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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Watertown-Portland Plank Road
The
building of roads to open the country for settlement and military purposes was
one of the first concerns of the settlers and the government. Following old Indian trails, a Milwaukee-Watertown wagon road was
constructed in 1837.
1852
04 14 The
Watertown and Milwaukee Plank Road Company has declared another dividend of 3
per cent, making 10 per cent since the first of January. Think of this, ye who_?_
40 per cent annually for the use of your money; and then act like wise men -
purchase stock in the Watertown, Hubbleville, Portland
and Waterloo road. WC
1854
11 16 Meeting
of the City Council, November 13th, 1854... Resolved, That the Street
Commissioners of the 3rd and 4th wards be, and they are hereby authorized and
directed to procure 8000 feet oak plank, for the purpose of finishing up the
Plank Road, on West Avenue Street to where the Watertown and Portland Plank
Road commences, and that the expenses of the same be paid out of the City
General Fund. WD
1861
10 25 Needs
Mending —We don’t know of anything whose ways need mending more than the road
between this place and Hubbleton. Since the Plank Road Co. abandoned it, it has
grown “no better very fast,” until now it is next to impossible to drive over
it for at least half the distance, at a rate of speed faster than a walk. It ought to be someone’s business to see to it
and have it repaired at once. Watertown
is losing money every day that it remains in its present condition, for much
trade that would naturally come here, now goes elsewhere because it can’t get
to Watertown if it wants to. We ought to
get ten times the wheat from that direction that we do, but so long as that
road remains as it is now, no additions to the quantity received at present
need to be looked for. Watertown Republican, 10 25 1861
1863
09 17 Ald.
McHugh presented the following report:
The Committee on Streets and Bridges, to which was referred the
resolution to locate West Avenue [West Main St.] to the city limits would
respectfully report that they have examined said street and find it is not
advisable to make any change for the present as it would be too much expense on
the wards and Plank Road Co. has abandoned said road for a public highway. Your committee is of the opinion it is
sufficient to accommodate the public for the present.
Ald. McHugh introduced the following
resolution: Resolved, that the Marshall
is hereby directed within five days from the passage of this resolution, to
remove all obstructions on West Avenue and Watertown & Portland Plank Road
within the city limits. Adopted. Common Council Proceedings. WD
1908
RECOLLECTIONS
Derived from a manuscript as compiled by James A. Sheridan and
published in weekly installments in the Waterloo Democrat from March 13,
1908 to December 4, 1908.
It will be noted that as early as 1850 the
foundation of a prosperous village was laid.
The location of Portland village was on the line of the Milwaukee and
Watertown Plank Road whose promoters talked of extending it to Madison. This of itself attracted tradesmen and
merchants. This highway was planked to Portland about 1852. It caused the building of a bridge at Hubbleton, which placed Portland on the nearest road to
Watertown and Milwaukee for the occupants of the territory to the west. Up to that time they went to Watertown by way
of Milford and to Milwaukee by way of Whitewater. A heavy traffic made up of farmers going to
and from Watertown and Milwaukee set in and resulted in giving Portland village
a great boom. The mail then came by
stage line from Watertown.
. . . . . Scores of travelers put up at
Portland every night which brought business to all the tradesmen and
merchants. Mrs. Zimmerly
writes: "I remember of seeing
twenty teams driven in to put up for the night.
They were on their way to Milwaukee with grain". The first toll gate on the road was at
Portland and was presided over by a Mr. Adsit whose
daughter became Mrs. John Bell, now of Grand Rapids, Wis.
. . . . . The " Plank Road " was
destined to be rendered profitless by the railways whose construction was begun
about that date in Wisconsin.
. . . . . . The Kimballs settled in eastern
Portland. Jedediah located on Section
35, where he lived for a number of years. He and his brother, Hannibal, built quite a
portion of the Plank Road between Portland and Hubbleton,
I think in the year 1851. The plank was
sawed by Mr. George Bleecker at the old steam mill that was located at Hubbleton.
. . . . . . "In 1850, Mr. Campbell
bought from the government forty acres of land one mile north of Portland on
which he built a house and moved his family there where they resided six
years. At this time,
all the road between Portland and the farm was an Indian trail". "After selling the forty acres, he
bought eighty acres of his father lying across the road where he again built a
commodious dwelling bringing all supplies, also carpenters, masons and
painters, from Watertown ".
"My father and grandfather, with other men, blazed the trees for
the line for the " Plank Road to Watertown from Portland ". After a few days hard work, the men were able
to follow the trail on horseback to superintend the surveying. After long and weary months, teams were able
to get through with light loads. With
this means of communication between Portland and Watertown ,
prosperity sprang up not only for the towns but lands were taken up along the
road and made into farms. Soon Hubbleton sprang into existence and became a lively saw mill
town. A substantial bridge was also
built at Hubbleton over the Crawfish River "
1931
01 11 CAPITAL
TIMES OF 01 11 1931
Enterprising newcomers [to Hubbleton] had cut a swath through the woods west of
Watertown through Hubbleton and to Waterloo.
The land was very wet and felled trees were
later split and laid across the road, which was known as the plank road.
With a yoke of oxen and a lumber wagon the
mud and water of the marshes came clear up to the wagon box at times as the
doughty oxen plodded their way through the mess which could not under the
wildest stretch of the imagination be dignified, with the name of a road.
After the plank road was built, there were
places where the planks would be quite far apart. One such famous place between Hubbleton and Watertown was almost sure to get a wagon wheel
so far sunk into the mud that a strong rail had to be employed to pry it up
again before the traveler could proceed. But people were considerate in those days. Each traveler would carefully set up the rail along the road so
that the next victim could also make use of it.
Cross References:
WATERTOWN PLANK ROAD, east
to Milwaukee
No
1: Daniel Jones was one of the originators of
the Plank Road, between Portland and Oconomowoc, and it was a good investment until the railroads came through. They ruined the business and I lost what I
had in the enterprise.
No
2: 1871 note on road condition: On the Watertown road but it is quite sticky.
No
3: Mud Tavern hostelry on Watertown-Portland
Plank Road
No. 4: 1998, Covered wagons
once again rumbling down the old Watertown Plank Road.
HL to and from W
Plank Road html
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin