without exception, favorable, and it was labeled "one of the best
laid roads in the Union." The only disrupting influence on the road
was excessive rain. Low grades were often submerged and planks floated away.
Generally, however, the company was prompt in repairing these breaches.
The cost for the 58 miles was approximately $103,000, not including toll
houses, bridges, etc. which would raise the total to almost $110,000.
The road was highly successful. Before it was constructed the round trip
from Milwaukee to Watertown required four days in good weather, six days in
bad. Loads varied from 1,500 pounds to 2,000 pounds, depending on the condition
of the road. After completion of the road, the time needed for a round trip
decreased to three days and the average load increased to 3,000 pounds,
regardless of the weather. This combination of shorter time and larger loads
cut freight rates about 25%. For example, the cost of transporting building
stone, from a quarry 4 1/2 miles to Milwaukee dropped from $9.50 to $7.50 per
cord.
What was hauled over the new road? Wheat was by far the leader in
Milwaukee-bound loads though wood and lime were brought here in fairly large
quantities.
A tabulation on
the traffic for three days, Oct 31, Nov. 1 and 2, 1849 was published in the
Milwaukee Sentinel and Gazette of Nov. 8, 1849. The breakdown for loads coming
into Milwaukee was as follows:
|
|
|
Oct 31 |
Nov. 1 |
Nov. 2 |
|
Wheat |
Loads |
121 |
165 |
134 |
|
|
Bushels |
5,156 |
6,600 |
5,460 |
|
Barley |
Loads |
13 |
17 |
15 |
|
|
Bushels |
520 |
680 |
600 |
|
Flour |
Loads |
7 |
12 |
5 |
|
|
Barrels |
70 |
120 |
50 |
|
Corn |
Loads |
|
|
1 |
|
Potatoes |
Loads |
|
1 |
1 |
|
Wood |
Loads |
7 |
14 |
9 |
|
Lime |
Loads |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Traffic going out of Milwaukee was just about double that coming in. The
breakdown of loads was as follows:
|
|
Oct. 31 |
Nov. 1 |
Nov. 2 |
|
Merchandise |
37 |
47 |
45 |
|
Family Goods |
13 |
17 |
18 |
|
Lumber |
15 |
33 |
16 |
|
Carriages |
28 |
51 |
49 |
|
Empty Wagons |
57 |
57 |
74 |
Not only did haulers benefit from the new road, but stage travel
increased three fold and tolls from pleasure vehicles were reportedly enough to
pay upkeep.
With the completed road in use, the company erected toll gates at five
mile intervals. One gate was a short distance east of Hartland, and another
between Nashotah and Okauchee. This pattern allows for
gates near Watertown, at the crossing of the Rock River, near Oconomowoc,
at the bridge over the Fox River, and at the Dunkel house. The gates nearer
Milwaukee were constructed independently of the others, to benefit from the
greatest traffic. (As late as 1892 there was a gate where the
plank road intersected 35th street, and another near what is now the County
poor house.) Tolls averaged $600 per week when the road was
completed. The basic toll was l cent per mile for every animal drawing a
vehicle although the total fare for a one-way trip over the 58 miles was 66
cents.
A dividend to stockholders of 7% was declared on January 1, 1852 and
others of similar amount followed until 1855. There was no public notice of any
dividends in the following years, but in this period annual earnings were
reaching 25%.
The stockholders of the Madison, Milwaukee and Watertown Plank Road
Company might well have read the Milwaukee newspapers of February 25, 1851 with
alarm. For on this day the Milwaukee and Mississippi railroad was completed to Waukesha,
a sign of the far greater competition to follow. That competition was not slow
in coming, for the Milwaukee and Watertown railroad was completed to Watertown
in 1855.
With the coming of the railroad, the plank roads in general, and the
Watertown road in particular, passed into obscurity. Milwaukee newspapers
contained practically no mention of the road after the railroad was completed
in 1855.
