Family History Index

Racine, Wisconsin History 1599-1915

We should also look at Racine, Wisconsin for it’s history, to see how people might have lived, industries that developed in the 1800’s. Again this is the time that the Kosterman families were setting in Racine.

KOSTERMAN-MAJOR MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS – Racine, Wisconsin- 1871 Sources: Industy and Business, by Richard H. Keehn pp. 285 Harry Joseph Herzog. “The Economic History of Racine – 1836 to the Present Date” (B.A. thesis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1916), pp. 29-30, Herzog sited the Racine Advocate, 29 April 1871.

Kosterman & Coopers was listed as one of the major manufacturers in the City of Racine.

Table 3 CITY OF RACINE MAJOR MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS - 1871

Company Product Employees Sales J.I. Case Threshing Machine Threshing Machines 280 $800,000 Elliot & Witheral Baskets 180 $100,000 Mitchell & Lewis Wagon Wagons 165 $450,000 Fish Brothers Wagons 125 $380,000 T. M. Geiser Threshing Machines 100 $204,000 Tremble Doud Lumber 80 $ 50,000 Blake Woolen Goods 75 $125,000 Bates & Hoag Lumber 60 $ 25,000 Thomas Driver & Son Blinds, sash, doors 50 $ 30,000 Vaughn & Williams Lime & Stone 40 $ 41,500 M. M. Secor Trunks 33 $ 40,000 J. A. Horlick & Sons Lime and stone 30 $ 33,500 S. Freeman Boilers 23 --- J. Beck Boots and shoes 20 $ 50,000 Kosterman & Coopers Barrels 20 $ 26,000 E. B. Winship Pumps 15 $ 40,000 Blake & Elliot Fanning mills 15 $ 45,000 E. P. Dickey Fanning mills 15 $ 16,000 B. Richard Boots and shoes 12 $ 12,000 D. Bull Fanning mills 10 $ 25,000 W. A. Porter Cabinets 10 $ 25,000 Moon & Sands Blinds, sash, doors --- $ 75,000 Tanners Wells F. Platt & Sons J. K. Sherman $125,000 C. Lange

VOLUME II Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

FANNY S. STONE Supervising Editor CHICAGO: THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1916 Contributed by Diane Kaye

HORLICK MALTED MILK COMPANY

The name of no productive industry of the United States is perhaps more widely known than that of the Horlick Malted Milk Company, the business of which has developed until it reaches into all parts of the civilized world. The company was organized in 1875 and was incorporated in 1878 as the Horlick Food Company by William and James Horlick, brothers who established their plant in the outskirts of Racine, in Mount Pleasant township. They began to manufacture a product known as Horlick's Food, which was a prepared food for infants and invalids and the aged to be added to milk to modify and enrich it. Their sales at that time covered only Chicago and vicinity. William Horlick, however, realized the great disadvantage of all foods for infants that required the addition of fresh milk, owing to the difficulty of obtaining fresh milk and keeping it so. He therefore began experimenting with the purpose of producing a pure food product containing an adequate proportion of pure, rich milk --a food that would be complete in itself, that would keep indefinitely in any climate and would be free from all the dangers arising from the use of milk that is impure, adulterated, laden with disease germs or in any way ren-dered unfit for use. Moreover, he desired that this food should be not only absolutely safe but very nourishing and easily digested by the most delicate infant or invalid, while it should contain at the same time all the elements of nutrition. In carrying on the work of experimenta-tion Mr. Horlick met with many disappointments and leading chemists claimed that it was both a chemical and mechanical impossibility to perfect such a food, advising him to abandon the idea. He never faltered in his purpose, however, notwithstanding his heavy losses of time and expense, and at the end of six years, or in 1887, he produced for the first time in the world's history a food product in powder form containing clean, rich milk combined with extract of malted barley and wheat that would keep indefinitely. The value of such a product was at once apparent and the business grew by leaps and bounds, so that it was difficult to make the supply meet the demand. A program of building was instituted. New buildings were added from time to time of reinforced concrete construction and the plant today covers an area of fifteen acres. In 1902 plant no. 2 was built, being a duplicate of plant no. 1, and in 1905 plant no. 3 came into existence, a triplicate of the others, but subject to enlargement. Since then the old buildings have been all rebuilt in concrete and steel. All rooms are large and well lighted and there is perfect fire protection. Sanitation and cleanliness are among the basic elements of the business. There is a forced system of ventilation throughout the plant, the air being washed by sprays of water.

To maintain such a plant necessitated the employment of a large force of people and in developing the plant the company has shown marked consideration for the welfare of employes. There are three rest rooms for the girls and a library for the service of the employes. They maintain an athletic association and there is a whist club and a cricket club for employes and also an employes’ beneficial association. On the pay roll are found three hundred and fifty names. The department of agriculture of the State University at Madison says that the standard of dairying in this part of Wisconsin has been raised very largely owing to the rules of the Horlick factory in regard to the production of good, clean milk and the example furnished therein. Nearly every city in the United States has asked for a copy of the rules of this plant for the production and care of pure milk and these rules have constituted the basis for much municipal legislation in regard to the milk supply of cities. William Horlick owns personally several farms upon which are several hundred head of cows and he also buys milk from one hundred and fifty farmers. In 1915 the company erected a new milk house which is one of the finest in the country.

Copyright © 2005 - Thomas A. Tryber III All rights reserved October 5, 2005 The process employed in the manufacture of the food consists in boiling the milk in a vacuum, which enables them to boil it without heating above one hundred and forty degrees, for milk "cooks" at one hundred and fifty-six degrees. This results, therefore, in removing all the water without cooking. The company has a plant at Slough, England, equal to the no. 2 plant of Racine, and supplies from that point Europe, Africa and a part of India. The trade today covers the entire world, shipments leaving for all parts of the world every week. Every Arctic explorer for the past twenty years has carried a supply of Horlick’s malted milk in powder and lunch tablet form, for it supplies more nutrition to the bulk then any other food and people have lived many years with no other sustenance. It is standard with all the armies of the world and is regarded as an indispensable accessory on all exploration or camping trips.

In 1889 James Horlick went to New York, where he established a branch, and in 1890 opened the English branch and since that time has been in charge of the English plant. He is the president of the company. William Horlick has been managing director of the home plant and has always lived in Racine. He is the secretary and treasurer of the company and his two sons are actively associated with him, the elder A. J., being vice president of the company, with William J. Horlick, Jr., as secretary. There is no other enterprise that has made Racine as well known throughout the world as this product, today used in every civilized country on the face of the globe.

THE CARROLL COAL COMPANY

The Carroll Coal company, one of the foremost enterprises of this character operating in Racine, was organized on the 1st of may, 1910, succeeding to the business of Joseph C. Carroll, who in turn was the successor of the firm of E. L. Hedstrom & Company, who about 1886 embarked in the coal, coke and wood business. The enterprise has since had continuous existence and the trade has developed to large proportions. The present officers of the Carroll company are: Fred C. Best, president; Douglas F. McKey, secretary, and George E. Caystile, treasurer and manager. The yards and main office are situated at 931 Erie street, with a branch office at No. 423 Main street. The yards cover about seventeen city lots. The company owns it dockage, receiving all hard coal by boat, and other excellent shipping facilities are secured through trackage of the Northwestern and St. Paul railroad companies. They employ from fifteen to thirty-five men and have team delivery. Their business has now reached extensive proportions, making theirs one of the foremost commercial enterprises of the city.

RACINE TRUNK COMPANY

Among the large manufacturing enterprises of Racine which have brought the city to its present position of distinction as a great industrial and commercial center is the Racine Trunk Company, which has passed through an era of prosperous existence covering thirty-one years. The company was organized April 1, 1885, by J. F., T. C., and H. O. Wadewitz together with A. B. Augustine. The business was carried on under firm organization until 1895, when it was incorporated with J. F. Wadwidz as president, T. C. Wadwidz as vice president and Herman O. Wadwidz as secretary and treasurer. No change has occurred since save that Miss M. A. Wadwitz has succeeded T. C. Wadwitz in the vice presidency, the later having sold out in 1901. The business was begun with a force of three or four workmen, the factory being established at No. 1007 Superior street in a building forty by eighty feet. Since that time they have added four buildings and now have a plant two hundred and eighty by eighty feet, three and four stories in height and of brick construction. The plant is operated with steam power and they manufacture trunks, traveling bags and wood novelties of all kinds. Something of the continued growth of the business is indicated in the fact that they have now sixty employes, most of whom are skilled workmen, and they are also represented upon the road by six or seven traveling salesmen. They sell to dealers and the product goes to all parts of the United States, their business now amounting to about two hundred thousand dollars annually.

