Wisconsin Archeological Society-Charles E. Brown Chapter

press release: “Fire, Shipwreck, and Cheese: Wisconsin’s Lost Coastal Communities”

 Thursday, April 13^th, 2023 7:00-8:30 PM

Amy L. Rosebrough – Wisconsin Historical Society

Register at https://wihist.org/CEB-April23 and join the Charles E. Brown chapter of the Wisconsin Archeological Society and Dr. Amy Rosebrough of the Wisconsin Historical Society for an exploration of the lost ports of Lake Michigan. In the mid to late 19^th centuries, dozens of small communities sprang up along the eastern shores of Wisconsin, each with its own lake pier and general store. The owners of the piers shipped forest and farm products to Chicago, and supplied incoming settlers with the income and goods they needed to survive. A Wisconsin Historical Society initiative is exploring the submerged and onshore remains of these lost ports, and tracing the histories of the people and ships that called them home. In the process, a forgotten chapter of Great Lakes history is coming to light. The lost ports hold stories of catastrophic fires, dangerous shoals, runaway horses, gossip columnists, eavesdropping clerks, and lots and lots of cheese. Most importantly, the story of Wisconsin’s lost coastal communities is the story of how Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan’s shoreline was transformed from timberland to today’s farms and cities.