Many of the stockholders of the plank road, however, were active
promoters of the railroad. Elisha Eldred, the president of the Watertown plank
road, and Eliphalet Cramer, a member of the board, were also members of the
board of directors for the Milwaukee and Watertown railroad. Other promoters
and stockholders of the plank road who were active supporters of the railroad
included Alexander Mitchell, Joshua Hathaway, William A. Prentiss, James
Rogers, Hans Crocker and Levi Blossom.
In 1863 the plank road was depicted as being in wretched condition. It
was "broken and dilapidated" and "dangerous to drive over."
It was transferred from private to public ownership after the legislature of
1887 authorized such action.
1853, Plank Road completed
Plank Road,
Within (Through) City of Watertown
05 28 1853
Watertown Weekly Register, “Official Paper of the City”
Local City News
City
Plank Road—It is well known by the most of our readers
that the two plank roads which are built from Watertown do not come into the
city limits, but terminate near the corporation line. This, consequently, at some seasons of the
year, leaves a piece of very bad road between the termination of the planking
and the business part of the city.
Pursuant
to a resolution of the Common Council of the city, a committee consisting of
Messrs. A. F. Cady, John W. Cole and S. Ford, was appointed to superintend the
grading and planking within the limits of the city.
Immediate
steps were taken by the committee and about 60,000 feet of plank contracted
for, and 40,000 feet more in course of negotiation, making in all 100,000 feet
of plank, delivered on the line of the road at $8 per
thousand. The workmen commenced laying
the plank on Thursday last, and the connection will be made with the Milwaukee
road during the coming week.
The
road west of the [Main Street] bridge to the Western Plank Road, during the wet
season, is almost or quite impassible for loaded teams. As soon as possible, a gang of men will be
set to work and the plank laid, so as to give a
continuous plank road through the city.
The Western company are pushing on their work
so that no hindrance will occur to teams in any kind of weather.
We have often extolled plank roads as
a great convenience to the farmers though they do have to pay for the privilege
of travelling upon them. We have,
however, been led to doubt their advantage in a commercial point of view, when
located between an interior village and a lake port. They have a tendency to carry away produce
beyond us, when the policy would dictate to our merchants to purchase here, and
thereby secure the money which the farmer disburses on selling his grain,
instead of having it left in Milwaukee.
A prospect of getting a few cents more in price will induce many men to
carry their grain to Milwaukee, over the plank road. The only
remedy for this state of things is a railroad between these interior
markets, and the lake towns. Farmers
cannot compete with a railroad in carrying grain,
therefore they will find it to their advantage to sell at the nearest R. R.
depot. This consequently induces a home
market, and the money laid out for necessaries by the farmers retained in the
interior.
This
is what we want at Watertown. If our
theory is good in regard to plank roads from here to the Lake, it will prove
good when they are built from Watertown to the West, South-west, or North-west,
provided of course that we have a Railroad from here to Milwaukee. A farmer can never find it profitable to
carry grain to Milwaukee for six cents a bushel, when a railroad can. If, therefore, the building of plank roads
from Watertown into the country west, southwest and northwest, can be
accomplished, it will enable the farmers of those regions to find a ready
market at this point, and by purchasing their goods here they will materially
add to the prosperity of our city.
We
think if our city had loaned its credit for the building of a plank road from
here to Beaver Dam, and from here to Cambridge, in Dane county, that we should
have received a greater benefit than from the construction of a railroad from
here to Berlin, at the present time. We
should have enabled the farmers to get their grain to market at all seasons of
the year, and as every farmer has more or less to purchase, they would leave a
large amount of money in circulation among us, besides giving our splendid
mills a sufficient occupation, in manufacturing the wheat into flour.
Three
years since, before the completion of the Plank Road, over 150,000 bushels of
wheat was purchased in this village in one season. We can account for the falling off only by
the fact that the completion of the plank road gave farmers a choice of
markets. They found they could pay the
tolls on the plank road and still make carriage to Milwaukee a matter of
profit, rather than sell here.
We
therefore hail the early completion of the Watertown Railroad as one of the
greatest moments to the prosperity of our city.
It will be the means of creating a large retail trade, and a commercial
centre for a large extent of fertile territory.
