A Different Revolution: Horicon Marsh and the Native World of 1776 Long before the Van Brunt Factory, the dam that created Lake Horicon, the mills, the farms, rail lines, drainage ditches, and town plats fixed the Horicon area into the modern Wisconsin map, the great marsh at the headwaters of the Rock River belonged to …
Elmina L. Clinton was born on September 3, 1823, in Canaan, Connecticut. She married George Beers on June 21, 1846, in Ithaca, New York — George’s first wife, Mary, having died just a year earlier in childbirth. Like so many young couples of their era, the Beers wasted little time. They packed up and headed …
Nestled within the peaceful confines of Bowling Green Park in Horicon, Wisconsin, stands a historic relic: a World War I MK1 60-pounder artillery piece. This imposing gun offers a fascinating glimpse into the technological advancements and strategic considerations of early 20th-century artillery — and its arrival in Horicon is a story worth telling. Special Note …
Private First Class Thomas F. Philipsky 1938 Horicon High School Graduate Private First Class Thomas F. Philipsky of Horicon, Wisconsin, is honored as the city’s first World War II casualty—a devoted son, athlete, and serviceman whose life story remains an inspiration to his community. Early Life: “Tommy” Thomas F. Philipsky was born on December 19, …
A History of Tourism at Horicon and Horicon Marsh Long before Horicon was a city — before the dam, the ducks, the duck hunters, the drainage ditches, and the hard-won restoration — this corner of Dodge County was shaped by forces far older than any of us. What we now know as Horicon Marsh began …
Sometimes the archive surprises you. A digitized film reel surfaces online. A few minutes of footage that should have been lost turns out not to be. Or better yet — you’re digging through a collection and there it is. An old 8mm or 16mm film, still in its canister, label faded, sitting in the dark …
Where Water Shapes Memory: Horicon’s Boathouses through Time. The history of boathouses in Horicon, Wisconsin, is deeply intertwined with the evolution of Horicon Marsh. When European settlers arrived in the vast wetland once known as the “Great Marsh of the Winnebago,” they built some of the earliest structures along the banks of the Rock River. …
The Terror of the Rock River An Ancient Legend of the Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi Peoples Carl G. Reinemann, Historical Horicon Wisconsin Long before European settlers pushed into the river valleys of southern Wisconsin, the Rock River was a storied waterway — a corridor of travel, sustenance, and deep spiritual significance for the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) and …
S.S. Rich: Horicon’s Man with the Team Long before trucks and delivery vans crowded Horicon’s streets, Selby Simeon Rich was already doing the town’s heavy lifting. From 1907 until 1933 he worked behind a steady team of horses, a high‑seated wagon, and an aging bus, becoming one of the most familiar figures between Horicon’s depots …
Horicon, Dodge County, Wisconsin · October 19–20, 1882 Carl G. Reinemann, Author Author’s Note: This is also available as a podcast, The Old Cold Case, The Murder of Marshal William Gibson. The Man Who Came Home from the War Not all of Horicon’s losses came on distant battlefields. William Gibson, an Irish immigrant, had served …
