"Clark Co. Illustrated" by Saterlee, Tifft & Marsh, 1890.
Transcribed by Janet Schwarze.

WASHBURN TOWNSHIP is located near the southeastern corner of the county, and consists of a tract of six miles square, which is described as town twenty three, north of range one west. The tract of land included within the present boundaries of this town, and the towns of Sherwood Forest and Levis, but in 1873, by an act of legislature, these four townships were separated into three towns, giving the town of Levis two townships and this town and Sherwood Forest one township each.

As regards the settlement this is one of the new towns of the county. The southern part of the town, as yet, contains very few settlers, and is considered valuable, principally on account of its growth of timber of different kinds. The northern part of the town is more thickly settled, and many fine farms have been made along the main highway extending east and west through the town. The surface is similar to that of other towns in this locality, consisting of lowlands separated by hardwood ridges. The northern part of the town is nearly all hardwood land, while the southern part is nearly all pinelands. The crops of growing grain, hay and vegetables, on the farms along this highway already mentioned are in excellent condition and we are informed that they are no better this season than they will average. We should judge from these crops that the soil is well adapted to agricultural purposes, and that no fertilizer would be necessary, at least for several years. Good drinking water is procured a short distance below the surface.

Cunningham creek flows through the northern part of the town, and is made use of in floating logs and timber to market. There are two or three other smaller streams in the central and southern part of the town.

There is still a large quantity of valuable timber standing in the town, which will become more valuable as the railroads come nearer to it and the means of transportation facilitated. There is one large mill in the town known as the Archer mill, which is engaged chiefly in the manufacture of staves, heading, etc., from the large supply of excellent hardwood timber in its vicinity. A large crew of men is employed in hauling the products of the mill to the railroad. The highways in the northern part of the town, or where the settlement is, are in good condition, and are constantly kept in repair.

There are very few roads in the southern part of the town but, as fast as the country is settled up, highways are constructed. The Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul road is but about four miles from the southern boundary of the town.

The stage, line from Neillsville to Nevins passes through the town east and west. There is one post office on the line in this town, known as Shortville, of which Mrs. Walker has been postmistress for several years.

The town is well provided with schools for the number of settlers, and there was recently erected in the northern part of the town a neat and tasty town hall, which makes a very convenient place for holding public meetings of various kinds.

The population of the town in 1875 was only 110; in was 170, and at the present 1880 it was 153; in 188.5 it time it is probably a little over 200. It will be seen that its growth is somewhat slow, as it takes much time and hard work here, as well as in other timbered communities, to rnake a farm, but the farmer who is clearing up a place, has a ready sale for the timber which be cuts from the land in clearing it, and is therefore engaged in a remunerative occupation, even while fitting his land for agricultural purposes.

The town officers for the current year are as follows: Chairman and member of county board, B. B. Crockett; clerk, Goo. Robinson; treasurer, W. R. Noyes; assessor, J. M. Winters.

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