Watertown Daily Times 4 and 11 Dec 1999 (Tom Schultz)
One of Watertown's historical landmarks disappeared from the scene last
Friday. It was a quiet death and was probably witnessed by only a handful of
people. And, for the most part local residents probably didn't really
recognize its significance.
We're talking about the old toll
house, which was the end point for the old Watertown Plank Road back in
the 1850s. The toll house had stood at the same location on East Gate Drive for
nearly 150 years, collecting tolls from people traveling along the route
between Watertown and Milwaukee and all points in between.
The old toll house was located on the south side of East Gate Drive, a
little ways past the little inlet to the Rock River. The property has river
frontage and it's only a couple thousand feet east of Settler's
Bay, also on the Rock River.
That was the best possible way to travel back in those days. It reduced
travel times between Milwaukee and Watertown by about one-half. Before the road
it took about six days and after it was constructed the trip could be made in
three to four days. 
What happened to the landmark? Well, first of all, it was never
registered as a national historic place, and it really had little value other
than as a home to the owners, Randy and Gloria Kuckkan. The Kuckkans, who are
the owners of Firehouse Lanes, Bar and Grill on North Water Street (another
historical building, but we'll get into that another time), had lived in the
old toll house for the past 25 years. Several years ago they made a decision to
have the building razed and the property used as the site for their new home.
That's exactly what happened last Friday. The wrecking crew came in and
razed the home and construction of the new one is already under way.
Although the home is not in the city limits and the original building is
now gone, it might be nice for the city and/or the Watertown Historical Society
to see if somehow there could be a small plaque erected that would note the
significance of the site.
You know, after some generations, it's likely that site will become a
forgotten part of Watertown's rich history but, we'll leave that up to the
Kuckkans and the historical folks as to whether or not that is appropriate, and not just a nuisance for the Kuckkans.
We talked with Randy about the old home and he said there was really
nothing of significance that would tie the home to its original use as a toll
house. By the time they had acquired the building 25 years ago, any artifacts
had already been taken and preserved. For example, some of the original
financial books of the toll road are now at the Watertown Octagon House.
He said the one thing significant was the fact that the boards were all
nailed with the old style square nails. He added the building appears to have
had several additions over the years.
Many of our readers probably don't have a good knowledge of the old toll
road, and because of this change in the local landscape, this might be an
excellent time to review the history.
First of all you have to envision that most travel out this way back in
the 1850s was through openings in the thick forest or a winding path through
meadows.
This was a pretty primitive lifestyle back then. Remember, Timothy
Johnson first came on the scene in 1836 and we're talking less than 20 years
later. A lot of people were coming out this way back then, but progress was
slow.
Back in 1853 when the toll road reached Watertown, we were officially
chartered as a city rather than a village, and our population was listed at
4,000, the second largest city in the state.
The old toll road started in
Milwaukee and then traveled through Elm Grove and Goerke's Corners (now
the approximate location of 1-94 and Highway 18 in Waukesha County), along
County Trunk Highway SS to Pewaukee and then along the old state Highway 16
right of way through Hartland, Okauchee and Oconomowoc before arriving along East
Gate Drive on the city's east side and ending at the old toll house where the
tolls were collected.
The toll road back in those days was called the farmer's railroad. It
was used to bring produce and other products to this growing city. It was built
before it was feasible for railroads to be constructed out this far, and it
certainly was more economical that laying of tracks and
operating a train. But, the train wasn't too far behind.
The story of the Watertown Plank Road goes back to 1846 when the Lisbon and Milwaukee Plank Road Company
received a plank road charter from the Wisconsin territorial legislature with
the road to be constructed between Milwaukee and Watertown or any part of the
way they deemed feasible.
Interest in the road grew a great deal in 1848 when some heavy spring
rains made travel on the old dirt paths almost impossible. Construction
actually began in November of 1848 at a
cost of approximately $2,000 a mile. Funds were raised through the sale
of stock in the company. Imagine, that was $2,000 a
mile and today a freeway costs several million dollars a mile and that's only
if there's smooth sailing and no bridges.
The total cost of the 58 mile road was $110,000 and it was completed in
1853.
The center of the road was about 6 inches higher than the sides. Before
grading, the roadway was plowed to a depth of 8 to 12 inches and was thoroughly
dragged to make the dirt more solid.
The plank road was built like a
sidewalk or a wooden floor. The stringers were 8 inches wide, 1 1/2
inches thick and 12 feet long, all of white oak. They were set 8 feet apart.
The outside stringer was about 1 1/2 inches lower than the other. The space
between the stringers was filled with dirt about a half an inch above the top
of the stringers, and then the surface boards were placed.
Only one-half of the road bed was planked. The half used for a
turnout was left in dirt. The oak planks were placed on top
of the stringers and on top of that was a half an inch of dirt. The
planks were pounded down with a heavy mall until they rested on the stringers.
The planks were not nailed. This was because the spikes would eventually work
loose and be damaging to the hooves of horses.
A lot of farmers along the way purchased shares of stock in the plank
road and paid for them with donated material and labor.
Work on the plank road went along at a rapid pace for that era. By 1848,
10 miles of the road near Milwaukee were completed and clearing was under way
all the way out to Oconomowoc. By the end of 1850, 38 miles were either planked
or graded and in June of 1853 the entire road was completed. It was the longest
plank road in Wisconsin and it was a real boon to the area. It cut travel
between Milwaukee and Watertown to three days as compared to up to six days
before the road. And, all it cost was about one penny a mile. Every five miles
there was a toll booth.
An old toll gate book from this house is preserved at the Watertown
Octagon House. It showed traffic on the plank road was divided into three
categories. One was passenger vehicles, another was freight vehicles and the
third was animals.
An entry for July 1, 1853, showed 11 passenger vehicles, each drawn by
one animal, at 5 cents per vehicle; 39 freight vehicles, each drawn by a single
animal, at 10 cents per vehicle; one freight vehicle pulled by four horses, 15
cents; three horses pulled or ridden, 3 cents each; and several other animals.
All in all, it was a pretty good day with receipts of $4.71. The highest weekly
total in that book was revenues of $89.03. Just about every day had note of a
stagecoach traveling on the road. The stagecoaches were not charged which leads
us to believe they were probably owned by the toll road company.
Back in the era when the road was constructed, that area from what is
now Lindberg's by the River east to the toll house was a village all by
itself. The whole city at that time consisted
of settlements and this one on the city's southeast comer was the largest.
On the southeast corner of Oconomowoc and Concord avenues was the historic
Boston House, a well-known
business. It included a large dance hall. Travelers over this section of the
plank road always looked forward to a stop at the Boston House.
Other places of interest in that settlement were the Wisconsin House, another hotel located
across the plank road from the toll house and now state Highway 16, Rasch Brewery, Wenzel Quis' store, and the Kadish store.
Part of the road which traveled through the city was also planked.
Watertown's Main Street back then was a tamarack swamp as was much of the
territory over which the road traveled and the planks were necessary for
travel.
As we were reading a little history on the toll road we were surprised
to see the road extended to Madison at one time. We didn't recall that leg of
the road. The report we read indicated travel was much lighter on that segment
because of the few settlements between Watertown and Madison.
Things were going quite well on the plank road until the trains arrived.
It was reported that back in February of 1851 the trains were in Milwaukee's
Menomonee Valley, and four short years later the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad entered Watertown. That changed
the whole dynamic of travel. Both freight and
passengers could be moved much faster by rail than by the Watertown Plank Road.
As we mentioned earlier, there were some Watertown investors in the
plank road venture. Among them was John
Richards, builder of Watertown's famous Octagon House. He was one of the
directors of the company. William A.
Prentiss, a cousin of Watertown's first mayor, Theodore Prentiss, was
also a stockholder.