The Racine Woolen Manufacturing Company was organized to take over a business that was founded in 18963 by L. S. Blake and John S. Hart and was conducted under the name of Blake & Company at Bridge and Ontario streets. They started business on a small scale in a little building, but the trade steadily grew and in 1877 the business was incorporated with L. S. Blake as the president, John S. Hart as treasurer, James J. Elliott and A. W. Tillapaugh as stockholders and directors. At that time the plant was known as a two set mill, having about fifteen looms. Afterward the business was incorporated under the name of the Racine Woolen Mills, Blake & company as proprietors. The company originally made shawls and blankets and in later years extended the scope of their output to include cloth for clothing. Their shawls were sent out under the name of the Badger State shawls, which became famous, being recognized as a standard of manufacture for the United States, their sales extending throughout the entire country. Various changes have occurred as the business has developed, not only in the goods manufactured but also in the processes used. Today their output includes Indian shawls and blankets and they have become the largest manufacturers of this line in the country, selling to all Indian traders throughout the United states. The factory covers forty-five thousand square feet of floor space and in normal times they employ about one hundred and fifty people. They handle exclusive lines that cannot be duplicated elsewhere and their goods include a large variety of designs and patterns brought out in the most attractive colors and most durable materials.

Mr. Blake remained president of the company until his death, which occurred in 1894, when he was succeeded by L. J. Elliott, who continued as president until 1911. John S. Hart was treasurer until 1895, when he was succeeded by his son Sands M. Hart, who occupied the office until 1911. In 1912 the business was reorganized, with Sands M. Hart as president, associated with his two sons, H. H. Hart, treasurer; and John S. Hart, secretary. With the death of Sands m. Hart on the 23rd of December, 1915, H. H. Hart became the president, with John S. Hart as secretary and treasurer. The Hart family have taken over all of the stock of the company and are active in the management of a business which has become one of the leading manufacturing interests of Racine.

ST. ROSE CATHOLIC CHURCH

St. Rose Catholic church, of which Rev. John M. Naughtin is now pastor, was established October 6, 1885, when the corner stone was laid, and the church was dedicated January 31, 1886.

This was regarded only as a temporary structure, however, and the growth of the congregation soon led to a demand for a larger church. The corner stone of the present edifice was laid may 24, 1903, and the church was dedicated February 14, 1904. It is an excellent structure, well appointed and beautifully adorned, and the work of the church has been carefully organized through its various societies and steady progress is being made.

S. C. JOHNSON & SON

S. C. Johnson & Son is the firm under which is conducted one of the important manufacturing enterprises of Racine. The buisness was established in 1882 by S. C. Johnson, who began the manufacture of hard wood flooring. Gradually, however, the trade was developed along another line and the company now concentrates its energies upon the manufacture of wood finishes, one of the chief products being Johnson's Prepared Wax, which is sold through jobbers throughout the entire world. Such was the value of the output that the trade steadily grew, covering not only America but every section of the globe., and today the company has its own office in London, England and Sidney, Austailia. In the Racine plant they employ two hundred people. The plant is equipped with automatic machinery and with a sprinkler system. The buildings are all of modern construction and the factory is adequate to every demand in its equipment and in its capacity. Theirs is today the largest establishment of the kind in the world, its output being five million pounds of wax per year.

