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CITY OF KAUKAUNA TIMELINE

ca. 1634

Jean Nicolet was possibly the first European to view the great rapids at Kaukauna

ca. 1634

1670

Father Claude Allouez in his diary.”On the 18th day of April 1670, we made a portage which they call Kakalin. Our sailors drew the canoe through the rapids; I walked on the banks of the river where I found apple trees and vine stalks in great abundance”

1670

1729

Charles de Langlade, son of Augustin de Langlade and Domitelle, sister to the head of the Ottawa, born in Mackinac.

1729

1752

Charles de Langlade with a force of 200 Ottawa attacks the Miami village of Pickawillany — signalling the start of the French-Indian (or Seven Year’s) War.

1752

1755

De Langlade and his Ottawa are given credit for planning the attack in which Braddock and the English were defeated at Fort Duquesne.

1755

1759

De Langlade and 400 Indians join Montcalm in the defense of Quebec. The French surrender and the French and Indian (SevenYears) War ends.

1759

Pre 1760

Charles de Langlade and his son-in-law, Pierre Grignon, open a trading post at Grand Kakalin

Pre 1760

1763

The Treaty of Paris is signed in which Wisconsin becomes a part of the British Empire.

1763

1745

Augsutin de Langlade and his son, Charles, first come to Green Bay.

1745

1754

Charles de Langlade marries Charlotte Ambroisine Bourassa, a daughter from this union marries Pierre Grignon.

1754

1764

The de Langlade family moves to Green Bay.

1764

1793

First recorded sale of land in Wisconsin occurs when Dominique DuCharme buys 1,282 acres of land that is today’s Kaukauna from Wapisipine and Le Black Tobacco for two barrels of rum.

1793

1795

At this time, Kakalin was a village of over 1,500 inhabitants, mostly Indians and French-Indian traders. One resident is Dan McCrea, a Scotsman married to a Menominee woman, and whose daughter, Nancy would become Augustine’s wife.
Pierre Grignon dies, and his son, Augustin, takes charge of the trading post.

1795

1805

Augustin Grignon and Nancy McCrea are married.

1805

1809

John Jacob Astor founds the American Fur Company

1809

ca. 1812

War of 1812
Paul Ducharme leaves Kaukauna for Green Bay because of the uncertainties of the the War of 1812

ca. 1812

1813

Paul Ducharme sells a portion of the land in Kaukauna, including Dominique’s cabin to Augustin Grignon.
Augustine Grignon actually settles in Kaukauna to join his wife, Nancy McCrea, and therir children

1813

1814

Treaty of Ghent signed December 24th, ends British rule in Wisconsin.

1814

1816

Augustin Grignon builds a grist mill on his property, and a sawmill shortly after.

1816

1822

The Stockbridge and Munee tribes settle on the south side of the river at Statesburg.

1822

1824

“…the first real road to be opened in Wisconsin was laid out in 1824 along the east side of the Fox, from Green Bay to Kaukauna.” (Thwaites)

1824

1825

Daniel Whitney builds a sawmill on the south side of Kaukauna almost opposite Grignon’s.

1825

1828

In spring, Rev. Jesse Miner arrives to minister to the Stickbridge and Munsee tribes living in Statesburg on the south side of the river.

1828

ca. 1830

Augustin and Nancy Grignon leave Kaukauna for their holdings in Buttes des Morts. Their sons, Charles and Alexander take over the business and family homestead.

ca. 1830

1832

The Black Hawk War.

1832

1835

Dam dug at DePere — one of the first construction projects which was part of the Fox River Locks system.
Paul Beaulieu settles on the south side of Kaukauna (on the hill east of Konkapot Creek). He and James Boyd, a son-in-law to George Lawe, buy and operate Whitney’s sawmill.

1835

1836

Paul Ducharme sells the remainder of his Kaukauna holdings to Judge John Lawe to cove his debts to Lawe. Lawe in turn gives the holdings to his son, George.

1836

1837

Charles Grignon builds his “mansion in the woods” as a gift for his bride, Mary Elizabeth Meade, whom he married on January 1st.

1837

1839

The village of Kaukauna is incorporated?
George Lawe moves to Kaukauna, builds a home, opens a trading post and a farm.

1839

1842

Nancy Grignon dies at age 53 at Buttes de Morts.
Immigrant Michael Klein who born in Germany in 1803, settles on the south bank.

1842

1844

Immigrant Peter Deidrich, born in Holland, settles and operates a ferry service directly across from Michael Klein farm.

1844

1848

Wisconsin is admitted to the Union.

1848

1849

Andrew Black, from New England, settles as a neighbor to Diedrich.

1849

1851

The State legislature chagnes the name of the town from Grand Kaukalin to Kaukauna.
Excavations begin at Kaukauna for the locks and dam system.
Alexander Grignon plats the town of Springville located on the eastern end of the Grignon land, near a sulphur spring. The town could not compete with Kaukaun and failed.

1851

1856

Completion of the Fox Locks and dam system. The economic boom for Kaukauna ends as canal workers move on. Vacant buildings are purchased and moved.

1856

1861

The Chicago and Northwestern Railway, the main line between Green Bay and Milwaukee comes to town.

1861

1869

Augustin Grignon dies at age 80 at Buttes de Morts.

1869

1872

Railway tracks from Manitowoc to Antigo laid along the south bank of the river.
The Kaukauna Water Power Company plats the village of Ledyard on the south side of the river.

1872

1880

The Kaukauna Times newspaper is started.
The Kaukauna Water Power Company is organized by officials of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western railway.

1880

1884

On June 20, the village of Ledyard on the south side of the river was granted a charter and John Hickey was elected village president.

1884

1885

The Kaukauna Sun newspaper is started.
In March, the villages of Ledyard and Kaukauna are incoprated into the City of Kaukauna.
On April 5th, Colonel H.A. Frambach was elected the city’s first mayor.

1885

1889

Free Public High School organized.

1889

1905

Construction of a public library with assistance from Andrew Carnegie.

1905

1923

Construction of high school on the island.

1923

1929

The Vaudette Theatre shous the first “talkie” motion picture.

1929

1930

The Bank of Kaukauna is robbed of $40,000.

1930

1932

Construction of the U.S. Post Office on the island.

1932

1933

Regenfuss Brewery reopens after a dry period of 14 years.

1933

1937

Rialto Theatre opens with Edna Ferber’s “Come & Get It”.

1937

1944

Look’s Drug Store opens on Second Street.

1944

1948

Dial phones come to Kaukauna.

1948

1950

Kaukauna swimming pool is dedicated.

1950

1951

The Hotel Kaukauna orginally called the Hotel Brothers, is destroyed by fire.

1951

1953

Automatic traffic signals are installed at the intersection of Lawe Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

1953

1955

Kaukauna Community Hospital is dedicated.

1955

1957

Senator John F. Kennedy visits Kaukauna as part of his primary campaign through Wisconsin.

1957

1965

City of Kaukauna celebrates 175th Jubilee.

1965

1966

Electa Quinney School is opened.

1966

1972

Outagamie Country Teachers College is closed after sixty years of service.

1972

1975

New city offices are opened in the old Badger Northland plant.

1975

1976

The new 6,300 square foot addtion is opened in the Kaukauna Public Library

1976

1989

New Post Office in completed on the north side of town.

1989

1990

Fox Valley Greyhound Park opens on north side of town.

1990

1995

First phase of Highway 55 reconstruction completed.

1995

1996

Badger Northland and Kaukauna Community Hospital close

1996

1996

Recreation trails open.

1996

1997

Groundbreaking for new High School.

1997
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