The name
So, there you have the basics on the
Books Found Listing Tolls on Plank Roads
Watertown
Gazette, 09 10 1936
In
pioneer days, when roads consisted either of mere openings through the forest
or rutted trails across prairies, private companies built roads of plank. The only two toll books known to be in
existence in Wisconsin which were used in connection with the early plank roads
have been brought to the attention of the state historical society.
The
two toll books were used from 1851 to 1854 at gate No. 7 near Watertown on what
is now highway 19. They still carry an
interesting story in spite of the fact that they had been used as scrap books
for newspaper clippings by their owners, Nellie and Jennie Needham, one of whom
was born in the toll gate house.
Cross Reference: August Needham originally owned and operated the
Toll House on the west end of the Watertown Plank Road.
A
charge of 5 cents was made for a vehicle drawn by one horse and of 10 cents for
a freight vehicle drawn by two horses. A shilling was charged for three horses
or other animals and 15 cents for four animals. No charge seems to have been
made for passengers, for foot travelers or according to the weight of loads.
The
amount of business varied from $5 to $100 a week, with the heaviest week being
that of Oct. 15, 1854, when $99.16 was taken in.
Watertown Plank Road
Johnson's Rapids (Watertown), Ixonia and Pipersville
[Derived from the
book "Heritage of Ixonia. 1976. The
Bicentennial Year" ]
Benjamin Piper was an adventurist pioneer who left New York in 1835 and settled on a
parcel of land that he claimed near Milwaukee. At that time Milwaukee consisted
of five or six frame dwellings, a small tavern, fifteen or twenty log cabins
and one or two grocery stores. The following spring he went to New York for his
family, to live with him on the land he claimed. In 1837 he ventured to the
Rock River country which brought him to Watertown where he found a few log huts
along the river occupied by settlers who were also seeking prospects (land to
be claimed). He then made a claim on some land above Johnson's Rapids,
located near the present sight of the Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown.
He then went back to his home and family near Milwaukee. A few months later he
revisited his claim in Watertown with his two sons Harrison and Elijah.
They built two log cabins, one for an old friend, a Mr. Adams, and one for
himself. Having gone back again to his family near Milwaukee, he disposed of
his claim there, brought his family and settled in section 30, which was then
known as Watertown. He purchased land from the U.S. government on August 20,
1839, (now known as the Claude Hauser farm) and was considered the first
settler in the southwestern part of the township now known as Pipersville,
which was named after the Piper family.
In 1837 a road opened from Johnson's Rapids to Milwaukee called
the Plank Road. Mr. Piper was impressed with this road and built an inn
on his property serving the farmers that hauled grain they raised to the
nearest market, which was Milwaukee. The Plank Road was a highway on which a
team could haul twice as much as it could on a muddy wagon trail. Farmers
brought small loads of grain to a large platform which Mr. Piper built. Here
they were combined into larger loads and hauled to Milwaukee on the Plank Road.
Many times buffalo robes were used by the farmers who slept on the floor by the
fire place because the inn was so crowded. Mr. Piper was an unofficial postmaster,
and it is said that Mr. Piper used a wash stand drawer in a back room as post
office facilities.
Jonathon Piper came to Pipersville in 1847. Depending on power furnished by the dam
which extended across the Rock River to a small island, he soon built and
operated a saleratus factory just south of the present bridge . . .
. . . The coming of the railroad was responsible for the location and
growth of Ixonia. Ixonia Center was the common name given at that time.
In its infancy there were two stores, a saloon, one blacksmith shop, one
turning shop, two shoemakers, a cheese factory, a grain elevator, a church and
a public school.
In 1922 the plank road was relocated from its location
south of the railroad tracks to the north of the tracks. It has been the main
route through Ixonia from its very beginning and was later called Highway 19. A
street leading to the north from Highway 19, in the
village was another established busy street. In 1924 Highway 19
was widened to 24 feet and paved. A curb, gutter, and storm sewer were
installed. The storm sewer being financed 100% by the state because it was a
state road at that time. The village homes and businesses were established on
both sides of the two streets, now called Marietta Avenue and North Street. The
village experienced heavy traffic from the east to the west passing through
continuously until 1956, when Highway 16 was rerouted to bypass
the town . . .
