by Steve Tesmer | Apr 21, 2012 | Historic People
Date in History: 1861-64 In 1861, young Jeremiah Swart left his parent’s farm on the shores of Lake Koshkonong to join Company A of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry. He never returned home. Below are excerpts from five letters that he wrote to his parents, Martin and Amanda...
by Steve Tesmer | Apr 21, 2012 | Historic People
Date in History: 1913 – 1984 In 2004, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the death of former Curator Hannah Swart, the Fort Atkinson reprinted some excerpts from the remarks made by Hugh Highsmith at a memorial service in her honor on July 30th, 1984. t is my...
by Steve Tesmer | Apr 21, 2012 | Historic People
Date in History: 1875-1911 Professional baseball player Billy Sullivan was born in Oakland Township in 1875 just a few miles west of Fort Atkinson. He grew up on a farm, worked in a creamery and spent summers playing baseball for local amateur teams. In 1899 he broke...
by Steve Tesmer | Apr 21, 2012 | Historic People
Date in History: 1908 In 1906 a young teacher from Albion named Arlow Stout set out to make a comprehensive survey of the Indian mounds and village sites around Lake Koshkonong. To assist him, he enlisted the help of Halvor Skavlem, an older man who had lived his...
by Steve Tesmer | Apr 21, 2012 | Historic People
Date in History: 1883 – 1921 When German-born William Spaeth came to Fort Atkinson in 1883, he immediately began brewing beer, first on the north side of the river near the railroad bridge, and then, in 1886 he began City Brewery on South Water Street just west...
by Steve Tesmer | Apr 21, 2012 | Historic People
Date in History: 1898 to present This past August, the Army National Guard unit stationed in Fort Atkinson was given a heartfelt sendoff by the citizens of Jefferson County. Unfortunately this was not the first war that called the young men of Fort Atkinson to foreign...
