As a colonizer of the cut-over region, banker, and manufacturer, Kim Rosholt made a mark on the economic life of northern Wisconsin. He was born of Norwegian immigrant parents on December 27, 1864, in the town of Scandinavia, Waupaca County. After studying law in the office of a Waupaca attorney he entered the land business, first in St. Paul, Minnesota and by 1889 in Thorp, Clark County. Sometime late in 1890 or early in 1891 he moved to Eau Claire and in May 1891 he greatly expanded his colonization activities by securing an option on a large tract of Barron County land owned by Knapp, Stout, and Company of Menomonie. Subsequently he entered similar agreements with the North Western Lumber Company and the Stirling Lumber Company both of Eau Claire, and others. Most of Rosholt's holdings were in the counties of Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, and Dunn, although he also had some dealings in other northern Wisconsin counties as well.
In addition to selling the lands himself, Rosholt subcontracted with agents including O. H. Osmundsen of the Northern Pacific Land Agency and the North Wisconsin Land Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Prokop Plecity of Haugen in Barron County to sell lands optioned to him. Substantial efforts were directed toward attracting recent immigrants to settle the cut-over lands. Rosholt advertised in many foreign language newspapers including some in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Chicago and Moline, Illinois, Minneapolis, and Omaha, Nebraska. The letterhead on his business stationery proclaimed that letters could be answered and maps and literature provided in eight different languages (English, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Polish, Bohemian, and Finnish). In addition, he had agreements with the Wisconsin Central Railroad and the Omaha Road whereby land seekers could purchase tickets at half price on Rosholt's authorization. About 1900 Rosholt acquired large land holdings in Houston County, Tennessee which he promoted for fruit growing.
Closely related to his land sales activities were his interests in various banks and lumber companies. He helped organize banks at Chetek, Fall Creek, and Waupaca, and was involved in the formation of the Union National Bank, the Union Savings Bank, and the Union Mortgage Loan Company in Eau Claire. The Northwestern Iron and Steel Works of Eau Claire and the National Products Company of Pensacola, Florida, a manufacturer of barber and beauty shop supplies were also Rosholt enterprises. Kim Rosholt died in Eau Claire on January 4, 1920.