. . . To open the country for settlement and military purposes, new
routes for traveling became a necessity. Many old Indian trails were replaced
by wagon roads. A wagon road which today creates a special interest to the
Ixonia township is the road constructed in 1837, which
was later planked and called the Plank Road. On a historical marker erected in
1956 located approximately one-half mile east from the center of the village,
the following information may be read. "In 1917, the Wisconsin Highway
Commission engineers recommended and inaugurated with the Legislature's
authorization, the first statewide system of identifying highways by number.
This highway was designated State Trunk Highway 19 (later U.S. 16) and was the
first to be marked and signed by numerals. The now familiar number system was
later adopted by all other states and many foreign countries" . . .
. . . In the early 1900's, new road beds were made by pulling a heavy
reversible road machine by a team of six horses; and to maintain them, a small
grader drawn by two horses was used. The winters were extremely difficult in
the pioneer days. The deep snow in the roads was avoided by making a trail off
the road, around the banks, and through the fields, cutting the fences when it
was necessary. Again manual labor and shovels were used to take away the snow
to such an extent that the road equipment available in those days could then
handle it. When the snow built up between the wagon tracks, a one horse walking
plow was mounted to the side of a bob sled runner, turning the snow out of the
track. This also loosened the snow for better driving conditions. After the
snow disappeared, a mud problem was created by the freezing and thawing
conditions. Often times stones were filled in some of the mud holes in the
roads and road drags were used to level off the road beds.
With the intent to improve the Watertown Plank road, a stone crusher was
purchased in 1914. A year later the east end of the plank road to the village
was surfaced with crushed stone and oil. In 1917 the west end was surfaced in
the same manner. One half of the expense of both projects was funded by the
state. The distance to improve these two sections of road was determined by the
amount of funds available. In 1922 the highway was relocated from south of the
railroad tracks to the north side, now a street through Ixonia. More stone
crushers were purchased and soon disposed of because of continuous break downs
. . .
Information from 1948 Milwaukee Sentinel article by August Derleth
Additional
annotates by Bill Jannke
Because of its proximity to Milwaukee the growing settlement of
Watertown seemed a logical terminus for a road as well as for a railroad.
During the decade of the 1840's the Territory of Wisconsin, moving toward
statehood, drew settlers from the east and from foreign countries. It became
necessary to construct serviceable roads in place of the wild trails which were
often impassable and imposed much hardship on travelers in Wisconsin.
The first agitation was, naturally, for such water traffic was possible,
and for construction of canals to further that traffic .
But waterway travel was not practical into many parts of Wisconsin, and it did
no permit the movement of large numbers of people and their belongings. The
next agitation was for plank roads,
and the first of these roads was constructed to Watertown from Milwaukee in
1847, at a cost of $119,000. This was a toll road, and a toll house stood in
Watertown after its completion in 1850.
Meanwhile, however, even as plank roads were being built, the iron horse
was preparing to invade Wisconsin. In the very year of the beginning of the Milwaukee-Watertown plank road, a charter
was granted to the Milwaukee and Waukesha Railroad Co. By 1855 the Milwaukee
road had reached Watertown. And in November, 1859, the Janesville and Fond du
Lac branch of what is now the NorthWestern Road, ran its first train into
Watertown.
The coming of the railroad was accompanied by an amusing incident when
Michael O'Hara, the engineer of a locomotive approaching Watertown, not
convinced that the two mile bridge east of Richards' Cut near Watertown would
support his locomotive, started the engine, then jumped off at the head of the
bridge, letting the locomotive go over alone to be caught on the far side by
the waiting firemen.
The Plank road and the railroad connection Watertown with Milwaukee
played an important part in the growth of the settlement along the Rock River.
