|
"The
Gateway to Wisconsin's Northwoods"
Founded in 1878 by
Civil War veterans Francis Deleglise and George Eckart, Antigo was known
to local native Americans as "wild woods", a term still applicable
today given the area's bountiful wild areas. Though the pristine wilderness
remains, Antigo embarks on the 21st century replete with resources that
situate it on the cutting edge of technology, manufacturing and growth.
 Vast
expanses of timber spawned the region's first major industry for German,
Czech, Polish, and Scandinavian immigrants. Oxen needed to transport logs
helped generate a second industry, farming, that became a staple of the
area and drew upon surrounding soils rich in silt loam, Wisconsin's state
soil. For more information visit the Langlade
County Historical Society.
 With
the burgeoning timber industry
and advent of the railroad, Antigo's population quickly grew from 645
in 1880 to 9,465 in 1890. The city became a hub of the Chicago, Lakeshore
& Western Railroad, later the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, which
served as a key element in transporting timber and crops. Though the railroad
was eventually closed, its historic depot was renovated and currently
serves as an appealing office complex in downtown Antigo.
 As
the timber industry declined, farmers turned to dairying to provide sustenance
and under the direction of agricultural agent E.G. Swovadam, established
several breeder organizations. With that impetus, Antigo became Wisconsin's
leading producer of Italian cheese, a distinction it maintains with the
operation of the noted Antigo Cheese
Company, an internationally recognized producer of several varieties
of excellent cheese.
Antigo capitalized
on the need for manufacturing to become home to countless businesses that
supplied needs of the railroad and farming industries and presently hosts
manufacturing concerns involved in packaging
supplies, manufactured
wood products, gears and bearings,
electronic supplies, military
ordinance manufacturing and telescoping
cargo handlers to name just a few.
From the 1880s until
today, Antigo has utilized its resources and adapted to changes in a manner
that has rendered it a vibrant, progressive and welcoming community to
visitor and resident alike.
Other Websites of Interest:
|