The S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company, one of the foremost business enterprises of Racine, was established in 1867 by S. Freeman, who in a small way began manufacturing and repairing boilers. A few months later he entered into partnership with William E. Davis and opened a little machine shop. In 1868 they admitted John R. Davies to a partnership, at which time Mr. Davies was operating a foundry in the old Star mills, located where the William Pugh coal yards are now found. At that time the firm name was Davies, Freeman & Davis. After a brief existence the new undertaking faced failure. In the fall of 1869 Mr. Freeman again established business on Bridge street, where he opened a machine shop and foundry and conducted a small boiler shop. He became engaged in the manufacturer of grey iron castings in connection with his work of boiler making. In 1871 the firm of J. I. Case & Company began the manufacture of boilers and engines for threshing machines and Mr. Freeman took a contract to build the boilers. This business became a very large and profitable enterprise and he continued to manufacture boilers for the company throughout his remaining days. In 1875 he also began the manufacture of a fanning mill, patented by G. E. Clark, and gradually added other implements until the output now includes a large line of farm implements and machinery. In 1886 the business was incorporated under the name of the S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company, with S. Freeman as the president, Charles Freeman as secretary and Michael N. Freeman as treasurer. The first factory was on Bridge street, near the plant of the Case Company, and in 1894 they built a boiler plant at the foot of Reichart Court, facing Hamilton street on the north. In 1895 the entire plant was removed to the present location, where the company has six acres of land. The buildings cover three acres and some of the buildings are two and three stories in height and are of brick and steel construction and equipped throughout with a sprinkler system. The company has its own electric plant, also a hydraulic and pneumatic power system and the plant uses machinery of three hundred and fifty horse power. They employ three hundred men, mostly skilled labor, and their product is today sold all over the world. They manufacture boilers, both power and heating, of the tubular type, also boilers internally fired and of the water tube type. Their product includes all kinds of steel pipe, smokestacks, ensilage cutters and carriers, corn shellers, steel windmills and towers, fanning mills and broadcast seeders.

T. DRIVER & SONS MANUFACTURING COMPANY

T. Driver & Sons Manufacturing Company is one of the old established industrial enterprises of Racine, business having been begun in 1867 by Thomas Driver, as a sash and door manufacturer. At that time he bought out Lucas Bradley, who had established the business in the ‘40s and who was then located at Sixth and Campbell streets. When Mr. Driver took charge he used every energy toward the further development of the trade and success was crowning his undertakings when, on the 17th of January, 1870, his plant was destroyed by fire. Although he suffered considerable loss, he met the situation courageously and rebuilt his mill at No. 212 East Second, now State street. The plant consists of two buildings; one seventy by seventy feet and three stories in height; the other one hundred by one hundred and thirty feet and two stories in height. For the second the company sucered a disastrous loss through fire, when the plant burned in 1896, but again it was rebuilt. After purchasing the business from Lucas Bradley, Thomas Driver had continued alone for a few years, but in 1875 was joined by his son, at which time the business was reorganized under the firm name Thomas Driver & Son. Still later a further reorganization occurred and the firm name Thomas Driver & Sons Manufacturing Company was assumed, for at that time not only John was his partner, but three other sons, Andrew, Charlie and S. M. Driver were taken into the company. The business was incorporated in 1884. The father continued at the head of the undertaking until his death, at which time J. C. Driver was made president with John M. Driver as secretary and treasurer and S. M. Driver, superintendent. There was no further change of the officers until June, 1915, when S. M. Driver bought out the interests of his brothers, and is now president of the company with Clara Driver as secretary and treasurer. They manufacture a full line of sash, doors, stairs, cupboards and in fact many things in woodenware and employ on an average of from fifty to sixty men. The work done is of excellent character and the product finds a ready sale on the market, while the reputation of the house for commercial integrity as well as enterprise has always been an unassailable one.

Copyright © 2005 - Thomas A. Tryber III All rights reserved October 5, 2005 RACINE TIME LINE TID-BITS OF HISTORY 1699 – 1899 Copyright © 2000 by Oak Clearing Farm & Museum - All Rights Reserved Copyright © Images – Oak Clearing Museum Archives http://www.racinehistory.com/celebrate.htm

Firsts & Landmarks All illustrations are from the Oak Clearing Museum Achives

October 10, 1699 a fleet of eight canoes bearing a party of French explorers entered the mouth of Root River. These were the first known white men to visit what is now Racine County. The earliest names for Racine were Indian versions of Root River, "Chippecotton".

November 1834 - Captain Gilbert Knapp accompanied by three men came to the mouth of the Root River, built a hut and made the first settlement in Racine County which he called "Port Gilbert"

The first owners of the original plat were Gilbert Knapp, Gurdon S. Hubbard and Jacob Barker.

