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Slinger Recreation
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Village of Slinger
History
Baruck Schleisinger
(Founder of Village)
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Baruch Schleisinger Weil was born in Strasbourg, France on
June 29, 1802, and settled in Washington County on November 1, 1845. He owned
property and erected what was at the time considered an elegant residence on Section 31
south of Cedar Lake about 1847, and he lived there at the time.Mr. Weil was the largest purchaser of government
land in the county. In December 1845 he purchased in the name of Jules
Schleisinger, his son, and Eliza Adelaide, his wife, the following land: Sec. 5 -
477 acres; Sec. 6 - 408 acres; Sec. 7 - 378 acres; Sec. 8 - 160 acres, and Section 18 -
587 acres.
On the best portion, in the northwest
quarter of the Town of Polk on Sec. 18 he platted the village of Schleisingerville.
He built a large store and dwelling on the corner of Main and Franklin streets and started
a thriving center of trade. (1854-56)
Through the energy of Mr. Weil, the village
soon became the center of trade for a number of adjoining towns. Weil himself kept a
full assortment of goods adapted to the wants of the country trade, and he established a
good local hide business.
Other branches of trade and manufacture
were started. There were shoemakers, blacksmiths, a wagon-maker, a hotel and
tannery. The tannery was built by George Ippel and Thomas Jenner who did a fair
business and established a good local hide business. |
| Later Weil built a distillery
which was run by him and his associates until he left in 1869. Through the exertions
and influence of Mr. Weil, the route of the old LaCrosse Railroad (later the Milwaukee
& St. Paul Road) was located so as to pass through the village, and the occasion of
its completion to Slinger was celebrated with great rejoicing on August 23, 1855. A
large party of excursionists came out from Milwaukee, including the president of the
railway and other prominent citizens. Salvos of artillery saluted the approach of
the train, and the party was royally entertained during the day by Mr. Weil who fed and
feasted the entire group in the upper rooms of his hotel. Mr. Weil remained in the village he had built until
1859-60, at which he removed to Cedar Lake and then to West Bend.
Soon after the completion of the railroad
to Schleisingerville, another man of rare business tact and energy came to the village and
commenced merchandising. In 1856, Lehman Rosenheimer opened a store and in
connection with it carried on a large trade in cattle, grain, and other farm
products. The trade of nearly all the adjoining towns centered at his store.
Five of his six sons became merchants. John, Max and Joseph remained in Schleisingerville.
Moritz and Adolph became merchants in Kewaskum and Norway, Michigan.
Rosenheimer built a larger store to
accommodate his constantly increasing business. It was two stories in height and 38
x 50 feet in size. It doubled in size in 1867. Following his death in 1878,
the sons added a grain elevator and large warehouse. |
Photos from the Past...
Old Picture of St. Peters Catholic Church
Baehring's Brickyard Crew
Slinger Public School, May 1, 1895
Teacher: Florence Kuechenmeister |
