Douglas County History

[AlumniClub]

Your countys history..

Post your countys history or important county facts here?
Do you have a funny story about your countys history?
Is there a strange law still on the books in your city or town?
Was your town renamed? Tell us about why it was changed?
Tell about historical landmarks or buildings in your area.
Give links to historical sites about your county and buildings.
Tell about your changes in the school system since growth of your town or city.
Who was the most memorable mayor in your town or city?

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[AlumniClub]

Douglas County, created in 1854 from previously unorganized territory, is named after US Senator Stephen Douglas. Located in northwest Wisconsin, the county seat is Superior.
Land Area 1,309.13 sq miles
Water Area 170.78 sq miles
Elevation 642 ft at Superior
Number of Lakes 431
Area in Lakes 14,113 acres (22.05 sq miles)
Rivers Amnicon, Black, Bois Brule, Eau Claire, Middle, Moose, Nemadji, Ounce, Pokegama, Poplan, St. Croix, St. Louis, Spruce, Totagatic, UpperTamarack
Major Watershed Lake Superior, St. Croix River (South)
Geographical Province North: Lake Superior Lowland. Central and South: Norther Highland
Natural Vegetation Southeast: jack pine and prairie grasses. West and west-central: white and red pine. North: balsam fir and white spruce. West: isolated areas of maple, hemlock and yellow birch, and black spruce, tamarack and cedar.
Population
1930: 46,583
1970: 44,657
1980: 44,421
1990: 41,758
2000: 43,287
Border Counties
North: Lake Superior
East: Bayfield County
South: Washburn County, Burnett County
West: Minnesota



Douglas County Government and Local Information Resources
County Government Web Site www.douglascountywi.org
County Clerk Office of the County Clerk
1313 Belknap St
Superior, WI 54880-2769 Phone: 715-395-1330

County Sheriff Douglas County Sheriff
1409 Hammond Ave
Superior, WI 54880 Phone: 715-395-1375

County Parks Douglas County Forestry Department
Po Box 211
Solon Springs, WI 54873 Phone: 715-378-2219

Birth & Death Certificates, Marriage Records Register of Deeds
1313 Belknap St
Superior, WI 54880-2769 Phone: 715-395-1463

Cooperative Extension UW-Extension, Douglas County
1313 Belknap St, Room 107
Superior, WI 54880-2769 Phone: 715-395-1363
E-mail

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Tourism, Relocation & Business Development Eau Claire Lakes Business Association
13702 Crystal Beach Rd
Gordon, WI 54838 Phone: 715-376-2322

Nebagamon Community Association
11507 E Waterfront Dr
Lake Nebagamon, WI 54849 Phone: 715-374-2283

Solon Springs Civic Club
8978 E County Road A
Solon Springs, WI 54873-8138

Superior-Douglas County Convention & VB
205 Belknap St
Superior, WI 54880 Phone: 715-392-2773

Superior/Douglas County Chamber of Commerce
205 Belknap St
Superior, WI 54880 Phone: 715-394-7716


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Historical and Genealogical Societies Douglas County Historical Society
1101 John Ave
Superior, WI 54880 Phone: 715-392-8449

Solon Springs Historical Society
10732 S Rocky Hill Rd
Solon Springs, WI 54873 Phone: 715-378-4296

Twin Ports Genealogical Society
PO Box 16895
Duluth, WI 55816-0895
WIGenWebProject, Douglas County


GB2
http://www.wisconline.com/counties/douglas/index.html

[larryrayj]

Senator Irving Lenroot was the son of a Swedish Imigrant family in Superior. He was self-educated in Law after being unhappy with his job as a grocery clerk. He got into politics in mid-life and eventually worked his was through the Wisconsin legislative system and was elected as a US Senator from Wisconsin. In 1920 he was selected by the Republican convention to run as a Vice President with Warren Harding. Irving's wife dragged her feet on his acceptance, as she wanted Irving to leave politics. After a short time, Irving accepted and found out that his delay in doing so, resulted in Calvin Coolidge being offered the job! As some know Harding died in office in 1923 and Coolidge served the remainer of his term. In that moment of indecision, an uneducated boy lost out on being the most influential individuals in the world, and Superior lost an opportunity in the sun! These are facts know by my wife's family as she is Irving's grand niece.

[AlumniClub]

Great reply! Thanks for the added info. Have you traced back to see if any other people in her family was part of the history for this county? My father has traced our family back to the year 98...not 1998...the actual year of 98. Some details of our history are a bit fuzzy due to the ending names changing back then but even still its amazing to know who you are actually related to. My dad has been working on our geneology for close to 15 years....and he is still searching. Hope your wifes family does that also. You would be surprised i think.


GB2

[larryrayj]

Thanks for the reply, Greenbean2. The Lenroot family (Larsson in Sweden) was well known at the head of the Lakes, both in Duluth and Superior. Two of the decendants, John and Robert had funeral homes in the two cities. The father of Irving, Lars Lenroot, was an influential business man in Superior. He is said to have had the first commercial boat in the harbor after he commissioned it built in Cleveland. Lars's sisters husband had a fishing hotel in Spirit Lake and owned the property that the US Steel plant was built on as well as the community where the workers lived in Morgan Park. Irving first marriage was to Clara Clough, daughter of a famous judge in Superior. Clough Island in the St Louis river was named after him. All of this sucess from a father who died in the poor farm working as a bonded farmer in Sweden. Ain't it a great country! I have been doing Genealogy on all of my wife's ancestors and mine from Scandinavia for 20 years. I have all but 1 branch going back to at least 1540. That branch is French Huguenots and I'm having a hard time tracing their exiles, and immigration activities to various countries before coming to the USA.

[AlumniClub]

That is very interesting! The hard part about tracing family history back is when alot of the people came from other countries and switched names or spellings of. I know my father has busted his butt to get where he has so far. Great history message though Larry!


GB2