The first woman settler in the City of Racine was Sarah Milligan, August ,1835.

The first white woman in Racine County Mrs. Elam Beardsley (Caledonia) January 1835.

The first white child born in Racine County was Emma Cary, August 31,1835 the daughter of B.B. Cary.

The first white boy born in Racine was Henry Meyers, son of J.M. Meyers.

The first hotel was built on Main Street near Third in 1835 by John Pagan.

The first general store was operated by Glen & Mason.

The first shoemaker was Samuel Lane.

The first blacksmith was William Chamberlain.

The first saw mill in area was built by William See, at the Root River rapids (Horlick’s Dam ) in 1835.

The first brick mason was Ira Dean.

The first physician was Bushnell B. Cary

Racine was first laid out in lots and blocks in the winter of 1835-36.

The first brick maker was Benjamin Pratt in 1836.

The first Methodist minister stationed here was Samuel Pillsbury in 1836.

The first Presbyterian pastor was Rev. Cyrus Nichols in 1836.

The first school was started by a Mr. Bradley in 1836.

The first school building was built on the northeast corner of Main and Third Streets.

The first post office in the area was established at the Rapids and was called Root River in 1835.

The first Post master was A.B. Saxton. In 1836 it was moved to Racine and Bushnell B. Cary became postmaster.

The first sermon preached in Racine was by Rev. Mark Robinson in 1835.

The first lawyer was Marshall M. Strong, June, 1836.

December 7, 1836 Governor Henry Dodge approved the act of creating the county of Racine.

December 29, 1836 the first wedding in the City of Racine was celebrated. The contracting parties were Alfred Cary and Mary Knight.

The first Church built in Racine was the First Methodist in 1837.

The first large hotel was the Racine House built in 1837.

April 4, 1837 the first election of county officers was held in the County of Racine.

The first jail was built of logs in 1838.

The first private school was conducted by Mrs. Gilbert Knapp in 1838.

The first bridge was built over Root River at Main Street in 1838. It was carried away by flood waters in 1843.

January 2, 1838 the first civil townships in Racine County were created by an act of the legislature.

January 19, 1838 the Racine & Rock River Railroad Co. incorporated , and was the first chartered railroad company in Racine County.

February 14, 1838 the Racine Argus was the first newspaper printed in Racine County .

The first Danish settler was John Bangs in 1839.

The First Presbyterian Church Was Founded

March, 1839 the first sale of Government lands in Racine County was conducted in Milwaukee. Sale price $1.25 per acre.

Racine's First Courthouse was built on the Public Square in 1839

August, 31, 1839 the first lighthouse in Racine began operation. It stood on the south bluff at the end of Seventh Street. The present site of the Racine Public Library.

February 13, 1841 Racine was incorporated as a village.

The first president of the village was Dr. Elias Smith, 1841.

The first Village election was held April, 1841.

The first Welsh Settlers Arrived in 1841, including Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Davis, Griffith Richard and Thomas Jehu.

The first Norwegian settler was Miss Ann N. Sellem in 1841.

The first Public school was built in 1842 at College Avenue and Seventh Streets.

The first Public schoolteacher was Samuel W. Hill.

Jerome Increase Case built his first thresher in Rochester, Wi. in 1842.

The first German Settler was George Hyde in 1842.

Allen Porter opens a cabinetry shop in 1842.

April 5 , 1842 the first school commission was organized.

The first fire company was organized in 1843.

The first leather tannery owned by S.N. Norris, opened March 3, 1843

The first Circus Nichols & Co. came to town August 11, 1843

The first fire wardens in 1843, were Chester White, Amaziah Stebbins and Elias Smith.

In 1844 the population of Racine was 1,920.

The first foundry was operated by Wilson & Burgess in 1844.

The first cemetery superintendent was Owen Roberts in 1844.

J. I. Case moved his threshing machine business to Racine in 1844.

June 8, 1844 the propeller "Racine" arrived and was honored with a stand of colors by the people of the village.

June 17, 1844 the first steam dredge arrived and began work on the harbor. July 4, 1844 the first celebration of Independence Day was held in the Village of Racine.

