Pewaukee Village
Incorporated 1876
Site of Potowatomi village. Vermonter Asa Clark arrived in 1836 and acquired most of the land around the northeast shore of the lake. He built a dam in 1839, also a sawmill and grist mill. The population increased as Yankee settlers arrived. Early businesses included wagon making, barrel making, a dry goods store, a blacksmith, tannery, and pump factory. Both church & school met in Clark’s parlor. The Watertown Plank Road came in 1850, and the railroad in 1854. Improved transportation gave rise to the ice industry in the 1880’s. Breweries and meat packers shipped rail cars of their products to distant markets using Pewaukee Lake ice. Following the Civil War Pewaukee became a summer resort area. Several large hotels were built, including the 110 room Oakton Springs, later destroyed by fire. Today Pewaukee is a friendly village of homes, churches, and small businesses, close to large cities, but retaining small town charm.
Marker is on Wisconsin Avenue 0.2 miles south of High Street, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
