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Whitbeck, R. H., 1871-1939 (Ray Hughes) / The geography and economic development of southeastern Wisconsin
(1921)
Chapter IX. Walworth County, pp. 212-228
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Page 212
0 212 GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCOZ'S N CHAPTER IX' WALWORTH COUNTY The present Walworth County was included in Milwaukee County until 1836, and in Racine County until 1839. It is four townships square and has an area of 562 square miles'. Each of the 16 townships is supposed to be 6 miles square and to have an area of 36 square miles; this would make the area of the county 576 square miles, or 14 more than the actual arca. When the first settlers came in 1835, the region was one of alternating prairies and oak openings. The larger prairies are shown in Fig. 11; many smaller ones are not shown. It is said that the oak openings were "as free from underbrush as an orchard". The first settlers selected their claims so as to include both prairie and woodland. The prairies received definite names, many of which are still used, as: Round prairie, Heart prairie, Meacham's prairie, Elkhorn prairie, Geneva prairie, Spring prairie, Gardner's prairie, Turtle prairic, and Sugar Creek prairie. The most important Indian village in the county was at the head of what is now Lake Geneva, then called Bigfoot Lake. The village was called Bigfoot, for it was the residence of the Potawatomie-chief, Bigfoot, and consisted of some sixty fami- lies. The stolid chief and his followers were required to leave their village and hunting grounds in 1836, for the I.'otawato- mies had ceded their lands to the U. S. Govermnent and had agreed to removal across the Mississippi. Settlers came in with a rush during 1836, and settlements soon grew up at Geneva, Spring Prairie, Delavan, Troy, and East Troy, though some of the places bore different names at the beginning. Spring Prairie was the most important of these early settlements. In the fall of 1836, there were 35 fam- ilies in the county. Game was exceedingly abundant and formed a valuable item of food. One settler at Troy is re- ported to have shot 98 deer during the winter of 1838-39. In 1836 the nearest post office was at Racine; in 1837, one was es- U. S. Census. , I I . I I :i -.- -_ I........ __ -_ __ -_ -_ __ I i I I t I -i I f. . 11 s - trl, I ! i 1. I " 1', , 4 . 21 OC&LA L'11"t, t, %J wjv.... 0 _,. -0 .- -_ - an orchard". The first settlers selected their claims so as to include both prairie and woodland. . The prairies received definite names, many of which are still -used, as: Round prairie, Heart prairie, Meacham's prairie, Elkhorn prairie, Geneva prairie, Spring prairie, Gardner's prairie, Turtle prairic., and Sugar Creek prairie. The most important Indian village in the county -%ras at the 1jead of what is now Lake Geneva, then called Bigfoot Lake. The village was called Bigfoot, for it was the residence of the Potawatomie -chief, Bigfoot, and consisted of some sixty fami- lies. The stolid chief and his followers were requi-Ifed to le-Ave their village and hunting grounds in 1936, for the Potawato- mies had ceded their lands to the U. S. Govermnent and had -agreed to removal across the Mississippi. Settlers came in with a rush during 1836, and settlements soon grew up at Geneva, Spring Prairie, Delavan, Troy, and East Troy, though some of the places bore different names at the beginning. Spring Prairie was the mos t important of these early settlements. In the fall of 1836, there were 35 fam- ilies in the county. Game was exceedingly abmidwit and formed a valuable item of food. One settler at Troy is re- ported to have shot 98 deer during the winter of 1838-39 . in 1836 the nearest post office was at Racine; in 1837, one was es- 'U. S. Census. "41 ' U. S. Census. "'ka., !i 1. I " 1c
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