July 14, 1844 the first steam ship "Chesapeake" entered the harbor at Racine.

The first Village of Racine bonding experience was for a $5,000.00 harbor improvement in 1844.

The first court house bell was made at Racine Bell Foundry in 1845.

In 1845 a new hotel opened under the title "Congress Hall" (pictured). The building was one of the most exstensive and splendid brick structures in the territory. It was erected by the Hon. Lorenzo Janes and was located at 3rd and Lake Avenues.

April 30, 1846 a charter was issued to the first "Odd Fellows" Lodge in Racine County.

In 1846 Daniel Slauson Built the Federal Style Methodist Parsonage building at 504 Park Avenue.

August 8, 1848 the City of Racine was incorporated.

The first mayor was Reuben M. Norton in 1848.

October 6, 1848 the first meeting of the Racine City Council was held

In 1850, the first city directory of Racine was published by Mark Miller.

The First Plank Road built in State of Wisconsin was built in Racine County, as far as Rochester, WI.- --- According to page 6 of the 1850 Mark Miller directory.

September 27,1851 land was purchased for a "poor farm" to be located in the Town of Yorkville.

The First Presbyterian Church at Seventh Street and College Avenue was built in 1851.

May 5, 1852 the corner stone of the First Racine College buildings was laid.

June 5, 1852 Mound Cemetery was formally dedicated.

The first meeting of the Wisconsin Teachers’ Association was held in Racine in August, 1852.

The first Racine High school was built in 1853.

The first School principal was John G. McMynn in 1853.

November 15, 1853 the first bank in Racine County was chartered the Racine County Bank.

In 1854, the First Congregational Church building 826 State Street was built.

Brewer and Dufrocq opened their doors in Racine. The only pipe and reed organ manufacturer west of New York.

The first railroad built in Racine county was the Racine, Janesville & Mississippi which was completed to Burlington in 1855.

In 1856 Henry S. Durand built the finest Italianate Mansion in Racine located at 1012 South Main. The building now houses the Masonic Temple.

In 1857 the McClurg building, 245 South Main Street, was built in the Italianate style. The building was considered the first fire proof building constructed in the city.

It survived the "great fire" of 1882, which destroyed numerous buildings in north east portion of Racine’s downtown.

December 24, 1857 the first graduating high school class in the State of Wisconsin were ten scholars graduating from Racine High School.

W.A. Porter, son of Allen Porter, relocates and expands Porter's Furniture Store. Which operates still to this day on 6th Street in downtown Racine.

October 18, 1858 the first Racine Police Force was established by the City council.

October 1859 the first train car load of coal was brought to Racine to see if it could be used for fuel.

May 2, 1861 the first Civil War company from Racine, left Camp Randall at Madison.

In 1861 J.I. Case employed 120 men. $1.25 was the average daily wage.

In 1862 St. Catherine's Academy was opened by Mother M. Benedicta and Mother Thomasina, Dominican nuns.

In 1866 St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (pictured) 624 South main street was built in a Victorian Gothic Style.

January 4, 1866 a $150.000. fire destroys property near Fifth and Wisconsin Streets.

In 1866 the first baseball game was played between two teams of the Racine Baseball Club.

In 1867 William In 1868 the Thomas Dingee built the French "Second Jones mansion, 1144 South Main Street Empire" mansion located at 827 Lake was built in the

Avenue. Italianate Style.

October 1, 1867 the first steam fire engine was purchased for the Racine Department.

March 14, 1870 the Racine county Old Settler’s Society was organized.

December 25, 1870 a $50,000 fire destroys the Racine Woolen Mills building

July 17, 1872 the Taylor Orphan Asylum of Racine was opened.

In 1873 Horlicks Food Company was established in Chicago Illinois . The business was known as J. & W. Horlick's Food.

In 1873 the Rev. Dr. James W. Carhart of Racine built the first light self propelled highway vehicle in the United States and probably the first in the world. It was named "Spark" and was driven by a two cylinder engine. Carhart became known as the "Father of Automobiles."

In 1874 the Racine Post Office was located in the Gorton Block at 5th and Main Streets until 1897. The site was later occupied by a succession of banks. It now houses the Racine Art museum (R.A.M.).

