- Profile
- Images
Location: Coloma, Waushara, Wisconsin, United States
Contents |
Coloma, Wisconsin One Place Study
- Wikidata: Item #, en:Wikipedia
- WikiTree Profiles that link here
Name
Coloma, Wisconsin
Geography
- Continent: North America
- Country: United States
- State/Province: Wisconsin
- County: Waushara
- GPS Coordinates: 44.026389,-89.533889
- Elevation:
History
It is likely that both Menominee and Winnebago Indians lived in Coloma Township prior to European-heritage people moving into the area. Indian mounds were located on the southwest corner of Pleasant Lake, a small lake at the southwestern edge of Coloma Township. (The mounds were visually noticeable as late as the 1950s but have since been destroyed with development and the building of homes in the area.)[1] These pre-contact earthworks were built by Late Woodland peoples, possibly between the years 750-1200. [2] Ho-Chunk, previously called Winnebago, peoples claim that they built mounds [3] and presumably these were built by them in southwestern Coloma Township.
In 1849 the Menomonee agreed to a treaty which gave the government most of the land in Waushara County. Waushara County, including Coloma Township, was created from Marquette County in 1851. While land was officially opened for settlement in 1852 [4] John Drake came to Coloma in 1849 as did (first name?) Stowe and his wife. Stowe is said to have erected its first building in 1849. Soon Charles White moved to the new settlement which came to be named Ross Corners after its early postmaster. The name was changed to Coloma after two men seeking gold in Coloma, California, came to the area. Elias Follett came first to Richford township and subsequently moved to Ross Corners which soon changed its name to Coloma. Around this time J.W Smith had the sawmill, T.B Smith had the hotel. J.F. Spaulding, W.T. Bishop, and Elias Follett are mentioned in regards general stores. In the 1876 tracks were laid for a railroad being built to travel between Portage and Stevens Point. Rather than going through Coloma it was four miles to the to its southeast. Since the Wisconsin Central Railway Company "missed" Coloma, a second settlement, Coloma Station, quickly developed adjacent to the train tracks. Soon the post office was moved to Coloma Station and businesses apparently thrived near the railroad. Coloma Station became Coloma, as the older Coloma was no longer the focus of business in the area and, thus, it came this older settlement was referred to as Coloma Corners.
Vilas Follett (1861-1953) published a small newspaper, the Coloma Free Press, between1998-1905. From this we have the names of most of the business men and their businesses at Coloma Station. H.W Gibbs had the "blacksmith shop east of the hotel". [5]; Vilas Follett was the "Buyer of all kinds of Farm Produce at the Brick and Iron Warehouse."[6]; John Robison opened a shop in Schmudlach's building where he "would make you a new harness or repair your old one...." [7]; "Mr Hanks, our jeweler, says business in his line is improving" (Nov 19, 1898); " It was noted that Scott Runnels' "hardware store heretofore [was] conducted under the firm name S.C. Runnels & Co." [8]; John Littleman had the meatmarket [9]; F.J. Luce & Co. advertised fur coats, blankets, coats. W.J. Durham was the dealer of "All kinds of Lumber, sash,...everything in the line of Building Material"; Frank Ploetz and Will Hopper are mentioned, as was the dentist Dr Barbour who took appointments in Coloma Station on a regular basis. Potatoes and rye were major field crops and were shipped out from Coloma Station on the Wisconsin Central Railway Company. Merchandise came to Coloma Station by train. (To be continued, 1900-1950)
Population
The population of Coloma Village in 2016 was 450 people.
Notables
Sources
- ↑ Personal knowledge of Barbara Follett Schweger.
- ↑ Fox, George A. and C. Tagatz. Indian Remains in Waushara County. Milwaukee, WI: Wisconsin Archaeological Society, 1916. Volume I5, No. 3, October 1916.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Ho-Chunk," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ho-Chunk&oldid=1132492844 (accessed February 24, 2023).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Waushara County, Wisconsin," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waushara_County,_Wisconsin&oldid=1115064726 (accessed February 24, 2023).
- ↑ Coloma Free Press. Nov 26, 1898 in collection of Barbara Follett Schweger.
- ↑ Coloma Free Press. Dec 3, 1898. in collection of Barbara Follett Schweger.
- ↑ Coloma Free Press. Nov 19, 1898. in collection of Barbara Follett Schweger.
- ↑ Coloma Free Press. Dec 31, 1898. in collection of Barbara Follett Schweger.
- ↑ Coloma Free Press. Feb 11, 1899. in collection of Barbara Follett Schweger.
- Login to edit this profile and add images.
- Private Messages: Contact the Profile Managers privately: Culley Schweger Bell, One Place Studies Project WikiTree, and Barbara Schweger. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
- Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)