Appleton History, Wisconsin

Appleton has been regarded as one of the major cities of Wisconsin. It has great historical, cultural and traditional background. It is neighbored by Green Bay and Iron Mountain.

Appleton – History: Early History

Fur traders were noted the first settlers in this area. The White Heron was built in 1835 and was served as a trading post as well as the house to the family of Hippolyte Grignon. The city was settled in 1847, and made into a village in 1853. It was later called a city in 1857. In the early twentieth century, the city adopted the commission form of governance. What started off as just eleven thousand people in the 1890s was already up to thirty thousand in 1940, just fifty years later.

Appleton – History: Lawrence University

This city is also well known as it houses Lawrence University. Amos A. Lawrence established the university by providing most of the funds, in 11847. When ten thousand dollars were donated by Samuel Appleton to build a library, the city was named after him. The city is also home to John birch Society headquarters.

Appleton – History: Economy and Famous Firsts

Appleton has always been a site of great economic activity. Initially, in 1853, the paper industry was the reason the city was doing well. In 1882, to provide electricity to the paper industry, the first hydro-electric central station was set up, the first in the country. The power plant also powered the Hearthstone House, which was the first house to be powered by a hydro-electric station.

In 1886, Appleton went on to be home to the invention of the electric streetcar. In 1912, electric streetlamps replaced traditional streetlamps on College Avenue. This was also the first city in the entire state to use telephones.

This city was also the childhood home of Harry Houdini, who was born here in 1874, a fact he claimed himself in countless interviews, despite reports saying that he was born in Hungary in the same year.