Built in 1875 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1533 Erie

Street is another fine example of Victorian Gothic Style.

May 18 1875 James and William Horlick were issued a U.S. patent for thier infant and invalid food.

The original St. Luke’s Hospital building at 1310 College Avenue was built in 1876.

July 4, 1876 the corner stone of the second Racine County Court House was laid.

In 1877 Horlicks Food Company built thier first building in Racine designed especially for the manufacturing of their celebrated " Horlick's Infant & Invalids Food."

February 13, 1877 the First Baptist Church building at Main and Sixth Streets, was destroyed by fire.

In 1880 the Wind Point Light House was constructed. The tower rises 112 feet above the lake.

It said to be the "Oldest and Tallest Lighthouse still standing on the Great Lakes."

In 1880 the Karel Jonas house was built at 1337 Erie Street. Jonas was one of our country's outstanding Bohemian- American Leaders.

In 1882 Racine Fire house Number 1 was built at 1412 Racine Street.

St Mary's Hospital serves its first patient in 1882

May 2, 1882 a great fire destroyed a large northeast section of downtown Racine.

September 4, 1882 plans for a new City Hall were adopted.

May 18,1883 a great tornado passed over the north side of Racine, killing eight people.

------

There are pictures from the Kosterman family showing destruction of their business building. These will be shown in the Kosterman Scrap Book that is being developed.

May 23,1883 the Belle City Street Railway Co. was granted a franchise and the first Racine street railway system began.

June 5, 1883 William Horlick produced and patented the first powered milk in the world. He named his new product "Malted Milk"

July 4, 1884 the Racine "Civil War Soldiers" Monument was dedicated.

The first horse known to hold two world records for trotter and pacer was Jay - Eye - See, owned by Jerome I. Case. The horse won his first

record in 1884.

March 22, 1885 the first meeting of the city council was held in Racine's new city hall building at 3rd and Main Streets. The building was designed by James Chandler.

In 1886 Samuel C. Johnson founded one of Racine's largest industries named Johnsons Wax. This company still flourishes today.

In 1886 Racine's first toboggan slide was built at the west end of Eighth Street on the bank of the Root River.

February 1, 1887 Racine’s first major water works began operation.

The first known Black man to hold public office in Racine was Peter D. Thomas who was elected coroner in 1887.

In 1888 Racine Fire Station Number 4 was constructed at 1339 Lincoln street.

The old Chicago & Northwestern Train Depot built in 1888, now stands behind St. Stephen Church 1769 State Street. The depot was moved there when the new 1901 depot was built.

The first gasoline powered automobile in Racine was built by Edward Joel Pennington in 1889.

The fine Victorian Eclectic mansion located at 1100 South Main Street was built in 1893 by Joseph Miller.

The first three stories of the Dr. Shoop Building215 State Street were built in 1893, with plans to add more stories as needed. In 1899, three more floors were added.

December 15,1895 a county jail was completed at Fifth Street and College Avenue and was excepted by the county Board.

The Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd, located at 625 College Avenue, was built in 1895.

July 22,1895 a franchise was granted to the Wisconsin Telephone co. to establish service in Racine.

October 7, 1896 the Racine's Women's Club was founded

Build in 1896 St. John's In 1897 the first building designed Lutheran Church, 1501 and built specifically for a post office Erie Street, is one of was erected at 6th and Main Streets. Racine’s finest Victorian Gothic churches

September 9, 1897 the first public library in Racine opened at 245 Main Street.

The Racine Golf Association opened the first 9-hole course.

Pottinger Steel Works was founded as a blacksmith shop in 1898.

May 28,1898 the first company left Racine for service in the Spanish - American war.

In 1899 Henry Miller built the Classical style mansion located at 1110 South Main Street.

In 1899 three additional stories were added to the Dr. Shoop building on State Street. Making it one of the most pretentious buildings in Racine.

Copyright © 2000 by Oak Clearing Farm & Museum - All Rights Reserved Copyright © Images – Oak Clearing Museum Archive http://www.racinehistory.com/celebrate.htm http://www.racinehistory.com/timeline.htm Racine County http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=Genealogy+Racine Copyright © 2005 - Thomas A. Tryber III All rights reserved October 5, 2005