Vieau (called Jean Beau or Zhambo by the Indians) was an agent for the Northwest Fur Company. The Jambo Creek post was one of several outposts established by the French Canadian trader along the western shore of Lake Michigan in 1795. Others were located at Kewaunee, Manitowoc Rapids, Sheboygan and Milwaukee, which became his headquarters.

Education has always been an important focus in our county. It was only a year after the first permanent settlers came to Manitowoc from Chicago that our county’s early pioneers began to establish schools for their children. The first school in Manitowoc County was a room in a warehouse on the corner of 6th and Commercial Streets in Manitowoc, owned by Benjamin Jones, a prominent citizen. Soon schools began popping up across townships and by the end of 1850 schools were located in Centerville, Cato, Newton, Rockland, Meeme, Mishicot, and Liberty.