The waterpower at the site was soon harnessed for other saw mills and for
factories to make carriages, barrels, wagons and firkins. Even before these
connecting links to the port city of Milwaukee, Watertown was being settled by
German immigrants, many of whom were political refugees who had been university
students and men in professions for which there was as yet no need in a new
settlement like Watertown. As a result, for many years everything these men
turned their hand to was a failure; they could not make shoes, they could not
manufacture cigars, they could not even brew. When they
congregated at the Buena Vista House, they habitually conversed not in German,
but in Latin, as a result they were locally known as "Latin
Farmers."
The Plank Road Barn was originally located
along the Watertown-Milwaukee Plank Road a short distance east of its present
site on the grounds of the Octagon House.
Moved to the grounds in the 1960s, it now
houses a collection of pioneer tools and farm implements.
1850
04 16 We see by the Chronicle
that the coaling and planking of the plank road from here to Milwaukee, has
been put under contract and that there is a fair prospect of finishing it
through this summer. Success to the
undertaking, for our faith waxes stronger in favor of these "Farmers'
Railroads” every day, and we are satisfied that they will be of more benefit to
Watertown and the adjacent country, than any railroad that can be built. By the way, what has become of the plank road
from the Crawfish to Watertown? We
understand and that it would intercept much of the travel that now goes south
of us, and from the information we have of that portion of the country, we are
induced to think no road will pay better than to that point. Watertown Democratic State Register
1852
04 14 The
Watertown and Milwaukee Plank Road Company has declared another dividend of 3
per cent, making 10 per cent since the first of January. Think of this, ye who_?_
40 per cent annually for the use of your money; and then act like wise men -
purchase stock in the Watertown, Hubbleville,
Portland and Waterloo road. WC
1853
06 04 Our
Plank Road -- We are now in connection, for the first time, with Milwaukee by a
plank road, the gap having been finished
today so that our friends can travel from Milwaukee to the new bridge in
our city without getting off the plank. From
the bridge west the planks are being hauled, and we hope it will be finished
within the next ten days. Democrat State Register
06 18 Plank
Road Notice -- The meeting for the annual election of Directors of the
Watertown & Waterloo Plank Road Co., is advertised in today's paper.
1854
11 16 Meeting
of the City Council, November 13th, 1854... Resolved, That the Street
Commissioners of the 3rd and 4th wards be, and they are hereby authorized and
directed to procure 8000 feet oak plank, for the purpose of finishing up the
Plank Road, on West Avenue Street to where the Watertown and Portland Plank
Road commences, and that the expenses of the same be paid out of the City
General Fund. WD
1858
11 18 Obligation to repair the plank road
bridge WD
1859
02 10 Proposal: Highway to replace Plank Road. Ald. Dutcher introduced a memorial praying
the Legislature to vacate so much of the charter of the Milwaukee and Watertown
Plank Road Company as lies between Watertown and Oconomowoc and establish the
same as a Public Highway.
Also, Resolved, That the City Attorney be and he is hereby instructed to
commence legal proceedings immediately against the Milwaukee and Watertown
Plank Road Company for suffering the bridge
in this city upon said road to become impassable by the traveling public. Common Council Proceedings, WD
1861
04 03 Plank Road Declared a Public Highway
April
3 1861 - AN ACT to establish a Highway.
The line of road of the Madison Watertown and Milwaukee plank road
company, including their road bed between the city of Watertown and the village
of Oconomowoc, having been abandoned by said company is hereby declared and
established as a public highway and subject to the management and control of
the town or city in which the same lies like other highways SECTION 2 This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved March 29 1861
Cross References to Watertown-Portland Plank Road:
No
1: Daniel Jones was one of the originators of
the Plank road, between Portland and Oconomowoc, and it was a good investment until the railroads came through. They ruined the business and I lost what I
had in the enterprise.
No
2: 1871 note on road
condition: On the Watertown road but it is quite sticky.
No
3: Mud Tavern hostelry on plank road
No. 4: 1998, Covered wagons once again rumbling down
the old Watertown Plank Road.
Plank road vs railroads
WC 02 23 1848, p2
WC 03 08 1848
WC 02 16 1948. p2
WC 04 19 1848, p1
WC 04 26 1848, p1
WC 01 05 1848, p1, p3
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compiled by Ken Riedl
