In 1847, Daniel Smith, a lumberman from New York State, plotted a small village around his dam and mill, seven miles north of Two Rivers, naming it for his friend Old Chief Mishicott. The Potawatomi leader is also the namesake of the Town of Mishicot, organized in 1852, and the Mishicott River (now called the East Twin) in Manitowoc County.

The village of Mishicot, located 12 miles northwest of Manitowoc, started out as a small settlement near the East Twin River. A walk through town reveals a pleasant mixture of old and new as historic buildings have been renewed to fit the needs of today’s ever-growing society.

The opening of M. Kellner and Sons General Store in 1869 is what truly put “Kellnersville” on the map.

Located in north central Manitowoc County, Kellnersville has a history filled with entrepreneurship, expansion, community building, and even some mystery. Michael Kellner is considered the village’s founder. Kellner and his family came to America from Bohemia in 1849. They first settled in Quebec, Canada before coming to Manitowoc County. The family initially worked as farmers but then opened a tannery. Kellner expanded his ventures, first opening a shingle mill and then later a gristmill in 1862.

The head chief of most of the mixed bands in our area was Waumegesako, or the “Wampum”.   He was most commonly known as Chief Mexico.  According to records, he was born in 1789 and was “a man of fine physique, erect, over 6 feet in height, very dignified and courteous in his demeanor, possessing considerable strength of character, and more than ordinary intelligence.  In his dress he was plain and unassuming, indulging in none of the fineries and tinsel so common among Indians of both sexes.”