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Green Lake County Wisconsin USGenWeb |
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The town of Berlin, situated in the
northeast corner of the county, is bounded on the north by Waushara County,
on the east by Winnebago County; on the south by the town of Brooklyn, and on
the west by the town of Seneca. Its greatest length north and south is nine
miles; its breadth east and west, six miles. The city of Berlin, taken mostly
from its territory, leaves its outlines irregular. The village of Sacramento
originally belonged to Marquette County, and was by an act of Legislature attached
to Waushara County, at the organization of that county, contrary to the wish
of Sacramento's inhabitants, and, as some contended, contrary to the constitution
of Wisconsin. By a subsequent enactment it was attached to the town of Berlin.
One of the first settlements in this town was made about 1847, by Mr. Atkins,
who built a log cabin near where the dwelling of Mr. Peck was afterward built,
which for many years was a tavern. This must have been one of the simplest of
primitive taverns. It is said it had but two rooms and a loft overhead. The
first frame house built in the town was that, about half a mile north of Peck's
Corners, which afterward was the residence of Mr. Decker. The settlement of
the town rapidly extended from these corners at the Atkins place.
Near the center of the town, two miles west of Peck's Corners, on the east side of the Fox, quite a large settlement of Seventh Day Baptists grew up. It had its beginning in the location there in 1847, of D. E. Lewis, H. Larkin, and J. F. Brown. The church at this settlement was organized in 1850, under the pastoral care of Rev. J.M. Todd, and a neat house of worship was afterward erected.
The log house in the Payne neighborhood, which was once Mr. Payne's residence, was the first cabin or house erected in that part of the town. It will be remembered from its location about half a mile north of the school-house, at "the corners".
Among the old settlers of the town of Berlin, were Nicholas Bush, H.C. Burdick, Owen J. Fuller and John McClelland.
SacramentoSacramento, in the north part of
this township, is a small village which once had quite brilliant hopes. At the
organization of Waushara County, it was temporarily the county seat. The village
was regularly platted in 1849. Its original owner was James Hobden, and he sold
it to one Townsend. At that time the population numbered but six persons. A
steam sawmill was built in 1857, and Morse, Abbott & Co. were among its
early owners. In 1860 the place contained this industrial establishment, a tavern,
a sore-house and landing, a cooper shop, two shoe shops, and about 300 inhabitants.
The inventive genius of its citizens, led, about that time, to the establishment
there of two washing machine factories, but they were small and short-lived.
A bridge spanned the Fox River at this place, which was washed away by a flood.
A ferry superseded it a mile below, and was in its time an accommodation to
the traveling public. A later bridge was the ruin of the ferryman's business.
The old race course was established half a mile south of Sacramento, and a mile
and a half from the center of the city of Berlin, on S. Barlow's farm.
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