WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY E. A. BIRGE, Director W. O. HOTCHKISS, State Geologist Bulletin XU! Educational Series No. 5 THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE FOX-WINNEBAGO VALLEY BY RAY HUGHES WHITBECK Pro/ellor 0/ PhYliography and Geographu Uniuuluu 0/ Wilconsin ivm MADISON, WIS. PuBLISHED BY THE STATE 1915 "scolaln 68010glcal and Natural History Surve, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS EMANUEL L. PHILIPP Governor of the State. CHARLES R. VAN HISE, Pusident. President of the University of Wisconsin. CHARLES P. CARY, Vice-President State Superintendent of Public Instruction. JABE ALFORD President of the Commis&ioners of Fisheries HENRY L. WARD, Secretary President of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. STAFF OF THE SURVEY ADMINISTRATION: EDWARD A. BIRGE, Director and Superintendent In immediate charge of Natural History Division. WILLIAM O. HOTCHKISS, State Geologist. In immediate charge of Geology Division. LILLIAN M. VEERHUSEN, Clerk. GEOLOGY DIVISION: WILLIAM O. HOTCHKISS, In charge. T. C. CHAMBERLIN, Consulting Geologist, Pleistocene Geology. SAMUEL WEIDMAN, Geologist, Areal Geology. E. F. BEAN, Geologist, Chief of Field Parties. O. W. WHEELWRIGHT, Geologist, Chief of Field Parties. R. H. WHITBECK, Geologist, Geography of Lower Fox Valley. LAWRENCE MARTIN, Geologist, Physical Geography. E. STEIDTMANN, Geologist, Limestones. F. E. WILLIAMS, Geologist, Geography and History. NATURAL HISTORY DIVISION: EDWARD A. BIRGE, In charge. CHANCEY JUDAY, Lake Survey. H. A. SCHUETTE, Chemist. DIVISION OF SOILS: A. R. WHITSON, In charge. W. J. GEIB,* Inspector and Editor. GUY CONREY, Analyst. T. J. DUNNEWALD, Field Assistant and Analyst. CARL THOMPSON, Field Assistant and Analyst. C. B. POST, Field Assistant and Analyst. W. C. BOARDMAN, Field Assistant and Analyst. r ~ I * Scientist in Soil Survey. Bureau of Soils. U. S. Department of Agriculture. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I WISCONSIN SURVEY B U LLETIN XLIt. PLATE i. RELlEF MAP OF WISCO NSI N Photographe d from R e li ef Model of lhe State. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page. INTRODUCTION............ .............................................................................................. Man and his geographical environment.... ..... ......... ... .... ....... ..... ......... ....... ..... 1 The aim of applied geography.......................................................................... 2 Two other factors in geography........................................................................ 2 The race factor.. ..... .... ......... ........ .. ....... ... ........ ..... .... ............ ... ........ ..... ..... 2 The stage of development... .................... , ........ ...... ............... ...... ......... ..... 3 CHAPTER I. VALLEyS ................................................................................................. Valleys and mankind.......................................................................................... 4 Valleys of the old world......................... .......... ................. ............. ............ ......... 4 Valleys in American history.............................................................................. 5 The historic Fox River Valley.......................................................................... 5 CHAPTER II. THE ORIGIN AND PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE FOX-WINNEBAGO VALLEy.......................................................................................................... .. How the rocks of the valley were made....................... .......... ......................... 7 The uplift of the rocks............... ............ ........ ............ ...................... ......... .......... 7 The differing character of the rocks.................... ................ ..... ..... .................... 8 Cause of the valley................... ..................... ................. ................ ...... ..... ....... 8 The glaciation of the valley.......................... .......... ..... ..... ..................... ............. 9 Cause of the gentle slope on the west and of the steep slope on the east 11 The valley at present........ ................................................................................. 11 Natural resources................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER III. PECULIARITIES OF THE Fox RIVER....................................... .... 14 The Upper Fox River.......................................................................................... 14 Lake Winnebago past and present.......... ........... ...... ........... ........... .............. .... 14 Origin of the present lake........... ................ ......... .... ....................... .......... ......... 15 The red clay and its relation to larger Lake Winnebago.............................. 16 Cause of the larger lake........................................................................ .............. 17 Characteristics of the Lower Fox River......... ............... .............. ..... ............... 17 The rapids...................... '" .......... ............ ........... ... ...... ........ ........ ...... ...... ... ..... ..... 18 Concentration of fall............................................................................................ 19 The water power................ ........... ...... ... ... .... .................. ................ ........ ............. 21 Uniformity of discharge................................. ................................................... 22. CHAPTER IV. THE NAVIGATION OF THE Fox RIVER PAST AND PRESENT ...... .. Part of a famous historic route............... ..... ..... ...... ...... ........... ............ ......... ..... 24 The importance of rivers in history......................... ... .................. ...... ..... ......... 24 The Fox River as a commercial waterway...................................................... 27 Methods of navigation............... ...... ......... ................ ........... ........ ...... ....... .......... 28 , 2 9 3' Canoes and batteaus.............................. ................. ........... ......... ...... ........... 28 Durham boats..................... .... ............... ......... .... ....... ....... ................ .... ...... 29 The canal epoch....... .......... ................................ ..... ................ ............................ 29 The improvement of the Fox............................................................................ 29 The State's attempt.. ........ ·.................................................................................. 30 Navigation during the period of improvement................................................ 30 The entire river opened to steamboat navigation.......................................... 31 Taken over by the U. S. government............................................................. 32 Period of greatest use ....................................................................... ,.................. 33 Period of government controL......................................................................... 34 CHAPTER V. CITIES AND INDUSTRIES ................................................................. Fond du Lac.................. .................................... .................... ............ .................. 42 The growth of the city.............................................. ................................. 43 North Fond du Lac.................................................................................... 46 Oshkosh........................................................................................................... .... 47 Its situation.................................................................................................. 47 Other cities of the same type...................... ..................... ......................... 48 Early history of the city.................. ........................ .................................. 48 The development of manufacturing.......................................................... 49 Present industries........................................................................................ 51 Transportation............................................................................................... : 52 Neenah and Menasha...................................................... ................................... 53 Neenah-Menasha as a type city................................................................ 54 The waterpower and industries..................................... ............................. 54 Menasha........................................................................................................ 56 Appleton................... ~............................................................................................ 58 Early history................................................................................................ 58 Waterpower................... :............................................................................. 59 Early manufacturing.......................................................... .......................... 60 Present manufacturing................................................................................ 62 Appleton as a type city.............................................................................. 64 Kaukauna.............................................................................................................