Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:
"Trempealeau County" by Clarence J. Gamroth:
Volume 1A:
Miscellaneous: Trempealeau River Steamboat Line
by Luke Roskos, 1947
This story was told by Albert Bautch who lives in the city of Independence, Wisconsin. He was 88 years old in January 13, 1897.
In 1860, the government donated a sum of land to the Fox Brothers of Massachusetts who were to build bridges around here, to help people to get from place to place and to help transport their goods. As there weren't many farmers here, these bridges and the selling of Wis. land at $1.25 an acre made people com from places all over the United States, especially Massachusetts where the Fox Brothers had relations and friends. Here the people began farming. The bridges to be built were 3 in number; one in Glencoe (near Arcadia), another in Sherwood, and another near Arcadia which is called the "Three Mile Bridge."
The river (Trempealeau) at this time was wider, deeper, and about two thirds larger than now.
At this time the St. Louis Navigational Company had a steamboat line which ran up the Mississippi River and came up the Trempealeau River and this made it so that the bridge had to be taken down so the boat could go through.
The farmers and the people of this territory protested. They wanted the bridges to be rebuilt as the boat moved out. In a couple of years later, the St. Louis Navigational Company had to discontinue this line and the bridges were rebuilt. The steamboat went through here about 1866.
"Trempealeau County" by Clarence J. Gamroth:
Volume 1A:
Miscellaneous: Trempealeau River Steamboat Line
by Luke Roskos, 1947
This story was told by Albert Bautch who lives in the city of Independence, Wisconsin. He was 88 years old in January 13, 1897.
In 1860, the government donated a sum of land to the Fox Brothers of Massachusetts who were to build bridges around here, to help people to get from place to place and to help transport their goods. As there weren't many farmers here, these bridges and the selling of Wis. land at $1.25 an acre made people com from places all over the United States, especially Massachusetts where the Fox Brothers had relations and friends. Here the people began farming. The bridges to be built were 3 in number; one in Glencoe (near Arcadia), another in Sherwood, and another near Arcadia which is called the "Three Mile Bridge."
The river (Trempealeau) at this time was wider, deeper, and about two thirds larger than now.
At this time the St. Louis Navigational Company had a steamboat line which ran up the Mississippi River and came up the Trempealeau River and this made it so that the bridge had to be taken down so the boat could go through.
The farmers and the people of this territory protested. They wanted the bridges to be rebuilt as the boat moved out. In a couple of years later, the St. Louis Navigational Company had to discontinue this line and the bridges were rebuilt. The steamboat went through here about 1866.