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.

Soon after arriving, the agents became aware that the task of destroying the plant and equipment, estimated to be worth $100,000 or more, was beyond them and called for reinforcements, another carload of operatives arriving during the night. The following day the distillery was dismantled, all of the metal being purchased by a Two Rivers dealer in scrap metal.

On Sunday evening, October 7, 1883, news reached Manitowoc that a destructive fire had raged that afternoon in Mishicott, and that the western end of the downtown on both sides of Water Street (now E. Main) had been wiped out. The fire started in the smokehouse of Louis Levenhagen, who was rendering lard at his butcher shop.

On November 8, 1960, voters in the City of Manitowoc approved one way streets. On the following day, City Council met for the official canvas of votes and the results became official, 6,227 “Yes” to 5,927 “No” votes. A margin of 300 votes.

This is the letter that got sent to Edwin Sykora notifying him that he was drafted.

In August of 1976, six educators, fifteen high school students, a playwright, and a priest embarked on an eight-month voyage down memory lane. Their goal was to recreate the voyage that Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle undertook in 1681 and 1682 and dramatize how important it is to understand the past while building the future.

According to the local paper, Earhart’s presence at the carferry slip in Frankfort soon became known and scores of residents and travelers kept her busy signing autographs.

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.

Taken in September of 1948, this photo shows the Haucke family living in the cabin in Lincoln Park. Six children and Mrs. Haucke can be seen in the photo doing daily tasks such as making the bed and shining shoes.

Walking into Lincoln High School’s historic auditorium, your eyes are met with the large mural that lays high above the stage. At first glance it appears to be just another mural that recalls the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. However, upon further investigation the mural is subject to a mystery.

Company F of the 26th Wisconsin Regiment consisted almost entirely of German-born soldiers from Manitowoc County. They came from towns like Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Gibson Rockland and Maple Grove and had such familiar surnames as Neumann, Kreuger, and Schmidt.

The ban on dancing and rock music, in the 1984 classic movie Footloose, sometimes seems to be a bit farfetched. This type of ban, however, was not all that uncommon in many American towns and cities in the 1920s.

Manitowoc County has its own instance of going somewhat “footloose” in 1924 when a dance hall ordinance was passed by the Manitowoc County Board. Although this ordinance did not ban dancing and dance halls completely, these events became heavily regulated. Regulations typically required dance halls to obtain licenses and be subject to inspections. Ordinances also limited the number of dances and hours of operation, along with instilling an age requirement to attend.

Imagine the bright lights of a theater marquee sign. As you read the letters on the sign you expect to learn what theatrical performance or a musical group is in town. In Manitowoc, however, the theatre marquee sign likely once glittered for indoor baseball and women’s wrestling.

The recently completed mural of Ruth West in downtown Manitowoc is a colorful and meaningful tribute to an avid gardener, patron of the arts and a beloved humanitarian. But many local residents and Lakeshore visitors may not know the story of her life, how she came to call Manitowoc home and about her many gardening, art and civic achievements.

Rockwell Lime Co. was founded in 1906 in Chicago. The company’s main office was located on Rockwell Street, and became the name of the business. The Allwood Lime Company began in 1913 by Miss Mary E. Squire and Dr. Jessie Carpenter of Chicago.

The month of March celebrates the contributions women have made throughout history in science, politics, law, sports, the arts, entertainment, and many other fields. While figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, and Rosie the Riveter are often associated with Women's History Month, there are countless extraordinary women who have earned their place at the table and have made Manitowoc County what it is today.

Situated on Lake Michigan’s shoreline is Point Beach State Forest. This forest serves as a recreational haven and one of the state’s best examples of ridge and swale topography. Most would assume that Wisconsin’s state parks were all established to conserve and preserve our state’s natural beauty. However, in many cases, parks were also created to draw tourists into a community. This was the case in the establishment of Point Beach State Forest.

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.

In passing through Branch today, there are few buildings that remain from the village’s heyday. One such building is the community’s General Store and Hotel, standing tall along Village Drive, just north of Highway 10.

The Shaffer and Meisnest General Store and Hotel opened its doors in 1905. Frank Shaffer already operated a small store and tavern located on the east side of the river. He also built a dance hall north of the tavern. When Shaffer decided to expand his operations nearly 100 years ago, he asked his son-in-law, Frank Meisnest, to be his partner.

Following the conclusion of World War I it was difficult for the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company to acquire contracts for the construction of new ships. To keep the shops busy and thousands of workers employed, the company made modifications to their shops to allow for locomotive and car repair. Charles West was a true business leader and approached railroad companies to gauge the potential acquisition of this new business line. A number of Chicago-based rail lines and lumber companies in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota were on board. With this new business opportunity, there was enough repair of locomotives and rolling stock to keep the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company’s shops and employees busy for three years.