Box 23, Folder 4: Wisconsin: Geographical & Topographical 1844

248. Crawford County.

above the mouth; Lac Courtorielle, which has an outlet of the same name; Lac De Flambeau, which is the largest in this region; Tomahawk Lake, trough which the Chippewa passes; and Trout Lake, a small lake near its source. The Red Cedar Fork, is the main branch of this river, entering from the west about thirty six miles above its mouth. About sixty miles below Rice Lake, on this river, according to Schoolcraft, commences a series of rapids over horizontal layers of sandstone rocks, which extend with short intervals, down the river twenty four miles. The remainder of the distance (about fifty miles) to the junction, is characterized by deep water, with a strong current; and at the junction the ground is commanding and elevated, affording a fine view of a noble expanse of waters.

The Eau Gallais, is another branch of the Chippewa, entering from the west, eighteen miles above the mouth, on which mills have been built.

Kickapoo River, is a branch of the Wisconsin, which runs for some distance nearly parallel with the Mississippi, and enters the Wisconsin in range four west. About its sources forests of pine are found.

Porcupine River enters Lake Pepin near the middle.

Trempealeau River, a branch of the Mississippi, that enters near Mount Trempealeau, [the] the "Montagne qui trempe dans l'eau," (or Soaking Mountain) of the French. This remarkable bluff is about five hundred feet high, affording a beautiful and extensive view of the Mississippi and the surrounding country. A very fine engraving of this mountain and the surrounding scenery was made, a few years since, to accompany the "New York Mirror."

*P. Offices at Prairie du Chien, P. du Crosse.

Saint Croix County,

Though one of the most recent counties, having been established in 1840, is the most extensive, occupying nearly one half of the surface of the whole Territory. It embraces all the wild, broken, and unsettled, and even, in some degree, unexplored region extending from Crawford county, to the sources of the Mississippi, and around the head of Lake Superior to the northern boundary of the United States, and along that boundary as far as the Lake of the Woods. The population of this region, in 1840, was eight hundred and nine; and in 1842, it was estimated at twelve hundred [now 1500].

-The settlements being so remote and so little known that it was found impracticable to make an exact enumeration. The principal settlements are at LaPointe, on Lake Superior, and on the St. Croix river. 3800 miles from Sauk St. M.

The census of 1840, shows that there were then 58 horses, 434 meat cattle, 6 sheep, 187 swine, 7 stores and groceries, 3 saw-mills, and 9 cabinet makers in this county; and the products of the preceding year were 74 bushels of wheat, 79 of barley, 258 of oats, 606 of corn, 8,014 of potatoes, 447 tons of hay, 17,997

*LaPointe Co. Laws 1845 P. 52.

250. Saint Croix County.

pounds of maple sugar, 4,282 barrels of fish, 1,500 gallons of fish oil, and four thousand three hundred dollars worth of skins and furs.

Much of this county will remain as it is at present, an uninviting region, but there are portions of it, especially along the Mississippi, and its branches, that may be cultivated to advantage and its forests of pine, and perhaps mines of copper, may in some degree compensate for its deficiencies otherwise.

Many of the rivers, lakes, &c., in this portion of the Territory, have received different names by the persons who have visited, or described them, and hence there is some confusion in relation to these names. Those that appear to be pretty well established, are as follows:

St. Croix River, an important tributary of the Mississippi, a few miles above Lake Pepin, and fifty miles below the Falls of St. Anthony. Its length is about two hundred miles. It originates in Upper St. Croix lake, a beautiful sheet of clear, deep water, twelve miles long from north to south, and from one to three miles broad, with a small island near the south end. From this lake there is a portage of two miles, over a dry pine ridge, to the head of the Bois Brule river of Lake Superior. The branches of the St. Croix connect, by short portages, with the Chippewa, the Ishkodewabo (or Rum), and the Mauvaise rivers. At the Falls of the St. Croix, a greenstone rock is found. Mills have been erected here, and some other improvements commenced. The quantity of pine lumber manufactured on the St. Croix is estimated at five mil-

*Said to be navigable for steamboats up to the Falls. [Indicating?] of Copper said to be found at the Falls.

*Falls see [MSI?-illegible]

251. Rivers.

lions of feet annually. Above the Falls the river is full of rapids and falls; the whole descent of the river being estimated at seven hundred feet.

The St. Croix is about one hundred yards wide, at its mouth, where is opposite an island in the Mississippi; and on the right bank at the mouth, there is a perpendicular ledge of sandstone about ten feet high. A few hundred yards above the mouth commences the Lower St. Clair lake, which extends thirty six miles, with a breadth of about three or four miles.

Rum River, (Ishkode-wabo, or Missisageregon, of the Indians), is the most important tributary of the Mississippi river in Wisconsin, above St. Croix, entering fourteen miles above the Falls of St. Anthony. It is sixty yards wide at its mouth, and navigable for canoes about one hundred and fifty miles. It rises near the St. Louis river of Lake Superior, and passes through Spirit lake, a sheet of water twelve miles long and four wide, containing several islands. The water is transparent, and like most of the lakes in Wisconsin, abounds in fish. The Mille Lac, forms the source of a considerable branch of Rum river, by which the navigation is connected by a portage of one mile, with the Upper Mississippi. This lake, or rather group of lakes, is about twenty miles in diameter.

Saint Francis River, (Wicha-niva, of the Indians), enters a short distance above Rum river. [It] About runs nearly parallel with the Mississippi, and hence it has been called Parallel river; and as it has one of its sources in Leaf lake, it has also been called Leaf river. It is navigable for canoes about one hundred miles. It was named by Hennepin, who saw it in 1680.

252. Saint Croix County.

The Saint Louis River, is the largest and most important tributary of Lake Superior in this Territory. It enters at the western extremity of the lake, or of Fon du Lac bay, is a very crooked stream, full of rapids and falls, but is much used by travelers in passing from Lake Superior to the Upper Mississippi [illegible E&W]. At the mouth it is about one hundred and fifty yards wide [illegible/too faint text], and immediately above the mouth it expands into a long narrow lake. *See [map?] Grand [Portage?]

[*LaPart? Written in pencil four times along left margin].

The Bois Brule (or Burnt Wood) River, enters the lake twenty miles from Fon du Lac, about ninety four miles long, and navigable for canoes about eighty miles. It has its source in a spring of very clear and cold water; twenty yards across, and situated near the upper St. Croix lake.

The Mauvaise (bad) River, of the French-the Mushkee (swamp) river, of the Indians, is the next considerable tributary of Lake Superior east of the Bois Brule, entering about half way between La Pointe and the mouth of the Montreal, at a place where the shore of the lake is sandy for several miles each way-an unusual thing on the coast of this lake.

The Montreal River does not appear, from the recent surveys, to be so large and important a stream as has been supposed. It heads some considerable distance west of the Lac Vieux Desert (Lake Katakittekon), is full of rapids and falls, especially towards its mouth, and is scarcely navigable for canoes. About eighty yards from the mouth, or entrance into the Montreal bay, there is a rapid with a descent of some eighty or ninety feet.

*P. Offices-Falls of St. Croix, Kaposea, Lake St. Croix, LaPointe, Sandy Lake .